# Solar water pump/system



## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

Anyone use or have experience with a solar water pump for watering livestock?

Looking into a pump/system to pull water from a pond. Rough starting plan is to push water uphill to waterer made from a large excavator tire. Then run overflow line back down to pond and run line/lines (from bottom of large waterer) to at least one (at most three) smaller tire waterers that are located downhill. Smaller, lower waterers will have a float and valve to control water level.

Whole system will need to be protected from freezing temps. Hoping the large uphill waterer will stay open due to circulating water (will need battery to maintain flow overnight). The lower tanks can freeze over with valves being protected in the bottom of the tanks. Lower tanks should stay open with drinking pressure from cows then freeze back over when not in use.

Any comments/questions on this rough plan would be appreciated. Also if someone could recommend any products or suppliers for the pump and solar system would be great. Only systems I have looked at were on ebay. Thanks for all comments, questions, and suggestions.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Off-Grid Kits.

http://webosolar.com/store/en/

Regards, Mike


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

We are going to try something similar. We have a drain pipe that drains our field; we are going to tape into it and put in a 110v submersible pump, solar pump and an inverter. We have the tire tank set, just need to get the rest of it in place. Maybe we will get it finished this summer.


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

It's been a few years but I remember seeing a catalog with solar water pumping systems that are specifically for remote animal watering. That means someone has already designed the whole system. Probably safer to go with one of these pre-designed systems than pick out your own solar panels, water pump, etc. and hope everything works well together.

I think you select a system based on height you need to pump water and, of course, how much water you need to pump.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Get a catalog out of Canada that has quite a few companies that handle solar and wind powered systems for remote winter water systems.

www.kellnsolar.com

www.capsolar.com

www.sundogsolarwind.com

www.solarpumps.ca

Dad has 3 solar pumps but we don't use them in the winter. I would be concerned with the shorter days in the winter maybe not giving enough light and not putting out enough water depending on how many animals you want to water. Sun is lower in the sky so I'd think the solar panels might need a different angle than in the summer to catch the most light. I really don't know though. Another issue is the panels we use in the summer have a gas system (argon I think) that cools off at night and allows the panel to fast east in the morning and as the sun shines on it and heats it up the panel tilts to the west to catch more light as the day goes on. In the winter its to cold here for the gas to warm up enough to make the panel follow the sun. Might be best to mount the panel in a postion where it catches the most sun at the brightest time of day.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Following the 2011 drought, I did extensive research into solar water pumping systems. Eventually, I chose to order a complete system from http://www.solarpowerandpump.com/ in Elk City, Oklahoma.

These people specked a 6 panel system that generates 190 Watts per panel and a Grundfos pump to bring water up from 300 ft deep in an uncapped well and move that water 2200 ft to dual water troughs placed in a fence line between two pastures. A friend who knows electricity and I installed the panels and the pump with no professional help except an occasional call to the supplier to ask a question on procedure. They were always quite helpful.

I'm glad I chose a reputable supplier as the system has worked flawlessly now for four years. If there is a series of cloudy days and the cows need water, I take my portable generator and hook it up to the pump at the panel switch box and pump water. I never change the angle of the panels set for winter sun position. In summer these panels generate sufficient power to fill the troughs in about an hour with the panels set for winter sun angle.


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## woodland (May 23, 2016)

Not sure if you already got your plan figured out yet but I'll second what IHCman said. We bought a summer solar waterer from Promold in Alberta and it works great. Just curious how you set up your tire waterers? We pour concrete in the bottom with a piece of 4 inch sewer line coming through it to run the water line into the tire. For the lid we used to build it out of planks and insulated with styrofoam, but rot sets in way too fast. Now we put a tractor tire and half a truck tire to build the lid. We are trying to find a better way to seal up the waterline coming in the bottom since we currently use expanding foam but it starts to leak after a few years usually.


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## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

Solar pump system is still in thinking about stage (not even to official planning stage). We do have several tire waterers in use on a well.

Ours have 1/2" plastic to seal bottom. Screwed to tire bead with some type of extended warranty caulk to seal. Then a threaded hole in plastic and a long threaded valve that goes through plastic and attached to water line.

Top sidewall of fire is cut off and not covered. In our climate they will stay open with enough cows drinking. May get thin layer of ice that is easily broken. When not in use will freeze several inches thick but valve stays unfrozen a bottom of tank. Need to chop with axe to break up to start using. But once broke and with cows drinking ice will melt and stay clear.

Next ones we put in, will try just putting bentonite in bottom to seal. Cut drinking holes in side wall then cover top. Heard that the bentonite is easy way to seal, guess someday I will find out.

Thanks everyone for responses and links you posted. Lots of good info.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

woodland, maybe you could try flexseal around that waterline. You'd have to have something to hold it in place until it sets up. maybe jam papertowel around line at the bottom and then pour it full of flexseal. Not sure if it'll work but worth a try.

Get the flexseal in a can not the aerosol stuff in a rattlecan. I've got a big 4500 galvanized tank that has a concrete bottom and 4' apron around it. The concrete over time pulled away from the tank and apron and I had water leaking between the tank and concrete. Tried a silicone sealant in a caulking gun, it worked but didn't stick as well as I'd hoped as I couldn't get the crack clean as it should be. I'd blow it out with an air compressor but still would be fine dirt in it. That slowed the leak for quite awhile but eventually got bad again. Next I tried filling the crack with a concrete sealer and then after that was dried sprayed it with 2 coats of the flexseal in a rattle can, didn't work. So I cleaned all that off and got some of the pourable flexseal in a can. I used a 60cc disposable syringe and squirted that stuff down into the crack. Worked very well and sealed that crack very nice. Now to see how long it lasts.


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## woodland (May 23, 2016)

Thanks for the ideas IHCman and JMT. I wasn't aware that flexsteel was available in liquid form and never thought of bentonite either. This summer we are putting in 2.5 miles of waterline with five tire waterers on it. I might steal some of your ideas for them. ????


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Here in our desert area care must be given to "theif proof" your solar system. Place them as high as possible with one-way bolts. You won't hardly find any windmills, they have been replaced. Grundfos 12SQF is an easy model- around 12-15 gpm. I replaced one with a 35+ gpm to keep my pond full. Yo can run the Grundfos on 110v or 220v if you want, by generator or what ever power source.


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Re -read the OP's post. It should be very easy to design a system to pump from a pond. Ours are always wells and some are DEEP!


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Quickcrete water stop cement might be another option to seal up leaks in the concrete part of the tank. I was going to use it on my tank but I'd have had to grind out the crack to get enough material down into it to get it to seal. I've used it before on a different project and worked well. My only tip would be don't listen to the instructions, it says not to mix up any more than you can use in 3min as it sets up fast. I'd say don't mix up anymore than you can use in 60sec as it sets up really FAST.


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