Pump Irrigation from Water Butt

[janeyo]

I've seen the low cost irrigation systems that work from mains pressure water (outside tap), but has anyone seen a system that will work from a water butt, using a low power pump and timer system?

My partner is an electronics engineer and is looking for new invention ideas in the downturn period coming along now, and this is one of his ideas.

Would there be any demand for such a product? Or does it already exist?

Any thoughts welcome

janeyo

[zazen999]

If he designs one, I wanna be first on the list of testers and yes, would probably buy one.

[Beetroot Bob]

Make it solar powered and he could be on to a winner. We've got no power at our lottie and most of the other sites in our area are the same.

I'd be happy to be one of his testers

[MaureenHall]

I'd definitely be interested in testing one out! Especially if it was solar powered

[Alison]

I've rigged something like that up, was very easy but it's only a dripper type system as no power and just a battery powered timer. I'd probably look at bought systems and then run away at the thought of spending so much (they always seem to be more than I want to spend and less flexible than one I'd build myself)

[crichmond]

12 volt car battery with solar charger and regulator to charge it, 12 volt submersible pump and 12 volt digital timer circuit controling a relay.

Repeat Timer Circuit - Electric Circuit

[janeyo]

I have been told that there are many ways to skin this particular electronic cat!

We have found hose pipe ones with little lcd screens and button for about £15, but there is no way one could be made for that price in small volume with a pump, screen etc.

Would it be better to have a simple one (lower cost) - knobs and no screen, or a more expensive and versatile one?

The features he is thinking about including are: timer, temp sensor, humidity sensor, and could be expanded to include soil temp.

Do you think this idea is more for commercial gorowers or could the average 'grow your owner' see it working?

Thanks! Any feedback gratefully received.

janeyo

[crichmond]

Unfortunately I have only installed a basic watering system so I cant give advice on temp humidity etc, although a google search for circuit design should bring something up.
I would also think that the project you are thinking of might lend itself to a pic project but I am not that brilliant at programming pic microprocessors.
I suppose the ideal solution would be some sort of moisture sensor to switch the pump on when the soil starts to go dry.

[crichmond]

Also wondering if one of those battery operated hose pipe switches could be modified to control arelay to power the pump.

[janeyo]

Thanks he is now waffling on at me and I understand nada!

janeyo lol

[lez]

Very intesting. I have thinking about a solar powered system for our lottie. We have no power. The timer is of no real interest to me but an easy way of moving water around the plot would be an advantage. I do my watering using a hosepipe syphon and the same to move water up the plot. A reasonably priced solar/battery driven system would be worth a look.
Lez

[zazen999]

I'd also go for battery or solar...as we've no power or water at the lottie. Our garden also has no power as it is separate from the house and next to the canal.

[suzie spud]

A solar powered pump to get water from the butt to the plants, which are 100-150 feet from eachother would be magic!. Trying to figure out this very dilemma. My tunnel and new raised bed system are quite a distance from the waterbutt and until I can figure out a way to harvest the water off the tunnel it involves trekking watering cans back and forth. The reality of this is that it takes so much time that minimal watering was done last year. This year I desperately need a solution as I don't want to/can't use our mains water as it is softened right at the point it comes onto the porperty and putting an outside tap on before the softner is proving a problem. Any ideas would be greatly welcomed. Thanks.

[crichmond]

until I can figure out a way to harvest the water off the tunnel.

Here ya go: Two Wests - Polytunnel gutters

[TheBeeKeeper]

Hi folks, my first post here and I'm looking to achieve something similar. A few google searches later and I found this link.

Solar power Generator - Instructions to build a generator using solar power

Can be seperated out as per instructions to have most of the kit in your shed. Basically using solar power to keep a leisure battery charged, then a power inverter to provide mains power.

Argos sell 3 mains timers for £15, and I'm sure we could find somewhere that sells them as a single unit.

Into your timer, you fit your Hozelock or Draper submersible float switched pump. Set it to fire up twice a day, 10 minutes each and the solar charging should cope with the drain of a 350-400w motor going for 20 minutes per day. The only real thing to be careful of is the rating of your inverter and power rating of the pump. (ie You cannot exceed the drain on the inverter.)

All in all, it's probably fairly expensive unless you can source a battery second hand. (Halfords sell caravan batterys for £90) The bigger the solar panel, the more you'll be able to use the pump each day.

But it should last for years! (As long as you remove your pump from the water butt before the winter freeze!)

TTFN

TBK