Sorry for the slow reply. Been a crazy couple of weeks. Depending on lift we usually use a bilge pump. The bigger ones can do about 1250 gph and pump up to 12' max. To that we hook a solar panel/chargecontroller/battery and a "pump up" switch which is the opposite of a regular septic or sump pump.
We mount the pump in the bottom of a 5 gallon pail and then put a layer or 2 of styrofoam SM on the top to make it float. For higher lift we have hooked two pumps into the same outflow line (Y shaped).
The bilge pumps will drain back for winter use, but it takes a lot of frigging around to get things all sorted out. If you can lift the water and have it set up so the hose peaks a bit above the trough it will drain into the trough or back under the ice in the fall, the trick is to get the float set so that the capacity doesn't keep switching the pump on and off. You can also buy 12 or 24 volt "eyes" on Amazon to use as a switch. We haven't made it quite that far yet.
For big lifts (75') we have bought a Lorentz pump. We have been getting panels in Calgary at a place off 32nd St NE. www.solarwholesaler.ca
