Solar-Powered Mobile Stock Tank

Solar-Powered Mobile Stock Tank ENERGY Solar 33-6-7 Rotational grazing is a whole lot easier with a solar-powered mobile watering tank that can be moved from paddock to paddock with an ATV or pickup. Marvin Jackson of Sundog Solar says, "We saw the need for a turnkey system that could be set up quickly and easily by someone with no training in solar power or water pumps. It also needed to be easy to move." Jackson succeeded on all counts with a solar water tank on wheels with a panel that folds down for highway transport or can be towed from spot to spot in a pasture with only a few minutes to take down and set up. "The system is balanced so it puts only 112 lbs. on the hitch in transit," says Jackson. "It's also easy to level, even on a slope. The float is on a slide arm that takes only 30 sec. to adjust. It's easy to set up." The base unit has a 600-gal. capacity with 27 linear ft. of drinking area. Jackson estimates it can service as many as 350 cow calf pairs. "The largest system we have built so far was for an intensive grazer moving 1,000 stockers as often as every day," says Jackson. "They figure they're gaining $20,000 more profit by having fresh, clean water and pasture rotation over a standard pasture system with dugouts or ponds for watering." The system has batteries to handle overnight and limited daytime watering. However, it's not intended for longer term pumping. If multiple day cloudy conditions are common, the solar array can be supplemented with a fold-down wind generator. The All Season system is designed to handle cold weather with automatic drain-back when pumping is completed. An insulated insert keeps water in the tank from freezing, while optional drink tubes provide additional access. "We have a customer who overwinters 550 cows in northern Alberta," says Jackson. "He uses both solar and wind to power his system, and it has worked fine, even with temperatures as low as minus 50?." Sundog All Season Portable Water Systems start at $5,000 (Canadian) when equipped with skids instead of wheels. Wheels add an extra $1,000. Adding the insulated tank option adds another $1,500. The 1,000 stocker system with 12,000 gal./day pumping capacity costs around $20,000. Jackson says the system has worked well over the past five years with minimal changes needed. "We have quite a few customers who have bought two or three more systems after trying one," says Jackson. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Sundog Solar & Agriculture Supplies, P. O. Box 1945, Sundre, Alta,, Canada T0M 1X0 (ph 403 638-9711;Sundog@davincibb.net; www.sundogsolarwind.com)

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