How Dependable?

[Northern Rancher]

Are those solar pumping units in the winter. I've got my wetwells all in place I'm just deciding what method to use for watering. Solar or 110 is going to cost me about $8,000. I'm tempted to build a little pump house and heat it and my trough with propane-I'd just pump with a gas pump every day.

 

[Denny]

I know nothing about any of these but I did find some numbers in Agri-news.

Winpower West 888-851-5749 www.winpowerwest.com

TWEnterprises Inc. 1-800-955-3795 www.twegen.com

Midland Implement 1-800-677-6426

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

NR Cap Solar has a pretty good winter solar outfit.Just google it.

Your other idea we used many years ago before we had power . used a radiant heater in the pump house and propane in tank heater. I now use Mor tech frost free tanks from Williston ND and use a submersible pump but have had freinds use a sump pump with a hole in the pipe to drain back to the water line.
Nice to have something fairly automatic in case your gone to hockey for a couple days.

 

[Northern Rancher]

I have visions of 'automatic'failing when I'm gone a the cows destroying the whole shebang. I really only need water till it snows then they can lick all they need. I've checked out most of the systems they sell up here but the all get kind of evasive when you ask how troublefree they are.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I have visions of 'automatic'failing when I'm gone a the cows destroying the whole shebang. I really only need water till it snows then they can lick all they need. I've checked out most of the systems they sell up here but the all get kind of evasive when you ask how troublefree they are.

Talk to Monica at Cap Solar in Olds.

 

[Manitoba_Rancher]

Hey Nr,

Try Kelln thats the system we are putting in and I know a couple guys that have one already and they like it very dependable.

 

[rainie]

Got some neighbors using Kelln and they seem pretty happy. No major problems.

 

[Doug Thorson]

I own a Gen-Pro. I haven't used it in the winter but I have never had a problem with it. I do know they pump on cloudy days, but slower.

 

[don]

if you go with the solar panel/battery setup i think they are very reliable but i think it might be worthwhile to make sure you have lots of panel and battery capacity so that your batteries are always charged and don't freeze up on you. lots of guys put their batteries in an old fridge for the winter to keep them insulated and then pile up the snow for more insulation. you need a good charge controller too so that you don't boil the batteries as the days get longer and you get more sunlight. kelln has good regulators on their watering setups. the cap solar tank i bought didn't include a regulator and i think it's important because if you fry the batteries you only have power when the sun is out and no reserve.