Solar Powered Livestock Waterers

[Eugene]

Looking for information on or individuals who have built and used a solar powered livestock watering system.

I have down loaded several articles/pamphlets on several systems. Headed to the Private Land Management Conservation Office(er) tomorrow for further research.

[smigelski]

there was a good episode on one, it was on RFD, prarie farm report

[Jim Becker]

I don't know about solar powered cattle waterers, but this part of the country used to have a lot of wind powered ones. Here is a web page for a vendor of wind powered waterers:
wind powered waterers

[Donny M]

Too bad I still don't live there, could have gotten the CubExpress going

[beaconlight]

Jim I think he is after a means of keeping the water liquid and not pumping it to the waterer, but rather deicing it.
Lets wait for him to chime in and tell us.

[Eugene]

Sort of, to further define the problem. Currently the ponds in this area, used to water cattle, are very low and frozen over. Spring fed streams are still flowing. Cattle are fenced out of the streams.

Looking for an inexpensive method of transfering water from the streams to a stock tank. And something that doesn't freeze up - water flowing 24 hours a day. Need about 1000 gallons of water a day, minimum, this time of year. Needs to be portable and would only be used 2 to 3 months a year.

[beaconlight]

Well I read that wrong didn't I.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I haven't seen one in years, but in this are a device called a water ram was used for similar problems. It was inserted into a spring as far as possible and consisted of a pipe about 2 inches or so with a flapper in it, and a small pipe coming off the side with a check valve. Water flowing through the pipe would swing the flapper shut which caused a small amount of water to spurt into the smaller pipe. The flapper then drifted open and the cycle repeated. pretty slow pumping action, but would lift quite a ways.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question318.htm

The description here was done using a pond or waterfall, but in this area the samething was accomplished by pushing a pipe down into the throat of a spring.

[Eugene]

Just back from a visit to the Federal and State Agricultural offices. Worth while visit. I explained the situation, general physical features of the land and my idea of the solar powered waterer. Quite a number of possible solutions along with their cost effectiveness were provided. Also the availability of cost sharing on several programs.

One very cost effective suggestion was to dig out and rework an existing spring.

Result of the visit. I have a Monday appointment with two USDA technicians to visit the property.

[smigelski]

here is what I have done to move water. I bought a 12 volt water pump that has regular hose connection for garden hose. It can pump water about 200ft. that is all that I have pumped it. now if you got a solar panel to recharge the battery. it would continue to flow and not freeze.