Off-grid low flow rate pumps

[Scott O'Bar]

Anyone know of some 12v water pumps that can produce a small trickle of water through a very small diameter tube. Interested in putting cattle on my property, but the water situation is difficult.

[Robbie Coville]

Hi Scott. You might find this Edible Acres video useful, describing how they move water passively with small 12VDC bilge pumps and second-hand solar panels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KC0iWALT_s This shows a very frugal approach, and they have other videos showing different areas using similar setups. An important takeaway is that DC devices have a much wider range of tolerable voltage and current compared with AC devices, which is important if you are working across large distances and/or with less stable power supplies.

You asked about small diameter tubes. I'd think using standard hoses and fittings would make it easier to supply parts and repair as needed.

You could also consider using storage tanks like IBC totes on a trailer to move water around. "Energy-free livestock waterers" are another device worth being aware of, to provide water in freezing conditions.

[Scott O'Bar]

Hi Robbie, thanks for the (only) response. Solar is not practical because we have trees growing everywhere. What I ended up purchasing was a Milwaukee transfer pump and a cheaper off-brand unit to use as a backup. I bought a couple batteries and charger, so I can recharge the batteries using our house's solar system. Haven't used it yet, but it sounded like the best available solution for my context. I like that it uses standard garden hoses.

The reason I stated that I wanted small diameter tubing and something low-flow, is because I was worried a typical pump would over-drain some of the small pocket ponds we have before they have a chance to replenish themselves. The transfer pump is probably higher flow than what I wanted, so I'll have to keep on eye on things, and turn the pump off if it looks like the water level of the pond is getting too low.

The other option is to setup a few water tanks in strategic spots on the property at tops of hills and build some sort of catchment to funnel rainwater into the tanks. We probably won't invest in that right away though. Other than that, we will probably setup a couple sheets of tin roofing angled towards the daily water trough, so we can directly provide any rainfall that comes.

Although it does nothing for us during droughts, I like the latter idea, because it is very cheap. A neighbor of ours was talking about the turkeys that he raises, and he mentioned that they aren't like chickens where they always want to return to the same spot every night. That gave me the idea that we could have a small flock following our cattle herd, and the tin roofing rainwater catchment could also double as a shelter for the turkeys during rainy weather.