Tuesday 23 April 2013

Solving a big water problem














After much needed help from the PERMIES forum i was finally able to figure out a way of bringing up water over 55 meters from a small spring to the kitchen garden and to do it for as little money as possible. The chosen set up is a 90 psi reverse osmosis pump i had to order from the US which pumps water long distances without the need for high voltage. this is attached to a 240watt solar panel situated 35 meters from the pump and spring (the nearest i could get to the pump and still get full sun for large periods of the day). Not to lose any power i went for 10 mm solar cable to compensate for the 35 meter distance.The 240 watt panel also helps as 150 watts would have been sufficient if it was'nt for the loss in distance. The water is now fed up to two 1000 litre tanks i got for 10 euro each filling around 400 litres on a good day. This then feeds the Orto and our food supply via an adjustable drip system which circulates around all the beds outside and inside the greenhouse. As a back up i have rainwater collection from the compost toilet roof, gravity fed down to the same tanks. Bloody genius. Total cost was just short of 500 euro including irrigation system, tanks, taps, panel, pump, pipes and cable.