Solar panel timed drip feeder

  • 5 Replies
  • 2848 Views
*

Allotmentman

  • New Member
  • *
  • Location: Hertford , Hertfordshire
  • 16
Solar panel timed drip feeder
« on: August 29, 2019, 23:11 »
Solar panel timed  drip irrigation system


Things you will need

Solar panel usb
Water butt of choice
Optional if water butt has tap Hose adapter
Hose kit
Total 60.00 (without water butt and adapter as I have a couple set up off one 100l container can use a 25l bucket )

* Place your water butt where required ( ideally no more than 1.5m-2m from the placement of plants (can be on the ground or suspended above if using water bag )
* Connect hose to water butt ( can be simply placed in top making sure it reaches the bottom of tank or attached to  tap at bottom of tank )
* Next put your timer in position, ideally just off the middle of water butt and the plants (ideally nearer plants a couple foot )
* Connect timer to hose that’s already  attached to the butt, no sharp bends.  straight if possible or curved if needed sharp bends use right angled connectors do not bend . cut hose to suit length
* Connect the solar panel to the timer then place the solar panel in direct sunlight wherever the lead allows
* Place stakes from hose kit around 3 inches from base of plant ideally place plants 24cm apart in two rows 4 foot apart (10 plant set up )
* Connect a piece of hose to the timer long enough to be able to read the middle of the two rows NO BENDS use angled connectors
* Using a 90 degree connector place another piece of hose directly in between the two rows and attach to the connector (ideally place the timer in the middle of the two rows on a spike and use one pipe straight down the middle)
* Going along each pair of plants cut the pipe and add a T connector. Cut 3 inches of hose and add another T connector facing the opposite side, move to the next pair of plants and repeat process down all the remaining pairs of plant 
* On the last set use one T rotated 90 degrees so creates a cap
* Cut lengths of hose long enough to be able to comfortably reach the middle of the plant
* Connect to every T connector all the way down
* Place a sprinkler on the end of every hose (you can twist the orange nozzle to make a mist or direct spray )
* Place a stake in the ground 3-4 inches from stem (can be as far as u like that’s just my preference
* Place hose in steak facing the spray nozzle towards the stem but not direct at it
And there you have it a fully set up solar panel powered automated drip system for up to 15 days  !
(Foot note trying to take timer apart remove the “days connection” and connect the wires together to  see if it works bypassed and use a 100l container will let you know......)

Now just fill the water butt up turn on the timer and program as follows :
40B8D52C-ACEB-49A7-9AE6-F7337F26A019.jpeg
193E9758-0167-4A2B-AA21-1497FFD37644.jpeg
« Last Edit: August 31, 2019, 00:28 by Allotmentman »

*

Mr Dog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Pontefract
  • 1079
Re: Solar panel drop feeder
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2019, 10:10 »
I've set something up this year using a solar panel, battery, small water dispenser pump, timer, 4mm pipe and drippers. Water is supplied from a 200L butt to a 30L central heating header tank via a ballcock. Setting up the timings to give adequate, but not too much, water took a few days but so far it's working pretty well.

*

Allotmentman

  • New Member
  • *
  • Location: Hertford , Hertfordshire
  • 16
Re: Solar panel drop feeder
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2019, 10:43 »
Good morning mr dog how are you ?

What solar panel are you using im looking at the one pictured seems really good value for money
F44BAC2A-52F8-46C5-A5BD-305C9BB68EEE.png

*

Mr Dog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Pontefract
  • 1079
Re: Solar panel drop feeder
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2019, 14:58 »
And a good afternoon to you!

Mines's a 30W built into a metal support which I thought would be much more robust than just a panel. The controller's a different model with no usb ports but I'm not sure I really need them in the greenhouse. I found that equivalent models were much cheaper on the 'Bay' so it might be worth having a look on there if you've not already purchased. I got the pump, timer, pipe and drippers from the Bay too - less than 3 for the pump delivered from China!

My system also powers some garden lights, coming on at dusk and switching off a few hours later and I'm thinking of buying a temperature switch to operate a fan for increased ventilation when it gets hot. That's for next year now and needs me to look at type and efficiency of fans that are available.

*

Allotmentman

  • New Member
  • *
  • Location: Hertford , Hertfordshire
  • 16
Re: Solar panel drop feeder
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2019, 22:57 »
Good evening mr dog I hope your well
I havent ordered yet Im a real window shopper until I find the one :lol: that ones 33
You got me thinking about adding
batterys no too, Im in the process of building a shed out of pallets for free ( see my other posts :D so will have somewhere to store it all and my plots a suntrap literally all day so could power some biggens  theoretically  :lol:

As for fans Id recommend a RAM 6 inch clip fan very powerful for what it is not sure how much they are nowadays though :lol: or a small extractor fans like the ones to keep computers cool and install them near the top, you can even run them off 9v batterys lol

*

Mr Dog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Pontefract
  • 1079
Re: Solar panel drop feeder
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2019, 23:42 »
I had a quick look today and prices have dropped somewhat since I bought mine last December! 33 seems a pretty good price to me; mine cost 40. I'm using a 12V burglar alarm battery as a power source and after some 8 months use for the lights, and getting on for 3 for the pump, the battery is fully recharged before I get up (might be a bit different over the winter). The drippers are pressure compensating and give more or less the same feed rate without need for adjustment all along the supply line - a U with 3 outlets at pot (ca12") height with a T off up to ca 3.5ft above floor level with 4 outlets. I will be extending the system next year to feed probably 7 of the higher level outlets which is well within the pump capacity for the dripper flow rates I'm using.

One thing to remember if you're going to use a gravity drop system is the head you will need to get the water to actually flow. I've also got an Autopot system which recommends a head of at least 6" although I've found that in reality 18" is the minimum to operate my pipe setup which is a 13mm id pipe off the butt into a U shape with 4x reducing (to 4mm) Ts off to the aquavalves.



xx
Water Drip Feeder - Chicken house

Started by MidlandBrewer on Design and Construction

2 Replies
1722 Views
Last post February 23, 2017, 16:34
by snow white
xx
Timed watering system

Started by Yana on Design and Construction

3 Replies
2342 Views
Last post June 04, 2013, 20:45
by BritBrat
xx
Irrigation/drip watering systems

Started by DHM on Design and Construction

13 Replies
4214 Views
Last post January 19, 2019, 16:31
by goose
clip
plastic bottle drip system

Started by Aidy on Design and Construction

9 Replies
4015 Views
Last post May 25, 2020, 10:59
by Aidy
 

Page created in 0.14 seconds with 41 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |