Small Solar Power system

[CobyRupert]

I keep a water tub for the wife horses.

Most tub heaters I found are around 1000 watt, 1500watt, etc...., but we did find one that is only 250 Watts. Given that most have a thermostat built into them, at the end of the day you still use the same amount of energy. The small one just runs 4x as long to deliver it.

The energy usage is a function of how much heat the tub losing because of surface area, insulation and ambient air temps. For insulation we use a rubber tub and cut some horse mats to cover 75% of the top area. Only when we've had days of below zero had we had ice start to build up. Which can be a downward cycle because now when you fill the tub, not as much new warm water is coming in.
I found this website useful to predict what your temps will be
Intellicast - Richmond Historic Weather Averages in Virginia (23231)

If you go solar you need to predict energy usage, versus energy storage, versus energy collection. Example can you collect and store enough energy in one day for three cloudy cold days in January.

 

[John_Mc]

These might be of use. Build a Solar Stock Tank - DIY - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Solar heated and insulated stock tank

Suntanks: Freeze-proof Solar Heated Horse Waterers,Cow Water Tanks

Build a Solar Stock Tank - DIY | On The Farm | Pinterest | Livestock, Horses and Farm life

Solar Heated Stock Tanks - Shipping Nationwide!

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Suntank-Heated-Livestock-Manual/dp/B07261G4V2

https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/SteveTank/SteveTank.htm

I think something along these lines is the real answer. I especially like the second link shown. I actually sent them a note suggesting an improvement: they are still losing a significant amount of heat to evaporative cooling, which is proportional to the surface area of the tub. I suggested cutting down one of the solar pool covers to fit the water surface on their tub, with a hole cut slightly larger than the drinking hole in their hard cover. The pool cover looks a little like bubble wrap on steroids. It floats on the surface of the water providing some insulation from radiant heat loss, but the big contribution is that it would cut WAY down on evaporative heat loss.

In Riptide's milder VA climate, a passive solar system like what is described on some of those links would probably get him through all but the longest coldest spells. I would go with an inexpensive solar PV system for the lights, and try one of these passive solar set-ups for the water. If that does not give you enough ice-free days, you could add a much smaller electric heater and figure out what is needed to power that later. However, I'm betting that if he makes a passive solar stock waterer, it will cure enough of his problem (if not all or almost all of it) that it would be simpler to just haul water or run an extension cord on those odd-ball cold spells that overwhelm the passive set-up.

 

[Travelover]

I think something along these lines is the real answer. ........

Yea, why reinvent the wheel? Some of these come with multiyear experience and suggestions.

 

[Industrial Toys]

IF, I had to do something like that, I would dig a hole below frost line, put in a tank and have a small circulation pump. Have the pump on a stat.

A friend told me about how to protect water lines from freezing above ground if you don't want to spend money on heating the outdoors. Run two lines and have the system circulate (with a low power circulation pump) using a stat.

 

[wheelbuilder]

I'd like a complete "small" solar power system to provide ample juice for two lights (manual control), a motion detector light and a heater in a water trough.

The system will be mounted on a roof and all components except the wiring and panels will be housed out of the weather.

My issue seems to be that of watts. I think the heater is the issue, because it draws so much. At this point, I don't need it full time and would probably opt for a day on battery backup.

Recommendations or advise, welcome. Thanks!

My Dad runs a small electronics shop mostly on solar. He uses 3 of Harbor Freights solar arrays to charge deep cycle batteries which in turn feed an inverter to power the shop. He's even gone as far as to repurpose his old satellite dish to carry the solar panels to track the sun thru the day at an optimum angle. Most days he can run the shop from this, however we do have stretches of cloudy days that require him to revert to line power. His inverter is under 5000 Watts if that helps.

 

[Diggin It]

The links above seem OK for surface stock tanks, but may not fit the needs some of us have.

In my case, I have a 100 gallon (or so) black poly pond tank set in the ground. They're sold for decorative water features at big box stores. Mine is set up as two levels with a smaller poly pond tank below holding the pump. Water is pushed through pipes to a pile of rocks (third level) making a water fall back into the bigger pond. The big center pond holds goldfish. I turn the waterfall pump off in winter and just leave the big pond uncirculated.

Last winter was far below normal and the center pond nearly froze solid other than a few inches at the bottom where the fish managed to winter over. I had to keep drilling holes in it for air exchange.

I'd like to find a way to keep enough water warmed above freezing to help prevent that depth of ice. Burying another barrel as suggested above seems plausible, but I'm not sure about keeping the pump and tubing from freezing.


For that matter, I could possibly circulate water from the bottom of the small pool (10' x 30") beside the pond if I could find an efficient 12V pump and a way to insulate it and the piping.

Then again, it may be just as simple as using a cover made of pink or blue foam board and clear poly roof panels over this pond to amplify the Sun and retain ground heat.

 

[MossRoad]

The links above seem OK for surface stock tanks, but may not fit the needs some of us have.

In my case, I have a 100 gallon (or so) black poly pond tank set in the ground. They're sold for decorative water features at big box stores. Mine is set up as two levels with a smaller poly pond tank below holding the pump. Water is pushed through pipes to a pile of rocks (third level) making a water fall back into the bigger pond. The big center pond holds goldfish. I turn the waterfall pump off in winter and just leave the big pond uncirculated.

Last winter was far below normal and the center pond nearly froze solid other than a few inches at the bottom where the fish managed to winter over. I had to keep drilling holes in it for air exchange.

I'd like to find a way to keep enough water warmed above freezing to help prevent that depth of ice. Burying another barrel as suggested above seems plausible, but I'm not sure about keeping the pump and tubing from freezing.


For that matter, I could possibly circulate water from the bottom of the small pool (10' x 30") beside the pond if I could find an efficient 12V pump and a way to insulate it and the piping.

Then again, it may be just as simple as using a cover made of pink or blue foam board and clear poly roof panels over this pond to amplify the Sun and retain ground heat.

Go over to the pond boss website and look through their discussions. I see many larger ponds around here with aerators running most of the winter. But even here, they sometimes stop completely when the holes freeze up. It all depends on your climate and how much money you're willing to spend to keep it aerated.

 

[GLyford]

Aeration or circulation. We have a similar sized pond, and leave our circulator pump running year round, and there's always at least one patch of open water.

I have thought about adding aeration to improve water quality, and if I could cobble something solar that would fit the bill nicely, though I could also run an air pump off the same circuit as the circulator. I have debated making a wind powered air pump, but have so far been outvoted.