Handy Man Source » Solar Energy » anyone know how to build a solar pump for an outdoor pump?
anyone know how to build a solar pump for an outdoor pump?
I bought a fountain that came with an electric pump, I want a solar pump to run automatically at night and go out.
Written by Handy Man
Local Handyman looking for ways to receive free energy and power without the high costs of the power companies.
Filed under: Solar Energy · Tags: Anyone, Build, Know, Outdoor, Pump, Solar
Pumps draw far too much current for any (affordable) solar array to handle. Solar simply doesn’t have the ability to produce more than a few milliwatts at 12V or so. Your best bet would be to purchase a timer, they make outdoor stake-in-the-ground models that your pump can plug into, and you can set it to go on at dawn and off at dusk, or whatever. Lowes has them.
The company Silicon Solar Inc. sells solar powered water pumps with timers. Also many other solar products. They have DIY kits to convert your electric pump to a solar powered pump.
http://www.siliconsolar.com/solar-water-fountains.php