Everything you said around the solar system seems correct to me. When you talk about that you could add more solar panels or use a larger panel, that would be limited by what your charge controller can handle. The charge controller is rated to a maximum voltage and amperage. No one who builds all these DIY ponds and posts videos online should ever call themselves lazy!
Great job 👍 great explanation of the charge controller as I've bought the same one just for a lead acid 12V10AH battery for the controlling the cooling and heating in the cats outside hideaway.
I saw the fence placed the solar panel is so nicely grown plants instead of concrete or iron. Kev Could you show some techinques how to grow such beautiful plants wall? I will be amazaing when the flowering season comes!
This Is trachelospermum asiaticum. It is just a wood structure with some lattice. The plant just naturally climbs the structure. This plant is about 10years old. Bit to time consuming for a before and after vid 😉
What about a 12 volt inline timer? Might give you a little more control. You are in no way lazy, you just like to minimize weekly maintenance. Have to spend more time enjoying the features than working on them. I really like this Solar Water features series. Maybe make a dedicated playlist for Solar videos? I also enjoy the plant specifics. I like to see what is local to you. I was a plant person before a water person. Great video as always, Thank you Kev !
I was doing more research for myself and was thinking a inline Photocell for the pump. To be more specific copy paste this into search "LED Photocell DC 12V PC Waterproof for Outdoor Low Voltage Deck Lighting" I'd give a link but those comments always go poooof
Thanks Dave. I thought about a timer. But I’d still need more sun to get it to run longer than a few hours. Im interested to see what happens as the days get longer, I’m already starting to notice a difference. Im only 1 month in from the shortest day of the year.
The wood mulch and plants give it a more finished and intentional look. In the future, Is the bowl going to feed the tributary or is the bowl going to be its own eco system?
You're getting inaccurate voltage readings because it's measuring the voltage drop over the wires between the battery and the controller/voltmeter. When the pump is off, there's virtually no current travelling over those wires, so the voltage drop across them is negligible. But the moment you turn the pump on and a significant amount of current flows, the wires themselves drop voltage making your reading lower. The battery's actual output, has not dropped as much as the readings indicate. To be truly precise, there should be two leads from each terminal of the battery to the controller. One pair of wires measuring voltage, the other pair carrying the load. But this controller is not designed for that, so you have to "live with" a degree of inaccuracy. You might be able to reduce the PERCEIVED voltage drop, by using heavier gauge high-quality copper wires from the battery to the load. But the drop will never be zero.
0:17 in. Kev . ? Nup, Neva erd of ya.. oh,... wait ... OOHHH KEV!!!! Yeah YEAH I remember ya. The guy who's up to his neck in water ! So,. how's the kids?
Hi, check the manual, I have I believe exactly the same charge controller as you and it doesnt do lithium, only lead acid. b01 is sealed 14.4v, b02 is Gel 14.2v and b03 is flood 14.6v.
I must’ve read that tiny “manual” 16x. This is an updated version, if you look closely at the pictures in the vid, you’ll see in the top left corner, the little logo that says “lithium battery”. I still don’t fully understand why it matters though, you can change the settings, the battery type just seems to change the presets. But I really have no idea what I’m doing, it’s just a fun learning experience.
@@Ozponds you're right, mine doesn't have the lithium logo but the functions and everything else is the same. Not sure it matters but lithium chargers and lead acid are not the same, lithium chargers deliver a constant current and constant voltage charge, lead acid it's just voltage.
Love your channel. One question though and I would love you to reply. I have build similar size pond of your dreampond with one stream and waterfalls. Surface area of river with waterfalls is 2x6 meters and there is 15k l/hours going through it. Whan the pump is running I see vaporage of 1cm/12 hours which is approx 600 liters/day. Whan pump is off and stream is not running vaporage is approx 1-2 mm/day. Is it even possible that my river with waterfalls has such high vaporage? I have checked liner everywhere it is not leaking over the edges, checked pipes they seem to have no leakage, but did not checked yet liner bellow the rocks as I would have to dissassamble whole river with waterfall. Is this high vaporage normal for rivers?
Everything you said around the solar system seems correct to me. When you talk about that you could add more solar panels or use a larger panel, that would be limited by what your charge controller can handle. The charge controller is rated to a maximum voltage and amperage.
No one who builds all these DIY ponds and posts videos online should ever call themselves lazy!
Good point, I would need to upgrade the controller if I did that.
Thanks for the channel! I've build my own first solar powered pond after watching most of your videos. The water is perfectly clear :)
Wonderful 😊👍
Very cool! It makes me want to build a solar pond system also
It’s been a fun one. Give it a go 👍
Great job 👍 great explanation of the charge controller as I've bought the same one just for a lead acid 12V10AH battery for the controlling the cooling and heating in the cats outside hideaway.
