Ram pumps..worth it?

Robin2020

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have a couple available on a grant, but need to get done this year. I'm wondering if it is really worth the effort for 40 sheep? Would mains be easier as it is close by. I need to calculate how much the sheep cost with water but I doubt its that much...
I am in 2 minds as I have a trough fed from a stream using a pipe and gravity. The pipe is always blocking up and yesterday the trough was full with black ug from 1 year of use. Do ram pumps not block all the time? Does the tank they fill not get choked with sediment?
Just wondering how much maintenance is involved vs linking to mains. I get 1.5k for each pump which won't fully cover things so need to factor money in too.
Any advice much appreciated.
 

Robin2020

Member
Livestock Farmer
Don't know about ram pumps but would think if mains was within easy reach that is by far the best option. Sheep water use isn't going to break the bank
Yes I feel like I'm doing it just because they are free...but it's loads of work and my streams are far from ideal...
 

exmoor dave

Member
Location
exmoor, uk
Yes that's an option but the grant will pay for pukka units. It more tge hassle of doing it and tanks full of sediment which bothers me...


We've got a couple of older hyd-ramp pumps here, there is a fair bit of infrastructure to feed each pump.
Catchment tank,
Drive tank,
Drive pipe (the big bore pipe that feeds the water to the pump)
Housing for the pump.


Newer pumps might not need so much infrastructure but


Would a solar pump not be cheaper and much easier to install, for the number of sheep mentioned?
 

WPTglobal

Member
Trade
Take a look at papa pumps! the best performing ram pump, small long lasting and durable! call WPT if you want to discuss we'll even to a desktop survey to make sure you can get the most of your system! easy to self install extremely low maintenance, the pump runs 24/7 no need for human interaction. should run 3 years before you need to change the valves (15 minute job) and the replacement valves are only £20
 

Robin2020

Member
Livestock Farmer
We've got a couple of older hyd-ramp pumps here, there is a fair bit of infrastructure to feed each pump.
Catchment tank,
Drive tank,
Drive pipe (the big bore pipe that feeds the water to the pump)
Housing for the pump.


Newer pumps might not need so much infrastructure but


Would a solar pump not be cheaper and much easier to install, for the number of sheep mentioned?
Thanks for your comments. The tanks etc do seem a fair bit of work..... maybe solar would be better but no grant for that :(
 

WPTglobal

Member
Trade
Thanks for your comments. The tanks etc do seem a fair bit of work..... maybe solar would be better but no grant for that :(
Not all systems require all the tanks, depends on your layout and site, give WPT (Papa Pumps) a call (+44 1288 354 454) or email ([email protected]) and we can run through it with you on the best system as well as get the estimated price of everything needed
 

Robin2020

Member
Livestock Farmer
40 sheep? Stick with mains and don't try to be clever. Really, apart from when they're milking at lambing time they will drink sod all.
One trough I currently fill by hand so I noticed on the 30deg days the flock (currently 20 + 16 lambs) was drinking around 25ltr a day. Looks like 1ltr is 0.3p, so thats 7.5p a day in extremely hot conditions. And like you say, big portions of the year they don't touch it. I noticed on frozen mornings after munching hay they would drink a lot.
So that would be £27 a year if they had a 30 degree day all year round!!!! Realistically is is probably more like £15 max. When I get my extra 20 ewes this number may double but its pretty small hey.
The thing is, I need to pipe all the troughs to mains anyway so lets see just how much the Papa system will cost (beyond what the grant will cover). The grant will pay for all the pipework if I go with ram pumps so this would be a big benefit. Its probably enough to hire the digger and buy the pipe......
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
I have a couple available on a grant, but need to get done this year. I'm wondering if it is really worth the effort for 40 sheep? Would mains be easier as it is close by. I need to calculate how much the sheep cost with water but I doubt its that much...
I am in 2 minds as I have a trough fed from a stream using a pipe and gravity. The pipe is always blocking up and yesterday the trough was full with black ug from 1 year of use. Do ram pumps not block all the time? Does the tank they fill not get choked with sediment?
Just wondering how much maintenance is involved vs linking to mains. I get 1.5k for each pump which won't fully cover things so need to factor money in too.
Any advice much appreciated.
Sort out your gravity feed. your pipes should never block if you do the job properly. All our water including for the farmhouse is from a stream on 20mm blue alkethene pipe. Its all about securing a clean water collection inlet in the stream which I have achieved by laying a water can on its side on the bed of the stream with spout going down stream. Push alkethene pipe up the spout to obtain clean water supply. Lay slab over water can so stream does not wash water can away. Then dam up stream sufficient to cover slab. You then end up with a trouble free water supply
 

Robin2020

Member
Livestock Farmer
Sort out your gravity feed. your pipes should never block if you do the job properly. All our water including for the farmhouse is from a stream on 20mm blue alkethene pipe. Its all about securing a clean water collection inlet in the stream which I have achieved by laying a water can on its side on the bed of the stream with spout going down stream. Push alkethene pipe up the spout to obtain clean water supply. Lay slab over water can so stream does not wash water can away. Then dam up stream sufficient to cover slab. You then end up with a trouble free water supply
Clever....and well described in words!! I was 3d printing little filters for the end of my 32mm pipe but that was never going to work. I will have a think. The main problem is the stream gets pretty lively in the winter so it will need to be very robust.
 

renewablejohn

Member
Location
lancs
Clever....and well described in words!! I was 3d printing little filters for the end of my 32mm pipe but that was never going to work. I will have a think. The main problem is the stream gets pretty lively in the winter so it will need to be very robust.
In a lively stream the hardest part is to stop the dam from washing away. Easy solution is to find a cast iron bath and bury it in the bed of the stream with sloping end down at the downstream end. You can then fasten the water can to the other end of the bath with slab above water can for stream to flow over.
 

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