Water From The Sun!

By Author: Roger Fagan
Total Articles: 6
Comment this article

With the ever increasing cost of electricity and an expected carbon tax, farmers and rural retreat owners are seeking a less expensive alternative with solar pumps. Traditionally wind mills have proved the solution but the wind does not necessarily blow when water is most needed. However solar water pumps operate best when water is most needed, that is in summer when it is hot, dry and the days are longer.
The solar pump is usually submersible and is powered by solar panels supplying power to the pump via a control box which converts the direct current in to three phase alternating current.
The solar panels can either be fixed to a static frame facing north or mounted on a solar tracker which is designed to follow the sun and increases daily output by around 30%. A solar tracker can also be fitted with a second axis mechanism to allow for winter and summer elevations to maximize performance. For example at latitude 35degrees south the ideal angle to the horizontal is 49 deg in mid winter and 11 deg in midsummer.
The solar water pump either has a screw or centrifugal mechanism, with the screw pump being used for ...
... higher head applications and the centrifugal where there is a lower head and more volume is required. Heads up to 150 meters are achievable but naturally as the head increases the flow rate diminishes.
A classic application for a solar pump is in situations where a dam or bore is hundreds of meters from the house and the inconvenience of having to fuel, start and turn off a petrol pump becomes a chore. Also the cost of installing underground power from the house to the water source is very expensive and still there is the cost of electricity.
The solar pump is also ideal to provide free water for household use from a tank. To ensure water at night the solar water pumps are connected to a battery which is charged by solar panels and id designed to provide continuous water for four hours.
There are many applications for a solar water pump including stock watering, gardend vineyards, orchards and solving the leaking dam problem.
For more information go to www.solarpumpandtracker.com.au
Roger is the owner of Solar Pump and Tracker, Australia's leading supplier of Solar low voltage pumps, Solar trackers and Solar panels.