Can I reduce my Water Flow at night?

[KenR60]

Reading through a few old posts I noticed people concerned about their power consumption and this got me thinking about what costs my system would amount to after 12 months. After the Sun goes down, can I use a Timer for my continuous flow channels and between 7pm and 5am turn the Pump off for an Hour and then On for 15min without causing any stress to the plants/roots?

I have 3 Separate Pumps feeding my Systems and if I remember the Wattage is between 20 and 30 Watts per Pump. Was wondering if I also bought a more powerful pump but of a small wattage eg. 50watt and from this branched off to each System. I'm looking at adding another set of channels so buying another small pump my combined wattage would be close to 100watt.

The other idea was to look at the Goverment Rebate for the $8,000 towards a Solar System to allow me to run as many pumps as I like without any cost in electricity. I read that the Solar Panels can be supplied and fitted from $0 up to $2500 based on total Income so hoping my position means $0 :-)

[iain]

"what costs my system would amount to after 12 months"

If you are running about 70W in pumps continuously - your cost is - 70W*365days*24hours*17cents a kWh/1000. or about $100 a year.

If you buy a top of line $100-200 timer - and run the pumps 10-20% of the time - you pay the timer back in a couple of years. And after that you save about $80 each year.

Not a whole lot of money. But worth considering.

Additionally - I get 44cents a kWh for every bit of solar electricity I stick into the grid - so the economics for me is better than above. In summer we put 10-12kWh a day into the grid from a 2kW system. This is $5 a day for us -- and is very significant. Plus electricity is only likely to increase not decrease in cost.

Save as much electricity as you can - and go solar. It pays for itself.

With some temps now at 4-5C overnight for us - I am running 3mins on 12mins off during the day and 3mins on 45mins off at night. This is through the same timer - I don't touch it each day after I set it up. No problems with the plants.

The rebate helps - but you will still end up paying something (a grand or two typically for a 1kW system).

[Murray]

You can switch off at night during winter, or do the on/off thing with a timer. Just remember that the important thing is balance.

Last winter I switched one system off during the night to conserve heat but I noticed after a few weeks the lower amount of filtering was starting to show in the water quality.

On that big system in question, I have now switched it to running 24/7 on a much smaller pump. The filtration is very good and the power cost is not too bad. I have just ordered a 1kw solar system, but it won't be installed until January.

A given amount of water needs to be moved through a system to get the results needed and it is by trying things that you will find the best way to do that at your place.

Basically, do whatever suits your own circumstances and operate your system to achieve the optimum results in your particular case.

[KenR60]

If you buy a top of line $100-200 timer - and run the pumps 10-20% of the time - you pay the timer back in a couple of years. And after that you save about $80 each year.

Whats the Difference between a $100-200 Timer and the Exterior Timers Bunnings Sell for $10.00 They can be modified to turn ON or OFF every 15min and the Quality looks good.

[iain]

less control - you can't control to the second, have different settings night and day etc

if that's not important to you - then cheaper timers just as good

[KenR60]

Thanks Iain, I have one of the Cheaper ones and was quite amazed at the fact that it was rated exterior ( Clear Cover over the Dial and controls ) and it seems to do the job I bought it for ( my Grow Pots, 15min ON, 30min OFF ) so I'll buy another and reduce my Pumps through the Nights.

Pumps in question Murray aren't anything to do with my Filter so I shouldn't see any or too much change.

Thanks Everyone for your input.

[Murray]

Hi KenR,
The filter nI was talking about is the grow beds. I switched the grow beds off.

[KenR60]

Hi KenR,
The filter nI was talking about is the grow beds. I switched the grow beds off.

OK understand Murray, so in my case stopping the water flow in the Channels I guess it shouldn't cause any problems as long as the roots don't get dry.

WoW there must be a backlog for the 1kw solar systems, if you don't get you'res til Jan 2010. So many different things I've heard/read, goverment gives an $8,000 rebate on the System which is worth $12,000 but the cost to the houseowner varies between $0 and $2,500? So is this correct?

[Murray]

The deal we have is costing us 750.00 approx. It just makes you wonder how many years we or our children will be paying for the solar and the ridiculous hand outs.

If you examine the real cost of solar panels / system it is just not a viable power source.

[GaryD]

Hi,

The deal we have is costing us 750.00 approx. It just makes you wonder how many years we or our children will be paying for the solar and the ridiculous hand outs.

If you examine the real cost of solar panels / system it is just not a viable power source.

What's wrong with the government subsidising the cost of solar systems? The panels will only get cheaper as the volume of sales increases. The same goes for research into better/cheaper panels......it will only get done if there's a prospective market for the panels that it produces.

My much greater concern is for the subsidisation that this government (and its predecessor) hands to the coal, power and car industries.....the biggest polluters.

If there are going to be handouts, let it be to the people who are going to resolve some of our problems rather than to those who perpetuate them.

The subsidies will at least create sufficient interest in the industry to attract new players and new technology.

Gary