Garden watering.

[6wheeler 653]

Hi all gardeners. I have an Idea and I could use some input. One of my gardens is 300' feet from my water source. The problem? Because it is so far away? And, that I run 2 tower sprinklers to cover that garden. I tend to get a lot of pressure drop. One way would be to run a larger feeder hose down there. But, I don't think that would solve the problem. So, since I have a 100 gallon stock tank mounted on a trailer to gravity water new trees? I think I could use this for watering.  My thought is, if I put a float valve on the end of the feeder hose (the trailer would be stationary) and mounted a float on the trailer? It should keep the tank full easily. Then mount a pump on the trailer to feed the sprinklers. The question is? How to power it. Gas engine or electric. Does anyone know if there is a solar charger that may keep a deep cycle marine battery with a converter to power said pump charged? If I use say, a 3hp gasoline engine? It should run for hours on a tank full of gas. What size pump should I use? I don't know much about these. Would it be by Gallons per minute/hour? Or, rather pressure to keep the sprinklers working well. I am trying to figure out what size of either type pump to use. Any ideas are welcomed and would be greatly appreciated. Thanks   Pat

[pfrederi 18,072]

I doubt you will find a battery powered pump that will generate the pressure and volume you want to feed two sprinkler towers.  I use a 1000liter handitank in the back of my M37.  I fill it down at the pond using a 3.5hp 2 inch pump.  (incidentally it will not run for "hours" on a tank of gas).

 

Haul it up to the house then hook up the wayne electric pump and it pushes water through a 1  inch hose at sufficient pressure volume t0 run two sprinklers.  Empties the 1000 liters (about 275 gal) in about 16 minutes

 

https://www.waynepumps.com/product/pc4/

 

Edited February 4, 2017 by pfrederi

[maxiblue 352]

Hi: I'm not sure this would work well  but maybe 2 55gal drums up right a pipe between then out pipe harbor freight clear water gas pump all mounted on a trailer.. Its just an idea.

[N3PUY 1,031]

Try using a RAM pump if you have a water supply.

https://youtu.be/gJ1KnZbGPq0

 

Edited February 4, 2017 by N3PUY

[rokon 64]

I think the coolest way to get it done would be to use one of your horses to power a belt drive water pump like this one http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_150884_150884 

you would have to make a mount for the front tach a matic but I don't think it would be too involved

[R. L. Addison 299]

The bracket I built for my alternator & air compressor is intended for a high pressure pump to clean parts, tractors, & drive etc. My rich uncle just can't manage to get out of the poor house yet so I can afford pump & website support. Fingers crossed for both.

[953 nut 56,359]

  If you were to go to drip irrigation you would save water and energy. You could fill the tank slowly from a garden hose and have a solar powered time clock and solenoid valves to water several zones, one at a time.

[Terry M-(Moderator) 2,177]

Just a thought , and assuming the source is at your house...Maybe look into running a 1" residential irrigation line and electric irrigation pump from your source to or near the sprinklers....?

[6wheeler 653]

Thanks for the input so far. I like the Ram pump idea. But, since the weight valve would burp water on every stroke? I would end up with a pond by the valve. The plan is to make something portable. I can reach all 3 of the gardens with enough hoses. The pressure drop is the problem. I was thinking along the lines of a 12 volt deep cycle battery with an inverter to run a 1/4hp Jet pump and using a solar battery charger to keep it up. If I put a float valve on the trailer, the regular hose should be able to keep the tank full.This way, I could move it to a different garden if needed.  What do you all think of this Idea?      Pat

[pfrederi 18,072]

I took a quick look at jet pumps (not sure why you want that style need two lines one in the tank one back out to the pump then the one to the sprinkler, the ar for wells and pressure tanks)  The smallest one i could find uses 10 amps.  You would need a big inverter to run that.

 

I have tried several set ups to water areas some close to power some not.  The remote ones have been problematic.  The best rig is the blue motor and pump.  it will run two sprinklers at a reasonable strength.  It is a 24v pump and draws 20 amps.  I have to keep the M37 running or it can draw the two batteries down enough that after about 300 gals I am not confident she will start.  Keep in mind a 12v motor of similar power would draw twice as much amperage.  That would be a big load on a deepcycle battery (and have you priced big deep cycles lately??

 

I also have a 65 gal tank that rides on the mule (M274).  I use the black 12v pump sometimes but it is hardly better than gravity.  It will shoot a tiny stream a good distance but with very little volume.(Those pumps are really for spray units where you want pressure but are not moving a big volume.

 

I used the small green one where I had power but it would only run one sprinkler and took forever to empty the handi tank.

 

The Wayne Pump as i said will run two of the yellow sprinklers easily. Since I use pond water simple spray sprinklers are best as they do not clog up.

 

What kind of sprinklers are you using???

 

  I looked a few impulse ones at Gemplers and they seemed to use between 2 and 5 gpm depending on the pressure but at the low pressure the range was much reduced. Two of that type would as a minimum need about 4gpm and that would be with a reduced range.  Moving 4gpm at 20 or better PSI is going to take a decent pump.