fredg
Senior Member
Slightly (*cough) eccentric
Posts: 316
|
Post by fredg on Apr 17, 2015 12:49:49 GMT -5
To parallel my trials of solar powered water pumps I thought I'd see how effective the solar powered air pumps are. So far it's impressive that the pump works albeit at a reduced rate even in heavy cloud so giving a much extended operating time as compared to the water pumps which really need direct sunlight to kick them off.
|
|
fredg
Senior Member
Slightly (*cough) eccentric
Posts: 316
|
Post by fredg on May 6, 2015 10:50:11 GMT -5
Pump No.2 is now in operation, the temporary (supplied) air stone is in a tray of 12 x 11 cm pond pots/baskets of Utricularia. This I intend change to smaller stones with air volume control valves which will be placed in the narrow spaces between the bottoms of the pots.
|
|
fredg
Senior Member
Slightly (*cough) eccentric
Posts: 316
|
Post by fredg on May 17, 2015 14:03:02 GMT -5
The trial with the air pumps has been a bit of a let down. The first pump is great and is still pumping away in daylight. Pump #2 lasted a week after installation so I replaced it and pump #3 lasted for about 3 hours. Both of these are en route to Amazon for full refunds. I have decided to go with water pump #4 for Darlingtonia tray #4 and the existing air pump will go into a Utricularia tray.
Considering that I can buy 3 water pumps for the (new increased) price of an air pump it's no contest.
|
|
fredg
Senior Member
Slightly (*cough) eccentric
Posts: 316
|
Post by fredg on May 24, 2015 7:33:31 GMT -5
A continuation of the solar air pump trial.
As I mentioned above, unfortunately these pumps are not reliable, if you get a good one they are very efficient but there are too many which do not stay the course. Of the three pumps I have had, the second one lasted a week and the replacement for thast only lasted three hours. This sole existing one, the original, will be repositioned in a tray of twelve Utricularia filled pond pots and this tray converted to take a fourth solar water pump, the other three of which have given no problems at all.
It should be noted that the solar water pump kits cost less than a third of an air pump kit.
|
|
