I have two windmills that are powered by solar energy, pumping around 5-7 gallons per minute during sunny times. However, they stop working at night or on cloudy days. I want to set up a system that allows these wells to run continuously, particularly for keeping my livestock tanks full and handling some irrigation needs. What battery solutions are available that would enable me to operate these pumps for about 12 hours a day when the sun isn't shining?
1 Answer
One option you might consider is using an elevated water tank, especially if you can manage with low pressure. It's definitely possible to use chemical batteries too, but you’ll need a programmable charger controller that can handle your pumps, plus do some calculations to determine the battery capacity you need. Just remember, you might have to expand your solar array since it'll need to charge the batteries while running the pumps. Just a heads up, running them all night could drain a lot of power!