Quote:
Originally Posted by WVOtoGO
There are only two reasons to get into a windmill water system in today’s world.
You’re either 1. Very far from any plumbed water source, or 2. You just like the esthetic looks of the things on your property.
We have three. All are all Aermotors on four post towers. A B and two Ds. They were here before we were. Two of them are operable at this time, one (D) is not but will be when I get some time and it’s not 105 outside. They do require quite a bit of preventive maintenance. You’ll be up them once a week just to check things out and check lubes. Don’t forget to maintain the well seal. It’s critical.
If you don’t get them locked over before a storm, you’ll be buying a new one, or at least a new blade set/ring. Even then, there are no guarantees. If you think you can fix a broken blade set/ring with a big hammer, well maybe so. But you’d better have one hell of a reach on your tractor bucket to bring the (very heavy) set down. You may find that a backhoe works best, but is still a big PITA on a shorter one. The taller units require the block and tackle setup on the high bar. (If you own a helicopter, you can cheat and just sling load them down/up.  ) But they still require you to go up and precariously situate yourself while unbolting what’s left of them, and hoping they don’t move/slip and cut your leg/arm/head off.
That’s just the unit itself. You still have to put a hole in the ground and hope it hits a good solid source (saturated) of water for your cylinder and strainer to sit in. I think unless you have a friend in the drilling business, you may find that you can buy a hell of a lot of water from the city before you have a windmill/drill paid for. A hell of a lot.
You’ll need to look into your local and state laws and restrictions before you go forth with it as well. You’re damn near, if not on, an aquifer recharge zone. That may bring up a surprise or two. Not sure.
Bottom line. They do look cool (I think). They do not come with a monthly bill (unless you count the maintenance) based on use. But they can require some attention and precautions.
We love ours (when working). But… it’s a whole lot cheaper to rent a Ditch-Witch and lay out a mile or more of PVC and iron pipe to concrete troughs with float valves than to install a windmill and storage tank(s) from step one. You’ll still need to plumb and either pump or gravity feed your troughs from the tank(s) too. So, keep that (cost) in mind. If you go with a stand-over unit, then fine. But you’ll need a shutdown valve so you don’t pump water out all over the ground. That’s a bad thing, and I don’t think I need to tell you why.
If you do go with one. Aermotor is the only one. Call San Angelo for the best dealer around you.
And for down in your area, step up a size even if pumping from 250’. Not sure of your placement, but a B or a D should do fine. AN A from shallower, or if you just don’t need the water flow volume.
Also depends on how much water you need. A D has about a 11 to 12” stroke. Pretty good water flow. Call Aermotor for details, etc.
They do pop up used on CraigsList now and then too. |
You gotta love this forum. Ask for advice on an arcane piece of trailing-edge technology and someone steps up to the plate with bags of practical experience and insight.
I appreciate your write-up and info!!! A solar powered pump would be the most practical but, I guess what it boils down to is, I want a windmill and I want it doing something. Plus, I like the way they look and that pasture is a helluva long way from any water.
The deal is that, where I want this water in the Hay Meadow is at least 1/3 of a mile from my domestic well and maybe 3/4 mile from the rural water at the front of the property. To run pipe to where I want the water requires crossing one wet weather creek bottom...not sure how to best accomplish that with a ditcher, I did it in the front when I extended the rural lines but that crossing was relatively benign. The one in question can get a good snort worked up in less than an 1" of rain...it seems like keeping a pipe buried in that ditch would be a challenge.
Last spring, I expanded the water lines from both my well and rural supplies, adding about 1300' of line in the entire operation but, the Hay Meadow is still w/o water. We don't hay it anymore but do plan to subdivide into smaller paddocks for management intensive grazing. It must have water out there for that part of the plan to work.
To move enough water out of the ground, the mill will probably need to be a 10' unit and, it will have to be on a 30' tower to get any of the prevailing breeze because there are tall trees to the east and southeast of the desired location.
And, I wouldn't attempt to drill a well on my own. I'll get the local drilling outfit to run it in. We're in the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District and a permit for an exempt (domestic/livestock) well is only $100.
Since Colleen and I are currently making the POSGCD's life a living hell, working to make sure historic users aren't screwed, glued and tattooed when the district permits out billions of gallons to speculators, you can bet your a** I'm getting all the "t's" crossed and "i's" dotted when I do something involving the aquifer.