Build Instructions

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• 1

  Step 1

  Solar Energy is a giant leap in the field of science which has enabled humans to produce clean energy. In this step I am going to give you a brief introduction into real economics, viability and applications of this Instructable.

  Agriculture

  Agriculture in developing nations isn't as efficient as it really should be. One of the main problems of agriculture is water management. Even developing nations which receive a good amount of water through rainfall fail to be efficient in the field of agriculture.

  The initial investment of solar energy is high. Buts lets put it in a developing nation's agriculturists/farmers perspective. I have chosen my country India as the perfect example of the best beneficiary from the use of solar energy.EXAMPLE based on past experience:

  The common farmer over here has to pay approximately Rs 50,000 to setup an electrical connection to his/her farm depending on how far the nearest village transformer/power distributor is from the farm. The farmer then has to buy a pump to irrigate his land which could cost the farmer between Rs 5,000 -35,000. The problem is due in such areas Maintenance of Power lines is not carried out and there is high variation in the supplied voltage. This causes the pumps coil and windings to get damaged. This can lead to loss of efficiency or even total damage to the pump. Farmers who have batteries and inverters for their farms also suffer losses from the damage caused by voltage fluctuations to the inverters,etc. Therefore the farmer has to also spend additional revenue in buying replacement Pumps, inverters,etc.

  Maintenance of the power lines has to be sometimes carried out by the farmer. Irregular power failures and power shortages causes major losses of agricultural output. Consider a 10 acre Cucumber crop plantation which should ideally yield a harvest of approximately 1000kg/day. Lets say due to a power outage, there is no power supplied to the farm for an entire day causing. This would lead to the crop not being watered for a day and could result in significant weight loss of the cucumbers. In country's such as India farmers sell vegetables based on weight and hence any weight loss would result in significant losses. But all these problems can be solved by the implementation of a Solar Water Pump System.

  In India, there are mainly two crops: Kharif(Monsoon Crops) & Rabi(Winter Crops). With the help of solar energy, I have been able to plant 4 different crops. i.e. 2 additional crops excluding the Kharif and Rabi crops. I have been able to irrigate a cucumber and watermelon crop in the middle of summer which also has significantly increased my profits from agriculture, something I wouldn't have been able to do without solar energy.

  What about farmers belonging to developed nations?

  Well apart from the above, farmers in developed nations can use solar energy for their sprinkler systems in their greenhouses. You can check out the graphs above to get an overview of the efficiency of solar water pump systems. They can also use for artificial lighting to grow saplings. I have also seen a Solar water pump systems being used in poultry(chicken) applications to cool the sheds and provide drinking water to the poultry animals.

  Household/Domestic Applications

  The solar water pump system can be used to pump drinking water in societies and buildings. The concept of 'Green Buildings' includes the use of solar water pump systems for the purpose of drinking water and other sanitary uses of water.

  If you do not wish to use solar energy to pump water but instead to power your house, check out some of my other projects:

  DIY Solar+Wind House

  Apartment Solar System

  Apocalypse Preparedness

  Imagine if their is an apocalypse & aliens attack all power stations! Protect yourself from such events and install a Solar Water Pump System.

  P.S: This application was included in view of the Apocalypse Preparedness Contest :)

• 2

  Step 2

  The Solar Panel is a Metal framework consisting of I-beams and C-channel that help support the solar panel and keep them inclined at the required angle. In the next couple of steps, the Instructable will teach you how too setup the metal framework.

  Solar Angle

  But before you start building the metal stand or framework you must determine the optimum angle at which you must place you solar panels inorder to get the maximum efficiency from the solar system.

  To get the best out of your photovoltaic panels, you need to angle them towards the sun. The optimum angle varies throughout the year, depending on the seasons and your location and this calculator shows the difference in sun height on a month-by-month basis.

  Inorder to calculate the optimum angle I have used an online calculator which uses the location of the Solar Panel Array. Solar Panel Angle Calculator

  Anti-Corrosion Paint

  Before you start building the metal stand, you must paint all metal parts including I-beams, C-channel,etc with a layer of Anti-Corrosion/ Anti-Rust Paint. After doing so, you can add a layer of coloured paint to enhance the look of the Solar Panel Stand. By painting the metal stand you will prevent the metal from getting damaged due to corrosion.

• 3

  Step 3

  Once you have determined the optimum angle at which the solar panels must be placed at, you can start building the metal stand. In this step you will need to mix concrete for the foundation.

  1. Start by digging a hole into the ground of the dimensions: 2ft X 2ft X 2ft.
  2. Add some concrete into the hole and spread it evenly.
  3. Place the I-beam into the hole such that it is perpendicular to the surface. Ensure that the I-beam is vertical by using a Level Bottle.
  4. Once 2ft of the I-beam is placed inside the hole vertically, fill the hole completely with cement.
  5. Do the same for another I-beam separated from the first I-beam at a distance of 24.46ft
  6. The total height of each I-beam from the ground surface is 11ft.

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