Totally agree with regards to it being a kludge; power electronics have come such a long way since the '70s... For the mechanical+pump permutation, the plumbin

Totally agree with regards to it being a kludge; power electronics have come such a long way since the '70s... For the mechanical+pump permutation, the plumbing needs to provide a way to prime the pump, and the pump cannot be more than 20-something feet up without the whole system being pressurised [1]. So, if you go that route, a pump near ground level will more-or-less be required. [1] http://processengineering.co.uk/article/2019233/maximum-suction http://processengineering.co.uk/article/2019233/maximum-suct...