Posted: 10:12am 18 Apr 2006

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Well I finally wrote up the page about my PICAXE based Pump Controler. http://www.thebackshed.com/Windmill/PumpControler.asp

This controls the 12v pump for my header tank, and has worked perfectly for the last 3 weeks.

I've being on rain water here for the last few months ( I use a bore  during the dry season, tastes horrible. ). A days rain is enough to fill my main water tank, and that can last me 3 weeks. My tank is 5,000 litres, and I'm only using the roof of the worksop as my catchment, 9 X 6 meters. I could add a couple of 10,000 tanks and use the main house, 9 X 15 meters. This would give a couple of months water supply.

Now while a lot of Australian towns and cities are under water restrictions, I have water in abundance. In some places you will get a fine even if you have a hose connected to a tap, let alone turn it on, and dont even think about washing the car or watering the garden. It has rained in most areas in the last few months, but the dams are still low

My point, if every house had a 10,000 liter water tank and collected water from their roof, they would not have had to worry about water restrictions for the last few months.

I hear that the Gold Coast has a new buildings regulation that every new house must have a rain water tank. Maybe this should become the standard across the nation.

Besides, rain water tastes better

Glenn

Posted: 01:55am 19 Apr 2006

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Hey Chris.

There is a mesh filter on the top of the tank, and a couple of first flush devices on the down pipes. The first flush devices let the first few litres of water divert to a run off pipe, the idea is any dust or leaves on the roof dont end up in the tank.

And the pump has a mesh filter as well. But other than that, its normal tank water, full of frog pee and rotting bits of vegetation, good for ya.

Glenn

Posted: 10:10am 20 Apr 2006

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Hiya Glenn,

               We're totally reliant on rainwater on the farm and with 3-5,000 gallon tanks it's enough for our family of 4, well with the recent heavy rains 2 of the tanks are overflowing already. We also have a 2,000 gallon header tank 1/2 way up the hill and we just gravitate the water back down for household use. I've got a petrol pump which takes about 40 minutes to fill an empty header tank which aint bad considering the head. As far as filerting goes I've simply put gutter guards on the gutters and the water tastes beautifull. Last year the SA govt was considering putting water restrictions on rain water tanks but that got laughed out within a few days but if it came into law then we'd be breaking the law everytime we made a coffee. That pump controller looks a top job mate well done.

Cheers Bryan

Posted: 10:39am 20 Apr 2006

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HI  bryan 

 Did  say that Last year the SA govt was considering putting water restrictions on rain water tanks Well l nearly fell off my chair What big Joke about SA govt soon the gov will tell us how to run our life on our water tank and maybe next is putting water meter on our windmill as they have already be talking about it sometime ago and l do have large water tank at our home they are 6 of us in the family and next things maybe is putting water meter on our tank  they are all crazy and they do not like people to have windmill gen if power aviable on your propley as electic power people will get very upset for not using their power or not making any dollar that mean it bad for their business  i am one of them

dwyer the bushman

Posted: 08:03am 21 Apr 2006

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Hiya Dwyer,

                 Well mate the SA govt has already done the meter on bores if you use more than bore water for household and watering a max 1 acre of land. I got a renewal letter for my bore permit that said I would be required to fit a meter at my expense. As far as the electical grid goes for the quote to get power to my property I had to buy stobie poles on a public road and they wouldn't go overland from the neighbour even when they have an easement on my land in the direct path to the nearest power pole. That's what you get for privitizing power. ( it's all in the shareholders interest). Just aswell the extra rainfall is filling my 3 dams and one day I'll find that old well out the back of my farm.

Cheers Bryan

Posted: 01:24pm 22 Apr 2006

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Hi Chris ,Bryan1

Did you know Australia has highest law regulation proplrey in the World. Since 1970 Many things has slowly taken people life like medical heath depression, Hi unemployment (only 6 people was register dole office in 1970) ,high bank,Tax,fee ,high food cost, pently cheap import food and lollies, eletronics items  and stupid road law like revenue raising as there is one person is perfect, Not many Aust Made goods and Gov are taking control people's life and we are not far away to be end up " Soylent Green"  So what is worried me that law maker will come and tell me that "Sorry mate the law said that you cant have generator for my workshop  nor windmill gen to power my home so l must use privatizing power therefore stop useing and drop the windmill gen down and this is the law" So what shall l do ??