Solar powered irrigation?

Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler

Well-Known Member
I got this idea while watching a episode of "Ask this Old House" on PBS one night. Not the first to come up with this I'm certain as a alternative to lugging buckets etc. to the grow site(s) but have seen no one that actually has tried this. Pros: Autonomous watering, extremely quiet, inexpensive, could be easily engineered for drip-irrigation with timers etc. Cons: Solar panel would have to be left in a prone location, reflective properties of the panel would almost certainly make it easily detectible from the air or ground.

I'm unsure if both the length of the irrigation line would reduce volume/pressure or. the length of the power line would diminish efficacy of the pump. Anyone with some experience and/or ideas? My planned grow plot(s) are about 200' from a river so the reservoir is clearly not a obstacle unless you count possible debris being pulled into the intake. http://www.pondexperts.ca/solar_power_pumps_aerators.htm
 
South Texas

South Texas

Well-Known Member
Carl, something that i witnessed a few days ago got me thinking the same thing. Here's what happen. Tractor ran out of diesel.. Fuel supply tank was powered by regular 12 volt tractor battery. Via battery charger, the fuel was pumped, & charged the battery.
So here is what came to mind. A solar powered battery charger hooked to a battery, then pump may be worth considering. The reflection of the panel may be a little hairy for fly overs. I do think you are on to a good idea.
 
Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler

Well-Known Member
S.Tx., If you could somehow lug out a Marine-style battery (such as for trolling motors), it would certainly be capable of holding a charge for long term watering. I'm wondering if the electronics involved would be prohibitive or, simply too complicated. Battery powered hose-end timers would easily regulate flow as I use them on my vegetables routinely with nothing more labor intensive than changing the 9 volt batteries every year but the pump would be left on continuously for simplicities sake. I may shelve the idea until I do some testing on my veggie garden and post the results here. Hopefully, the volume/pressure of these little pumps would be adequate to water multiple sites at the same time while still being stealthy. Since the emitters of a typical drip irrigation are measured in oz's/hr., I would think they would be ideal for this use. Again, concealment of the panels might be problematic but definitely worth a shot on a "legit" garden. Hmmmmmmmm.
 
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