Piping water troughs round fields using a pump

[hubbahubba]

I have 2 field with no water and another 2 near by with not the best of set ups. It's all very well running two fields together but it's hard when bulls are out.

So I am thinking about pumping it. At an outlying shed i have electricity and a half inch water pipe. The water header tank is 820 feet and this shed is 705 feet. According to my pressure gauge I have 3.5 bar.

My first two water troughs would sit 950 metres away from the shed at 860 feet high and the next to would be a further 300 metres away so 1250 in total also at 860 feet.

Obviously it isn't going to run uphill but could and inline pump work? I think 3.5 at the shed should pump in 35 metres higher and it need to go about 52 metres from the shed 1250 metres away.

Any experts on here?

This is my first choice and if it won't work I will look at finding drains and probably over flow troughs or tanks and pumps.

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

you need 4.7 bar to get the water to your troughs, you can get a booster pump with a pressure switch to do that.

 

[hubbahubba]

you need 4.7 bar to get the water to your troughs, you can get a booster pump with a pressure switch to do that.

Ideal. How much would that be and would I need and special pipe? I was hoping to use blue half inch pipe but would I have to much back pressure in it?

 

[Kidds]

I am not an expert but I do know that water doesn't like to travel long distance down a half inch pipe. You need to go bigger.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I am not an expert but I do know that water doesn't like to travel long distance down a half inch pipe.

Speaking from personal experience

 

[milkloss]

Ideal. How much would that be and would I need and special pipe? I was hoping to use blue half inch pipe but would I have to much back pressure in it?

Blue should be good for 12 bar

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

Ideal. How much would that be and would I need and special pipe? I was hoping to use blue half inch pipe but would I have to much back pressure in it?

How many animals, what size trough?

 

[hubbahubba]

How many animals, what size trough?

There would be 30 - 40 cows in maybe 2 of the 4 fields at a time. So it would need to feed up to 80 cows at a time out the pump. I was thinking 4 troughs about 2'x2'x4' with standard size ballcocks.

 

[Happy]

Is the second field at exactly the same 860ft as the first?
Any run from one to the other at all and you could have it filling an ibc or two in the first field and let gravity take it from there to the next.

 

[hubbahubba]

Is the second field at exactly the same 860ft as the first?
Any run from one to the other at all and you could have it filling an ibc or two in the first field and let gravity take it from there to the next.

I thought about that. Like using an ibc as a header tank but unless i can save alot by using a smaller pump it's kind of pointless.

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

I thought about that. Like using an ibc as a header tank but unless i can save alot by using a smaller pump it's kind of pointless.

I work off 20 cows, one tonne a day, a small pump 6 bar would give you 2 cu m per hour which should keep up, but four foot troughs would get drained and unless they are properly set up i would worry about them being dislodged and you will be paying for water and leccy to pump it.
Forthe difference in price, I would run pipe in 25mm and go down to 20 once Td off.

If you have free water and free gravity then that is worth money to you, and so much more relaxing if it springs a leak

 

[Frodo2]

Does anyone have an idea of the electric cost of running a booster pump. I have a plan to replace mains water with a pumped private supply, and assume the electric cost to be negligible but would like to know.