Just wondering if anyone's ever used or installed a solar-powered pump for a
garden pond. Are they any good at all or (as I rather suspect) pretty
useless except in full and powerful sunlight?

On 10/08/2014 14:02, Bert Coules wrote:
Just wondering if anyone's ever used or installed a solar-powered pump
for a garden pond. Are they any good at all or (as I rather suspect)
pretty useless except in full and powerful sunlight?

No, I haven't - but I guess it depends on what you want to use it for.

If it's for a water feature which only needs to run on sunny days when
you might be sitting by the pond to see it, it may be ok. But if there
are fish in the pond so that the pump needs to run continuously to drive
water through a filter - forget it!
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

Roger, thanks for that (and for correcting my stupid spelling slip): that's
pretty much what I thought myself. No fish are involved in the plans but
I'd like to be able to run the pump most of the time: easiest and safest
thing would presumably be to run out a low-voltage cable from the house.

On 10/08/2014 14:02, Bert Coules wrote:
Just wondering if anyone's ever used or installed a solar-powered pump
for a garden pond. Are they any good at all or (as I rather suspect)
pretty useless except in full and powerful sunlight?

A mate of mine has one as an additional pump on his fish pond. Handy for
an extra boost when the sun is out, but can't be relied on for 24/7
operation. How much that matters depends on the scale of the pond and
how much natural oxygenation it gets.

--
Cheers,

John.

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On Sun, 10 Aug 2014 14:52:25 +0100
"Bert Coules" wrote:

Roger, thanks for that (and for correcting my stupid spelling slip):
that's pretty much what I thought myself. No fish are involved in
the plans but I'd like to be able to run the pump most of the time:
easiest and safest thing would presumably be to run out a low-voltage
cable from the house.




You could do as my neighbour did once: run an extension mains cable out
and put a bucket over the socket end. It had an RCD indoors, so was
protected.

--
Davey.

On 10/08/2014 14:02, Bert Coules wrote:
Just wondering if anyone's ever used or installed a solar-powered pump
for a garden pond. Are they any good at all or (as I rather suspect)
pretty useless except in full and powerful sunlight?

Most solar stuff doesn't run directly off sunlight these days. They
have rechargeable AA batteries which are charged by the sun, then used
to run the lights/pump/whatever.

If you can get one where the solar cell is on a separate cable, that can
be placed in direct sunlight.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:

Most solar stuff doesn't run directly off sunlight these days. They have
rechargeable AA batteries which are charged by the sun, then used to run
the lights/pump/whatever.

One of the models I've been looking at has this in its description (bad
English and all):

"The water pump will not working without sunlight, it will restart within
three seconds once the sunlight re-appear."

Old technology, then?

If you can get one where the solar cell is on a separate cable, that can
be placed in direct sunlight.

Annoyingly, that same model is like that: http://tinyurl.com/n4bcgw8

Thanks, Dave.

Bert

On 11/08/14 11:04, Bert Coules wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

Most solar stuff doesn't run directly off sunlight these days. They
have rechargeable AA batteries which are charged by the sun, then used
to run the lights/pump/whatever.

One of the models I've been looking at has this in its description (bad
English and all):

"The water pump will not working without sunlight, it will restart
within three seconds once the sunlight re-appear."

Old technology, then?

If you can get one where the solar cell is on a separate cable, that
can be placed in direct sunlight.

Annoyingly, that same model is like that: http://tinyurl.com/n4bcgw8

Thanks, Dave.

Bert

For occasional uncritical duties like water pumping no point in a
battery at all.



--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

On 11/08/2014 11:06, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 11/08/14 11:04, Bert Coules wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

Most solar stuff doesn't run directly off sunlight these days. They
have rechargeable AA batteries which are charged by the sun, then used
to run the lights/pump/whatever.

One of the models I've been looking at has this in its description (bad
English and all):

"The water pump will not working without sunlight, it will restart
within three seconds once the sunlight re-appear."

Old technology, then?

If you can get one where the solar cell is on a separate cable, that
can be placed in direct sunlight.

Annoyingly, that same model is like that: http://tinyurl.com/n4bcgw8

Thanks, Dave.

Bert

For occasional uncritical duties like water pumping no point in a
battery at all.



Unless you want continuous operation. They switch off when a cloud appears.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 11/08/2014 11:04, Bert Coules wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

Most solar stuff doesn't run directly off sunlight these days. They
have rechargeable AA batteries which are charged by the sun, then used
to run the lights/pump/whatever.

One of the models I've been looking at has this in its description (bad
English and all):

"The water pump will not working without sunlight, it will restart
within three seconds once the sunlight re-appear."

I built a deck a while ago and there was a water feature like that. It
had been moved behind a shed so it wouldn't get in our way.

Sun came out, it went on, cloud it went off. Drove us bloody mad!



Old technology, then?

