Solar Water Well ?

[Spike56]

Hope this is a good forum to post this: Does anyone have a solar water well ? I am in the VERY beginning stages (actually, just thinking about it) installing one. Have a 6" cased well an oil company drilled that now is my possession. Several years ago, the static water level was about 80'. A company called RPS solar sells "kits" for a solar well which I have been occasionally looking at. This would ONLY be for cattle water / emergency supply. I would not plumb this to my house, just have it available in case.
Anyone have experience with this company or any advice ? The current site has nothing except a pipe sticking out of the ground. One challenge for me would be to build "something" to protect the equipment/wiring from the weather. The Texas sun eats everything up you leave exposed.
Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

 

[Jimbrown]

Lots of ranchers around here use those kits. They are easy to install if you have any mechanic skill at all. You will need a storage tank also.

 

[oosik]

My neighbor waters his cows with two solar pumps. Both systems are many miles out into the open range land. The water originates from shallow springs. Water is pumped into 12 diameter - 2 foot deep circular watering tank. Both operate on an high/low float. They provide plenty of water to a max of 45 - 60 cows.

One thing he learned - right away. All of the mechanicals MUST be protected from the curious cows. They will "nose" the system then rub on it and cause failure.

Rub bar helped but he finally put everything mechanical inside a large diameter culvert. It stands upright. Right next to the watering trough.

Since both systems are already inside the upright culvert - winterizing is easy. Pull the intake pipe - drain the watering trough - disconnect and put the solar panel inside the culvert. Disconnect the battery - to be brought home. Cover the culvert.

Both systems are 100% - 12V. He's been using these two systems for 6+ years now.

 

[Rmart30]

Hope this is a good forum to post this: Does anyone have a solar water well ? I am in the VERY beginning stages (actually, just thinking about it) installing one. Have a 6" cased well an oil company drilled that now is my possession. Several years ago, the static water level was about 80'. A company called RPS solar sells "kits" for a solar well which I have been occasionally looking at. This would ONLY be for cattle water / emergency supply. I would not plumb this to my house, just have it available in case.
Anyone have experience with this company or any advice ? The current site has nothing except a pipe sticking out of the ground. One challenge for me would be to build "something" to protect the equipment/wiring from the weather. The Texas sun eats everything up you leave exposed.
Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

look on the diysolarforum.com Should be quite a few on there who have run them and everyone is helpful.

 

[JasperFrank]

Had a 12/24 volt solar water powered well for 13 years. Pump was a rotary diagram type that pushed water up from 130 feet to an above ground tank with a float switch. Get a black storage tank. Mine was clear and needed cleaning once and a while. At 24 volts, the pump would actually charge my two 50 gallon compression domestic water tanks. So I kept the system for domestic water and switched it to a 24 volt DC utility powered transformer and rewired it to use the standard PSI type switch. It worked oky for three years as a domestic water supply till the pump wore out. When I went with a 220 volt ac line fed system. I designed and built the wooden frame for the four solar panels out of 2x4 and 2x6s. Added clips so the panels would not blow off in strong winds. Panels were wired for 24 volt. This was long ago, so the panels and pump were rather $$$. I was able to re-sell the panels/wiring and storage tank for near what I originally payed. As mentioned there are inexpensive solar kits now that are designed as a package. Cows are destructive creatures, so follow any advice on cow proofing your system.

 

[grsthegreat]

One question, before you go to the expense, have you had this water source tested for contamination?

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I have changed out a 702 aeromotor wind mill to direct solar. The owners are much happier with the solar as the water delivery is more consistant with solar and is virtually maintenance free vs a windmill.
Maintenance involves cleaning the snow off the solar panels in the winter when out feeding. Not much to go wrong.

Just remember that diaphram pumps need maintenance depending on the particulate content in the water source. Pulling a pump by hand at less than 100 feet is not a problem.

Here are some links to compare pricing vs RPS.

Higher volume pump

BWS 3″ DC Sub Pump 16 GPM 255′ Submersible Pump with Controller

NOW IN STOCK Backwoods Solar 3DC-16-255 is a submersible pump ideal for many off-grid applications and includes free external controller.

backwoodssolar.com

Smart controller, but is not needed. Just gives you extra functionality.

BWS AC/DC Pump Controller

NOW IN STOCK Provides functions and protections for BWS Submersible pumps making them more convenient and intelligent.

backwoodssolar.com

Lower volume pump.

Aquatec, SWP-4000, Submersible Pump

Or consider our BWS 3″ DC Sub Pump KIT 3 GPM 225′

backwoodssolar.com

 

[deserteagle71]

One of my friends installed a RPS solar well kit a few years ago and loves it. He has a 3000 gallon water tank on a hill so that solar pump is pushing water up about 200' high. I was amazed it had the power to do that.

Here in Nevada most of the windmills are being replaced with these solar pumps - rare to have a cloudy day!

 

[34Willys]

I also have an RPS system. Great product and customer service is second to none.
I was able to text an engineer with a question an a weekend, and got a phone call answer with explanation, and he held the line while I made the proper connections at the controller to make sure everything was good.
Patrick

 

[Spike56]

One question, before you go to the expense, have you had this water source tested for contamination?

No I have not yet had it tested although locals have wells in the same formation (depth) and have been tested. At this point, just doing some research on the possibility of a solar well.