Green Building Forum - Solar Irrigation Pump

Solar Irrigation Pump

Gotanewlife — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:35:21 +0100

Does anyone know of an irrigation pump, timer and PV array - plug and play package. This is for a client and I don't want to be faffing around getting the bits separately. We have already installed
several 1m3 water containers giving a minimum 1m head but their veg patch and sitting out area are growing exponentially!! For the irrigation system I have fitted 40mm main lines and individual taps off into 16mm pipe with pairs of pre-made leak holes every 350mm, ie no sprays, but some of the runs are quite long now and there are an every growing number of runs.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

Solar Irrigation Pump

db8000 — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:50:11 +0100

I saw this http://www.irrigatia.com/ at the RHS show in Cardiff.

Last year, I asked them whether they'd sell the panel and pump separately rather than the whole kit. This is since I have the pipes and droppers together with a Gardena tap timer. The short answer was that they wouldn't.

Solar Irrigation Pump

Nick Parsons — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 18:03:09 +0100

I think Navitron used to sell one.

Solar Irrigation Pump

Gotanewlife — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 23:03:22 +0100

db8000 - thanks but these as they are only up to 10 large hanging baskets!
and sadly, Nick, Navitron do not now sell such an item but I really like the look of their 4kW stove - just what I need I think!!!!

Solar Irrigation Pump

Peter_in_Hungary — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 08:21:58 +0100

Any chance of raising the 1m3 water containers (IBCs?) to provide more pressure and so avoiding the need for a pump?

Solar Irrigation Pump

Gotanewlife — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 08:56:09 +0100

2 are already 1m up and it all starts to look rather ugly - especially as he has now 4 of them. The containers are ex-food industry, they are cube shaped milky white colour and covered in an tubular ali exoskeleton - if them makes them IBCs I wouldn't know. Anyway client wedded to solar pump but has only found examples in States and Aussie land.

Solar Irrigation Pump

SteamyTea — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 09:03:53 +0100

Cobble one together, a 24V panel, charge controller, small 12V battery, a cheap bilge pump and a cheap timer.

Pumps quite high.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEF9rKsY8bA

Solar Irrigation Pump

Gotanewlife — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 12:06:56 +0100

I have visited client and refreshed my defective memory of the system I have put in. In fact there are 2 systems - 1 is just a 500 litre tank for the massive veg patch; it has enough pressure but only lasts 2 days. It is refilled from a well so we'll fit 2x 1m3 tanks extra and that will mean they can go on holidays! The other system has 4x1m3 tanks and has plenty of capacity but "doesn't have enough pressure". This system is fed from rainwater from a metal shed roof and I fitted 2 of the tanks at the absolute max height possible. I will raise the height of the other 2 tanks to the height of the first 2 because it may be there will be enough water at enough head that way - but I doubt it.

Yes Steamy no doubt a system could be DIY'ed but I have not done anything like this before, it would take me a long time hence cost them a lot of money and I would be responsible for it afterwards (they couldn't do it themselves) hence me saying it must be a package to be any good for me. Ta anyway.

Surprised no-one knows of such a thing

Solar Irrigation Pump

jms452 — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 13:07:06 +0100

These work fairly well with <1m head - not solar but the batteries last ages.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Aqua-Control-Water-Timer/dp/B000TAUF92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403611569&sr=8-1&keywords=hozelock+water+timer

Solar Irrigation Pump

Gotanewlife — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 13:41:10 +0100

Jms452 - thanks, but what I am asking about is a PV powered pump - this means a pump that pumps water from a water container through the irrigation system I have described - the pump would have to be powered by PV as there is no electricity supply. What I really need is a paired PV unit and pump with all the electrics in place, ideally with a timer built in as well.

Solar Irrigation Pump

jms452 — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 13:57:26 +0100

I've heard of solar PV pumps for solar thermal that may fit the bill ...

Solar Irrigation Pump

HollyBush — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 22:14:45 +0100

This any good;
http://www.rainwaterharvesting.co.uk/pumps/solar-powered-pump-rain-perfect/rb280-101/

Solar Irrigation Pump

Gotanewlife — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 12:07:02 +0100

HollyBush - you are a star, that product is A1 perfect. All my searches came up with systems that were too big, most designed for inside a well.