If you can get one where the solar cell is on a separate cable, that
can be placed in direct sunlight.

Annoyingly, that same model is like that: http://tinyurl.com/n4bcgw8

Have a look at some of these. I install their awnings, good
professional company.

http://www.primrose.co.uk/solar-wate...department_p_1


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Dave, thanks for the link. I'll take a look. I've also discovered that at
least one manufacturer makes a 24v model, which means my earlier conjecture
about running a low-voltage cable out from the house is actually feasible.
I do like the notion of solar power though.

Bert

In article , Bert Coules
wrote:
Dave, thanks for the link. I'll take a look. I've also discovered that
at least one manufacturer makes a 24v model, which means my earlier
conjecture about running a low-voltage cable out from the house is
actually feasible. I do like the notion of solar power though.

remember that lower voltage means higher current and thus more voltage drop
on the cable.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.18

"Charles" wrote:

Remember that lower voltage means higher current and thus more
voltage drop on the cable.

That's a good point, and distinctly relevant in my case. Thanks.

Bert

On 11/08/14 18:55, Bert Coules wrote:
I do like the notion of solar power though.


Its a great notion. Like having sex with a supermodel..

Unfortunately the reality of it is actually rubbish.


Bert



--
Everything you read in newspapers is absolutely true, except for the
rare story of which you happen to have first-hand knowledge. €“ Erwin Knoll

On 11/08/2014 19:48, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 11/08/14 18:55, Bert Coules wrote:
I do like the notion of solar power though.


Its a great notion. Like having sex with a supermodel..

Unfortunately the reality of it is actually rubbish.


Bert



I have 6 solar deck lights which are great.

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 10/08/2014 14:02, Bert Coules wrote:
Just wondering if anyone's ever used or installed a solar-powered pump
for a garden pond. Are they any good at all or (as I rather suspect)
pretty useless except in full and powerful sunlight?

Coming a bit late to this thread, I'm now wondering how *soaring* can
power a pump?

A typo, but a good one. Grin

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

On Mon, 11 Aug 2014 23:10:58 +0100
John Williamson wrote:

On 10/08/2014 14:02, Bert Coules wrote:
Just wondering if anyone's ever used or installed a solar-powered
pump for a garden pond. Are they any good at all or (as I rather
suspect) pretty useless except in full and powerful sunlight?

Coming a bit late to this thread, I'm now wondering how *soaring* can
power a pump?

A typo, but a good one. Grin


He's using a water-wheel on the River Soar in Leicestershire?

--
Davey.

On Monday, August 11, 2014 7:33:49 PM UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
"Charles" wrote:



Remember that lower voltage means higher current and thus more

voltage drop on the cable.



That's a good point, and distinctly relevant in my case. Thanks.



Bert

Low voltage in the garden can often be solved by the liberal application of speaker cable, high current, flexible, heavy insulation, cheap by the reel, it lends itself to vampire tapping, like scotchloks, for lighting.

Pond pumps tend to be mains operated, saves a warm running wall wart in the house, just use a dedicated plug in or wired to the cable RCD and a suitably IP rated box and arctic or preferably HO7 RNF rubber if you have to extend cable.

Been trying to replace for a while my solar powered plant turner from maplins years ago, could move a heavy pot , very slowly...

Pumps that are variable to the Sun level become annoying, its even on a cloudy day you want the soothing sounds of running water, fountain easier to get right sound out of than waterfall alone.

Very swish fountain controls have wind speed sensors..

Good pricing , decent service:

http://www.swelluk.com/

Adam Aglionby wrote:

Low voltage in the garden can often be solved by the liberal application
of speaker cable...
it lends itself to vampire tapping, like scotchloks, for lighting.

I'm going to have to look up exactly what you mean but I think I have the
general idea. Thanks.

Good pricing , decent service...

Thanks for the link.

Bert

On Tuesday, August 12, 2014 1:30:44 AM UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
Adam Aglionby wrote:



Low voltage in the garden can often be solved by the liberal application

of speaker cable...

it lends itself to vampire tapping, like scotchloks, for lighting.



I'm going to have to look up exactly what you mean but I think I have the

general idea. Thanks.

http://www.rapidonline.com/Cables-Co...-Splices-63979

in assosciation with , or its thinner counter counterparts

http://www.rapidonline.com/audio-vis...er-cable-62347





Good pricing , decent service...



Thanks for the link.



Bert

your welcome

Just to update this discussion, I bought - more for a bit of fun than any
other reason - an ultra-cheap solar powered pond pump, to see if I could get
the measure of the concept. It turned out to be one of those things which
when it works works perfectly well but which very often doesn't work at all.

This isn't just a matter of sun or shade: the pump doesn't seem able to get
itself going again after even the briefest spell of non-sunlight. Only
completely obscuring the solar panel for a few minutes and then uncovering
it again can persuade the water to flow.