Pond Boss Forums AERATION Systems questions Using 24V DC for pond aeration (maybe 12V?)

I have a 1.1 acre pond, approx. 2.9 million gallons. Max depth is 12 feet. It is fed by a seasonal creek that usually dries up in summer. By late Summer the pond is only 6 feet deep.

I can add a small hydro system to produce DC power. I prefer a 24V DC power system. The simplest approach to aeration would be to run an aeration pump off of the batteries. Running 110V from the house is expensive, plus there are voltage losses when you run power that far.

Do you know of any aeration pumps that operate on 24V DC? My other choices, in order, would be 48V or 12V.

Billy,
How much power (watts) can you produce from your hydro setup? Are you set on DC powered aeration? Have you considered an inverter to run AC power to your pump? The side benefit is that you can then use the AC power for any other tasks around your pond as well.

Bronco, do you have to run elec that far? Why not just run an air line to the pond? My air line is 2,200' with no problems.

TGW1- Is it really 2200 feet???. I have heard up to 1500', but my situation is longer, and have wanted to research the possibility of further. Do you have a thread on your buil/process? If not, I sure would like to hear more about the specifics in getting the job done.

FnC, to be honest I might have to go back and see the exact footage but I started with a Kasco system that has two air pumps and 6 diffusers along with some weighted air line, (I bought additional air line) It was a package but can't recall the package product Id but should be easily looked up under their product lines. I started with 1500' of 3" rolled tubing and then reducing it to 1.5" for 300' and was then connected to 200' of 1"pvc and 200' the last weighted line going to the last diffuser in the line setup. No manifold but pvc had 6 different T ball valves connections that regulate the air to each diffuser. Hope this helps. I can say there is plenty of air at the end point. This comes from memory and that is not the greatest these days

As best as I can tell, I can produce 1,850 watts continuous-- 24 hrs/day when the water is flowing. Might seem small compared to solar standards, but when you figure it works 24 hrs/day it catches up fast. I will add an inverter, but that is *way* down the road.

I have a well pump house 400' away. It has 220V in it. I could setup a relay so the pump gets electric when needed, and otherwise, the aerator could run.

What kind of air line is used? I would start by running it on the surface, but is it OK to bury it as well?

IF you are making 1850 watts, you have all the power you need.

I could be wrong, but seems to me running 400' of 10-3 direct bury wire would cost way less than storage batteries.

Thank you for the responses. I appreciate them. Very helpful.

The battery cost is $0. I already have the battery bank. Direct bury wire would be a great idea except it introduces complexities we are not ready for just yet. But keep the ideas coming! A complex irrigation system is in place underground with no schematic or diagram. Installing 10-3 wire means trenching to stay legal. To trench now means tearing through irrigation pipes and things which we know are already buried, but don't know a precise location.

When we do trenching, the trench will need multiple conduits and wires for things not yet finalized. We will run more than one water line, possibly a waste line as well.

Based on no suggestions for a 24V DC pump, I'm presuming one is unlikely to be found. I presume running an AC powered aerator near the residence, with an above ground (for now) air line to the pond is what I should investigate?

How many feet is the run? You can bury an air line shallow, and not have to trench as deep as an electric line, but I don't know how deep the irrigation system is.....

I've run air well over 1,000 feet to a pond......

I have an existing well, in a well house, within 400 feet of the pond. I could use this structure, and electric, to run an aerator pump.

I would be tempted to run air line on the surface just for temporary, unless there is a problem with that. Probably create some sort of manifold at the pond to adapt from the long air line to the diffuser/air line setup.

Once I do trenching (later) for electric and whatever, I could run the air line underground in the upper part of the trench.

What material is used for an air line when you run several hundred feet from the pump to the pond?

The big rolls of black plastic water pipe work fine and is relatively cheap to purchase.

You can run the rolled pipe under ground but I would keep any connections above ground. If you have to connect two pieces of pipe keep that connection above ground, In case a air leak develops at the connection. Plumbing supply companies will have the larger rolled pipe in stock.

Great info. Thank you to all.

I need to find a list of suppliers of aeration systems. I thought I saw such a list on this site or forum, but can't find it again. Can anyone either suggest some major manufacturers or point me where there is a list of them?

Thank you again to all.

Here's a link to the Pond Boss Resource Guide.

http://www.pondboss.com/resource_guide.asp

Billy, what are you going to do with your Hydro power?

Billy, you can get rolls of the black plastic pipe at plumbing supply places in a single roll up to 1,000 feet long, depending on the diameter you are looking for.

In your instance, for a 400' run, a 1" poly would be plenty.

Esshup is right and locally they had 500 ft rolls here. But I chose to use 100' rolls from Lowes instead. No splices would have been great, but that stuff is not the easiest to work with to unroll and a 500' roll is pretty unweildly. Plus in my case it was actually cheaper buying it that way, and at most I had only one splice per run. That said it would definitely be better to not have the splices.

But if you do use smaller rolls and add splices as needed like I did, be sure to splice it so it will not come apart. Get the regular hose barbes made especially for that pipe as the barb portion is a lot longer than splices made for rubber hose. You may have to warm the pipe to get the splice or fitting in. And I like to double hose clamp each joint instead of just a single clamp. You do not want the splice to come apart beause of epansion/contration or during installation. Might be hard to locate and find the leak.

Although more difficult to handle, I think I will look for a local supplier with a 500' reel of hose. If this type of pipe is offered at Lowe's, I'm presuming its used for lawn/sprinkler applications?

And ditto on the double clamping. A few extra clamps = peace of mind about possible leaks.

The hydro can be used for primary power to the residence, at least for things that don't draw too many amps. Outdoor lighting at night is a good example. Plus it is a great source of alternative power-- should the main power line go out, which does happen sometimes.

Long term plans are to have a battery bank and inverter near the residence. Most of the residence power needs could be handled when water is flowing.

Hydro systems are very desirable to the alternative energy crowd. Unlike solar, they run 24/hrs a day, which is huge if they put out very much power.