Here is a brief and broad introduction to water powered and solar powered pumping.
The major limiting factor in water powered pumps is, of course, that you need flowing water and some degree of head pressure to drive the pump. These can be quite specific parameters and mean the options for these pumps may be quite limited.
The major benefit with water powered pumps is that they will pump all day and all night regardless of weather, this can give you some significant quantities of water over a 24hr period and makes no difference what season it is.
The major limiting factor in solar powered pumps is that, obviously, the sun needs to be shining, meaning you can expect days when the pump will deliver little, or even no water. In the winter you can expect significantly less water than in the summer.
The way to mitigate the inconsistencies of the sun is to pump more water per day than you need to a storage tank or reservoir. This allows you to have a bank of water in the system that can accommodate the down days, effectively turning your tank/reservoir into a battery.
The major benefit with solar is your water source can be either flowing or still water, which opens solar up to all water sources. Good quality solar pumps, installed correctly, are very reliable.
Below are some questions to consider when looking at off grid pumping.
- How much water is required per day on average?
- How high does the water need to be lifted, and over what distance?
- What is the size (inside diameter or ID) of the pipe being used?
- What type of pump is most suitable to my situation and water source?
Off grip pumping can deliver significant benefits. Do your homework, follow the guidelines and you can expect a great result.