[chbot] PLC/Pump

[Marshland Engineering]

This may be if interest to others especially if you are off grid, so here it
is. 

We live on a block and have animals. The pump and pressure switch is not
great, Every time a cow has a drink or we make a cup of tea, the pressure
drops and the pump goes on. This uses quite a bit of electricity. 

We currently have a header tank in the house, (all plumbing is low pressure)
and the pump is activated by a radio transmitter with a float switch with a
big hysteresis loop. We have about a days water in the tank and electricity in
the roof cavity.  

We have a second pump for the animals troughs. This comes on on a timer for 15
min a day 3 times a day. This is the clever bit well at least I think so. This
water line also goes to the garden sprinkler. Once the troughs are full and
the pressure increases, the sprinkler comes on. I can see by the sprinkler
that the cows troughs are full from my lounge sipping my tea,beer,gin or what
ever takes my fancy.  

This was all fine to we took on a tiny house. They needed water. We got an old
tank stand from the school down the road and a tank from a neighbour. This is
where I need the new solution. The tank has enough water for 4-5 days however,
once a day this tank and the cow troughs will be filled. I'm not particularly
sure the sprinkler will provide enough pressure to fill the tank (4-5 M high)
so the PLC with a pressure switch is the new solution. 

The reason for the long discussion is that system uses very little power. If
you are on a block and want to be off grid, use header tanks.  Within the
house, rooms that require water have their own feed from the tank so my shower
does not change temperature when the washing machine comes on. 

Cheers Wallace