Solar Watering system pumping from lake?

[Jacob]

We have a pasture that is across our lake and the only way to get cows back and fourth is to cross the Dam however we prefer to keep the heifers in this pasture without bringing them back and forth. We don't want them to water in the lake and have them fenced off the lake. This field is pretty steep. Has anyone used solar watering system and have it pumping from the lake? If so pro"s, con"s and any equipment recommendations?

Thanks

 

[Aaron]

How far is the fence from the water edge and what is the height/lift difference from the fence to the water edge?

 

[Ebenezer]

Cost is major unless you can get into a cost share program with NRCS along with tax credits. If you have a well and/or cattle watering system on the farm it will be lots cheaper to run up to a mile of buried PVC (even across the top of the dam) than to do a solar system. Solar powered pumps are more sensitive to grit and trash than other pumps. You should created a well in the pond edge with well casing, pipe and gravel or something to filter out algae, pond weeds and sediment. Also pull in water from the top 5 feet as the 2nd and 3rd thermoclines will generally have off-tastes.

 

[CCCowman]

I have a solar system that pumps water from a creek. The banks are real steep and marshy near the edges so I set this up. I only have to pump about 40'-50'. I have a small solar panel (12" X 12") tied to a controller (bought both at Northern tool). Wired up to 6 gpm pump (bigger sized pump like that on a 4-wheeler/UTV sprayer). I use a small deep cycle battery. Works real good. Had probably $150 in the system. The 50 gallon water tank not included in that.

I even went on ebay and bought a 12V timer and wired it in. Set the timer to pump for 30 minutes every 3 hours (I plumbed in an 1" diameter overflow on the water tank back to the creek. It kept the water fresh (no moss or algea grew in the tank). I did have problems with the timers. Went thru 4-5 of the $5.99 cheap ones. Finally found one for $14.99 and that solved my timer problems!!

I was trying to be a "good steward of the environment" by keeping the cattle out of the creek. Finally realized that my neighbors horses were stomping in the creek and the cattle farm up the road was doing the same. Cut a gap in the fence where they could get access real easy and let 'em have it.

I'll still use this system for my holding pen/lot.

We have a pasture that is across our lake and the only way to get cows back and fourth is to cross the Dam however we prefer to keep the heifers in this pasture without bringing them back and forth. We don't want them to water in the lake and have them fenced off the lake. This field is pretty steep. Has anyone used solar watering system and have it pumping from the lake? If so pro"s, con"s and any equipment recommendations?

Thanks

 

[shaz]

I have a really redneck contraption mounted on a pallet that sits on a 5x8 trailer and also runs my electric fence. It's a Shure-flo submersible pump tide to a pressure tank. Has 2 batteries in series for a 24 volt system. There is a 24v solar panel to help charge the batteries. All this goes to a rubber maid tub with a float. I just use it to keep cows out of the ponds.

 

[Jacob]

Thanks guys,

I'm not far from the lake maybe 100 to 200 feet just depending where we decide to put the tank. I'm not sure the lift. One area I would imagine 15 feet and the other about 20 feet. That is just a guess.

 

[Aaron]

I should have asked at the same time, does the lake level fluctuate very much?

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have a really redneck contraption mounted on a pallet that sits on a 5x8 trailer and also runs my electric fence. It's a Shure-flo submersible pump tide to a pressure tank. Has 2 batteries in series for a 24 volt system. There is a 24v solar panel to help charge the batteries. All this goes to a rubber maid tub with a float. I just use it to keep cows out of the ponds.

Why did you go with 24 V vs. a 12 V system?

I was thinking about using a 12V ATV pump with a pressure switch and no pressure tank...

 

[bird dog]

EB, Here is something from pond boss to help out with your filtering issue.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.p ... ber=174468

 

[shaz]

I have a really redneck contraption mounted on a pallet that sits on a 5x8 trailer and also runs my electric fence. It's a Shure-flo submersible pump tide to a pressure tank. Has 2 batteries in series for a 24 volt system. There is a 24v solar panel to help charge the batteries. All this goes to a rubber maid tub with a float. I just use it to keep cows out of the ponds.

Why did you go with 24 V vs. a 12 V system?

I was thinking about using a 12V ATV pump with a pressure switch and no pressure tank...

Less chance of an I2R loss when using higher voltage = smaller wire for the same wattage.

 

[TexasBred]

Know of a couple of folks that use these. Very old technology but works great.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Hydraulic-Ram-Pump/

 

[jkwilson]

Place I used to rent had a good setup. Small pump with no batteries and a 300 gallon tank. Inlet was through the tank drain and there was a hose back down to the water from an overflow near the top of the tank. Pump started when the sun hit it and ran until the sun went down. At sunset there was still 300 gallons in the tank and the constant flow kept the water fresh even if the pasture only had a couple of bulls in it.

When he first did it he had a small tank thinking that being in the field the animals could just drink as they wanted. Cows still came in a group, and if the pump was off they'd drink the tank dry and then knock it over messing everything up.

There was a float the owner had rigged out of two pieces of PVC pipe, one within the other. The outer pipe was black and the inner was orange. He could see it from his house so he knew if the tank had water in it. I could see it driving by on the road so I never had to go check it unless I saw the pipe was down.

 

[M-5]

I use an 5qt white oil jug tied to a brick in my troughs so I don't have to go to them to see if it has water.