# Solar-powered water system?



## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

I also have another posting on this subject in HQ, so I will try to not repeat myself here:

If I were to set up a gravity-flow water system, how practical would it be to power that system with solar?

I have a hillside behind my house with plenty of water (I believe) on it and I have a pretty good southern exposure. 

Would this be affordable (if even do-able)? And who would I contact to set it up? Would a well person do it, or who?????

Thanks.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

Do you mean to use a solar powered pump to fill your cistern?


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

I think so. I'm just trying to figure out a way out of dependency on my well (two pump repairs in six months) and if I could do it without also being dependent on electrical power, that would be an added bonus!

Like I said, I sit on a hillside with what I think is a pretty good southern exposure. I'm not sure if it would be enough to power my whole house but it would be nice to have running water if the power does go out. I heat with wood, so I'm not dependent on electrical for that and lighting is no big deal.....I have plenty of kerosene lanterns. I'm also hoping to buy a small generator this year to plug the refrigerator/freezer into if necessary.

Just curious about what my options are, though, for running water.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

I was looking onto this also, found a link:
http://www.solar4power.com/solar-power-water-pump.html

Also found:
http://otherpower.com/danf_waterpump.html

Some one also makes a d.c. powered deep well pump, so will keep looking.
P.S. finally went the regular legal deep well w/ pump, septic, after several years of trying to figure a way around it at a reasonable cost.
Guess you get what you pay for.


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

Hunter63:

Thanks. I'll go into those sites later when I have more time. 

At this point, I'm just curious. If I'm going to keep having an ongoing problem with my existing system and, if I have to do something else anyway, I thought I'd best research my options.

And, like I said, it sure is nice to keep the water running, even when everything else is off! I hate not being able to flush the toilet! Where I lived before, we had a creek so we could always scoop water for the toilet and the animals. Here, although I have lots of springs, there is no real standing water, other than what the ducks and geese have created out of the standing water from the springs and it's all pretty much too shallow for dipping buckets. I have a place on my property that is supposed to be a pond, but only holds water when it's raining.

I was without running water for 48 hours and was actually trying to scoop water out of the plastic wading pool I have set out for the ducks and geese to flush the toilet! I had sldo set aside a bunch of jugs of water a couple of weeks ago when our weather turned nasty, so had something to wash dishes and faces and hands, etc., with and to give the animals for drinking.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion. I'll see if I can find something that could work for me.

Janis


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

I'm confused.

Gravity feed system the water runs downhill & out the pipe.

Solar system, pv cells power an electric pump to pump water uphill or up to pressure.

So, now, why are you wanting to put solar pump on a gravity system?

Do you just want to pressurize your plumbing with the solar from the cistern you would have?

Or?????

Confused.

Does your state allow spring fed water supplies? Many do not for drinking water; some pretty much don't for anything almost.

--->Paul


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## MELOC (Sep 26, 2005)

can you you thermosyphon water with an outlet? can a solar hot water panel be used to suck water from a well and trickle it into a cistern?


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,
If you have a source of water uphill from your house, you don't need a pump or solar at all. Collect the water in a tank or reservoir above the house, and feed the house house plumbing from that tank. As long as the tank is about 20 vertical feet (or more) above the house main floor, then just gravity will give you about 10 psi water pressure, which is enough.
We had in a house that had such a water system for several years, and it worked just fine. 

If you want to pursue the solar power, there are some solar solutions here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterPumping/waterpumping.htm

Gary


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Yes a good dealer/installer in your area could\would set up a solar electric system to power your well and your house.

At the moment theres a lot of unanswered questions as to your needs . . . . . . .a good dealer installer would have the answers for you.

Be aware that a whole house "system" is not available at a "K-mart" price.

It will cost many many bucks . . . . . . . . .To do it right.


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## Janis Sauncy (Apr 11, 2006)

All that I know about gravity flow water systems is that I have heard of them so I know they exist.

Originally, I was thinking that just the gravity flow from the hill would be enough to get the water into the house. Then somebody at work told me you still have to have a pump to pump it into the house. I guess that's where I started thinking of solar power.

I now have a new pump in my well so I probably won't be forking over anymore $$$ for awhile on anything. I still haven't talked to the guy who did the repair. I'm stalling because I'm afraid of what he's going to tell me the bill is. I'm going to have to suck it up tomorrow, though, and call him and thank him profusely for giving me back my water.....and then tell him he's going to have to wait for his money until income tax time! Before anyone thinks I misled him about my ability to pay, I didn't. He's already told me he would work with me.

But, since I was under the impression this current system is fairly new (within the last five or six years), I'm a little concerned that there might be some reason for the breakdown, and being the pessimist that I am, worry this is going to be an ongoing problem.

Just considering my future options. And, I would be interested in attempting to go solar with the house, except for the upfront costs involved.

Thanks for all the info. I'm going to keep researching this. Maybe, if the cost isn't too high, I could install some kind of gravity backup system and not necessarily worry about contamination because maybe I could use it (the backup) for everything except drinking (human).


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

There is a semi-related thread in the Equine Forum:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=1853760#post1853760.

It's about a solar-powered water trough but I imagine some folks here would be thinking of a similar alternative to this thread's topic.


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## lodestar (May 19, 2005)

Do you mean to pump from a well up to the tank and then gravity feed?

If so, check with Windy Dankoff...

here


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