Solar Powered Irrigation System

vistafinder

Has anyone tried one of these for their polytunnel. I am thinking of putting up a 60 foot tunnel but there is no water or power near the place where I can fit it.

Any advice from someone that has one?

Merrion

Can you capture rainwater from the tunnel in some way? Enough rain falls in Ireland that a biggish water butt (250L+) will have you covered for usual weather.

When moving water the main thing in terms of power use is change of height - if you can deliver the water at or below the bottom of the butt you'd need almost no pumping at all. A charger like this and a car battery with a timer (c.5 mins, twice a day) would work it.

vistafinder

I think a tunnel would be very hard to collect water off of I haven't come across a way to collect water from one.

I was thinking two 1000L IBC tanks one at the tunnel and putting it at a bit of a height wouldn't be hard and a second one in a car trailer that could be filled from 2 zinc roofed sheds and topped up from own private well.

Its the work of collecting the water would be the reason to have something automatic at the tunnel.

Will check out the charger and battery.

Thanks.

Discodog

The only way to collect run off would be two gutters low on the sides. Then tape the polythene to the gutter.