Labour Saving and General Guntering

The SPS pumps are a nice package, but you can definitly build one much cheaper, no idea where you would stand with a grant though I suspect it probably wouldn't be covered, but could possibly still build a pump for your needs for less including the grant.

I've built a few different pumps for my own fragmented farm, each only cost a few hundred. Submersible pumps work best for wells, but the suction type tends to last longer if you can get away with a suction height of less than 5m.

The in-laws have an SPS 70 it has 2 12V pumps in it, they look strikingly similar to this one: Amazon 12V pump

But when the pumps failed last year, they wanted the genuine replacements which I think was about €350 for both direct from SPS. There really isn't much more to the pump, a standard well pressure vessel and a pressure switch, a charge controller, 2 solar panels and a battery.

For my pumps I just used an IBC and float switch as it worked out a bit cheaper as I could get away with 1 panel and no pressure vessel or pressure switch.


Agridirect are selling a kit for €1200 https://www.agridirect.ie/product/battery-solar-powered-water-pump

But you'd get a better kit off Amazon for only €250 https://www.amazon.co.uk/DCHOUSE-Submersible-100ft-DELIVERY-Packages/dp/B09NFTJZ6M/ref%3Dasc_df_B09NFTJZ6M?mcid=7d241c27124e3d979554834fb30d10aa&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696451130816&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13141752885726611527&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9221769&hvtargid=pla-1608032295783&psc=1&gad_source=1

It is, but I find the submersible pumps only last a couple of seasons and I've tried a few models. The only thing is they are cheap to replace anyway. Then again the SPS pumps failed after 6 years of use anyway so still way cheaper cost of ownership in the DIY version.

The float switch works for me because everything is close together near the water source. The float switch in the IBC turns on the pump when the tank is below 3/4 full and it runs until it is full, the drinker is gravity fed through a low pressure ball cock. With this setup, I get away with a smaller pump and smaller solar panel as it doesn't matter how long it takes for the IBC to fill as it will always be ahead of the water demand from the drinker.

I'm not sure I understand your situation fully though, but if your proposed reservoir is down hill from the drinkers then a pressure switch is probably your only option. The suction capacity of these pumps is fairly limited and they will work far better pushing the water up a hill. You'd still build it cheaper than buying another SPS if you are so inclined and if you think the SPS is overkill you could always just use one pump and one panel. You can scale up if necessary maybe make sure the charge controller you start with can handle 2 panels.


I found this Teagasc video, showing a simple build idea for mounting panel and battery, but I think I'd like the batter a little further out of reach of the cattle or at least make a cover for it.

In my setup I have no pressure switch apart from a very unreliable one built into the pump, so a float switch works best. Pump I'm using is also fairly small so wouldn't trust it with separate pressure switch either. A pump that would work well with a pressure switch wouldn't need the IBC to begin with.

Even the pumps used by SPS have similar integrated pressure switches that they opted to bypass in order to use a more robust separate one.

I bought a cheap wired one for the cattle trailer and find it's a great job. I wouldn't bother with the expense of a wireless on as I need to hook up lights and brakes anyway.

Edit: Was this the post?
https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/113128010/#Comment_113128010

That was a while ago, I'm surprised the link went anywhere to be honest.

Couldn't be sure it is the exact one, but very similar to this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XQ2JK41/ref=sspa_dk_hqp_detail_aax_0?psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9ocXBfc2hhcmVk

This is the intake filter I use, if you cant get it submerged enough, dig a hole in the stream and line it with a few flat stones, you will need to keep it cleaned out periodically. I'm only using cheap pumps in that situation, so don't worry too much about damaging them, but so far none have failed.

In theory you should never let these pumps run dry, but I don't even use check valves, so they always run dry for a few seconds on start-up and I've found them a few times running over night where the stream ran dry or just dropped below the level of where the intake was placed earlier in the season. So they are tough enough.

I have had a couple of submersible pumps fail though and they are used in a well with clean water and never ran dry, but eventually their seals fail and water gets in to the motor.