Well... the solar pump arrived today. And yes... I will definitely need to use a larger pump. I quickly set it up and it may have worked with the lift it gets, but it would not have had a strong flow coming out of the old well head. But have no fear, I have a place where it can be used. The container with my Louisiana Black Irises. Solar Pump in Louisiana Black Irises ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden ) I think the aeration will help keep the mosquito larvae down. My only complaint is that the solar panel doesn't charge a battery... it just goes directly to the pump. So when the sun isn't out, no sprinkler. But I can live with that.... It's already made a difference in that container... the icky green slime look was gone within minutes! I have my plan all set for mounting the old pump head and the bird bath. Just have to figure out what size solar panel I'll need that will run a 12 volt battery that will power the pump my brother gave me. Thanks again for all the suggestions... and please give more advice if you have it!
My apologies for double posting. One of my other brothers is an electrical engineer. So I sent him an email explaining what I want built. Here's is response (kinda long) but holds some valuable information that others might find useful if trying something like this. Regarding the links below... he does not work there... just found those as examples for me to read about. "From the picture of the pump it looks like it'll need 40 watts minimum to operate at specified performance. Here http://www.solar-electric.com/spm040.html is an example of a 45 watt solar panel. Note the price of $192. But, that pump is probably over kill for what you want to do. It'll fill a 55 gallon drum in 3 minutes, or it'll empty your reservoir in just over 2 minutes! You could get a smaller solar panel and the pump might still work but not at specified performance. In other words, lowering the voltage to something less than 12 volts it may still run but less water will flow. And that's probably what you'd want any way. Now this panel http://www.solar-electric.com/so10wamusopa.html is only 10 watts and $78. Without knowing more about the pump or being able to test it, I don't know if this panel will make enough juice to run the pump. Now as far as using a battery. The lowest cost Sears battery ($100) will probably run that pump for about 10 hours before it's completely dead. The things about batteries is the more often you drain them, the shorter they'll live. In a car the battery is never drained (unless you forget to turn off the lights) and it will last about 4-5 years. If you completely drain one everyday, it'll probably be dead within six months to a year. So using a battery alone will end up costing you a lot more than that 45 watt solar panel. My recommendation is to use a solar panel, run the pump at less than 12 volts, and don't use a battery. With this setup, you don't need a switch to turn it off since it'll stop running when the sun goes down and start running when the sun comes up. Besides, you'd only need a battery if you wanted it to run at night. If this was the case, you would need panel(s) to generate around 80-100 watts, enough to run the pump during the day AND enough to charge the battery for night time use. See if you can create a setup that'll run the pump at less than 12 volts so you can see how much water it pumps at what voltage. Once you know the voltage that gives you the flow you want, then you can get a panel that's the right size. In other words, different wattage solar panels will (hopefully) produce a different flow rate out of the pump. The higher the wattage, the higher the flow and vice versa."
Nice to know that you have an alternate use for your solar fountain. I would go with your brother's recommendation of not having a battery, one less item one less headache to worry about. To determine the wattage of the solar panel you need for the desired flow, maybe you can hook up the pump to a car battery with a adjustable resistor and a watt meter to determine the best wattage for the job. Hmmm.... this sound to much trouble. Flow control ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) I guess this would be an easier way by just tweaking with the plumbing. By just adding a T-junction and a regulator valve you can control the flow any time by using a solar panel that will operate the pump at the rate it is made to. Good Luck
Well... it's on to Plan "B". Or should I say Plan "AC". After spending the last couple of days enjoying the sounds from the small solar fountain pump, I've realized that I would like the new fountain to run when I want it to run... not just when the sun is shining in the right spot. What about cloudy or overcast days? Or evenings? Plus the logistics and cost of going solar is out of range right now. It would be alot of work to get a back-up battery system in place. It just doesn't seem to be worth all the effort and cost. However, my brother has some solar panels he's about to mount on his sail boat. He said if they didn't work as he needs, he'll donate them to the house and ask a friend of his to rig them up to make that whole project work properly. So there's still hope... one day or year! Why discussing the project with my brother yesterday, we both decided that the pump he gave me is total "overkill". Why try to make something work at less than it's capacity? So I will be buying a pump that is specifically made for fountains. They're very reasonably priced. I'm looking at the 130-170 GPH one. We also figured out how we'd mount the old pump head and run the pump's tubing. He'll be in charge of that. I bought the tub/reservoir yesterday. I've been moving it back and forth trying to decide on the perfect spot! Next... getting the power to the fountain. We'll have to dig a trench and either run new wiring or an extension cord (in conduit) from the house or garage to the fountain site. Once it's up and running, then it'll be time to add extra features and build up rocks around it. Still welcoming any input even though the plan has changed!
