Solar Charged Water Pump For Hose

IanfromHants

Good morning all,

Hope this is ok to ask here, as it kind of relates to gardening in the money saving sense.

So, I have a few water butts in the garden, which i've never really utilised as the filling of watering cans and walking round the garden is time consuming and also starts to get a bit heavy with the water in the can.

I cannot seem to find the right information on the internet, but is there any sort of solar powered water pump, that can be totally charged by light, and store enough energy in it, to be able to draw water from a water butt through a hose (potentially 50+ ft) and give enough power too, to water quickly and efficiently?

I appreciate this would not likely be the biggest saving on water costs, but it would be nice to use the collected rain water, rather than an outside tap if possible.

Any advise is very much appreciated.

QrizB

What you describe - solar panel, charge controller, battery, pump - is certainly possible.

What's your budget? £100? £1000? It'll probably cost something in-between these two numbers.

IanfromHants

QrizB said:

What you describe - solar panel, charge controller, battery, pump - is certainly possible.

What's your budget? £100? £1000? It'll probably cost something in-between these two numbers.

Thanks for the reply.

I'd imagine something upto around £300

Rodders53

Most water butt pumps are mains operated and around the 300-400 Watt mark... 

One can get lithium battery tool driven versions, such as Einhell PXC 18V Cordless Clear Water Pump Body Only | Toolstation that might suit the application. 

No doubt some sort of solar panel to inverter could recharge the batteries; although mains would be simpler and cheaper.

Edit:  A pump like those will quite rapidly empty a typical water butt.

born_again

IanfromHants said:

Good morning all,

Hope this is ok to ask here, as it kind of relates to gardening in the money saving sense.

So, I have a few water butts in the garden, which i've never really utilised as the filling of watering cans and walking round the garden is time consuming and also starts to get a bit heavy with the water in the can.

I cannot seem to find the right information on the internet, but is there any sort of solar powered water pump, that can be totally charged by light, and store enough energy in it, to be able to draw water from a water butt through a hose (potentially 50+ ft) and give enough power too, to water quickly and efficiently?

I appreciate this would not likely be the biggest saving on water costs, but it would be nice to use the collected rain water, rather than an outside tap if possible.

Any advise is very much appreciated.

Just google 

solar powered water pump

There are hundreds of then for sale.

DCHOUSE Solar Water Pump Kit, 120W Solar Panel - 12V Water Pump - 20A PWM Controller - A Pair of Cable for Remote Watering, Garden, Farm Irrigation, Tank Filling

teaselMay

You could raise the butt up a little - either by having it in a higher part of the garden or stand it on something, securely. And then just trail a hose around the garden and drill or cut small holes in the pipe where it crosses things you want to water. Put a stop valve on the end of it. Then you just need to turn the tap on and off now and then. Total cost a cheap hose

IanfromHants

teaselMay said:

You could raise the butt up a little - either by having it in a higher part of the garden or stand it on something, securely. And then just trail a hose around the garden and drill or cut small holes in the pipe where it crosses things you want to water. Put a stop valve on the end of it. Then you just need to turn the tap on and off now and then. Total cost a cheap hose

Thanks for that.  That's a good idea.

One thing though, having the water butt higher in the garden.... how would it then collect the water as I always thought that it is collected by being attached to the bottom part of guttering or maybe guttering around an outbuilding

twopenny

My neighbours son uses a pressure washer attached to the water butt so I'm told.
I wonder if it's possible to find a really poor pressure one the opposite of what most people look for.
You may have to stand well back from the plants and point it upwards so it's like a shower 😉
Just trying to start a train of thought outside the box....

sheramber

We used a water butt stand to raise ours  so that a watering can fitted  under neath the tap on it to allow filling