Cool. Lucky cats 👍
@@Ozponds yep, she's definitely well attended to, you gotta be responsible and take care of your animals.
Nice job! ❤
I saw the fence placed the solar panel is so nicely grown plants instead of concrete or iron. Kev Could you show some techinques how to grow such beautiful plants wall?
I will be amazaing when the flowering season comes!
This Is trachelospermum asiaticum. It is just a wood structure with some lattice. The plant just naturally climbs the structure. This plant is about 10years old. Bit to time consuming for a before and after vid 😉
@@Ozponds No need to guide the vine direction or trimming? They spread so smoothly ane evenly.
It’s been cut multiple times over the ten years
Very cool video
What about a 12 volt inline timer? Might give you a little more control. You are in no way lazy, you just like to minimize weekly maintenance. Have to spend more time enjoying the features than working on them. I really like this Solar Water features series. Maybe make a dedicated playlist for Solar videos? I also enjoy the plant specifics. I like to see what is local to you. I was a plant person before a water person. Great video as always, Thank you Kev !
I was doing more research for myself and was thinking a inline Photocell for the pump. To be more specific copy paste this into search "LED Photocell DC 12V PC Waterproof for Outdoor Low Voltage Deck Lighting" I'd give a link but those comments always go poooof
Thanks Dave. I thought about a timer. But I’d still need more sun to get it to run longer than a few hours. Im interested to see what happens as the days get longer, I’m already starting to notice a difference. Im only 1 month in from the shortest day of the year.
Thanks Dave appreciate the link. I’ll check it out. I don’t know why the link comments disappear. I guess TH-cam wants us to stay here.
The wood mulch and plants give it a more finished and intentional look. In the future, Is the bowl going to feed the tributary or is the bowl going to be its own eco system?
The bowl will be its own system. But I like how it looks part of it.
How do you deal with duckweed with a skimmer bog? Can you make a video, please?
What’s a skimmer bog?
You're getting inaccurate voltage readings because it's measuring the voltage drop over the wires between the battery and the controller/voltmeter. When the pump is off, there's virtually no current travelling over those wires, so the voltage drop across them is negligible. But the moment you turn the pump on and a significant amount of current flows, the wires themselves drop voltage making your reading lower. The battery's actual output, has not dropped as much as the readings indicate.
To be truly precise, there should be two leads from each terminal of the battery to the controller. One pair of wires measuring voltage, the other pair carrying the load. But this controller is not designed for that, so you have to "live with" a degree of inaccuracy.
You might be able to reduce the PERCEIVED voltage drop, by using heavier gauge high-quality copper wires from the battery to the load. But the drop will never be zero.
That makes sense 👍
What pump are you using
Should be a link in the description. It’s a little cheap dc sump pump, commonly used on boats.
0:17 in. Kev . ? Nup, Neva erd of ya.. oh,... wait ... OOHHH KEV!!!! Yeah YEAH I remember ya. The guy who's up to his neck in water ! So,. how's the kids?
They are teenagers. They just need wifi and they can survive.
@@Ozponds And if the wifi goes down ? ... holy smokes watch out!
It’s anarchy!
Hi, check the manual, I have I believe exactly the same charge controller as you and it doesnt do lithium, only lead acid. b01 is sealed 14.4v, b02 is Gel 14.2v and b03 is flood 14.6v.
I must’ve read that tiny “manual” 16x. This is an updated version, if you look closely at the pictures in the vid, you’ll see in the top left corner, the little logo that says “lithium battery”. I still don’t fully understand why it matters though, you can change the settings, the battery type just seems to change the presets. But I really have no idea what I’m doing, it’s just a fun learning experience.
@@Ozponds you're right, mine doesn't have the lithium logo but the functions and everything else is the same. Not sure it matters but lithium chargers and lead acid are not the same, lithium chargers deliver a constant current and constant voltage charge, lead acid it's just voltage.
See now I’m learning more. 👍
❤ from india
👋
Love your channel. One question though and I would love you to reply. I have build similar size pond of your dreampond with one stream and waterfalls. Surface area of river with waterfalls is 2x6 meters and there is 15k l/hours going through it. Whan the pump is running I see vaporage of 1cm/12 hours which is approx 600 liters/day. Whan pump is off and stream is not running vaporage is approx 1-2 mm/day. Is it even possible that my river with waterfalls has such high vaporage? I have checked liner everywhere it is not leaking over the edges, checked pipes they seem to have no leakage, but did not checked yet liner bellow the rocks as I would have to dissassamble whole river with waterfall. Is this high vaporage normal for rivers?
In warm weather that is possible, especially with splashing onto dry rocks.