Rain Barrel Pumping System

A simple solar/battery pump system to transfer rain water from storage barrels up to accessible area to collect water for indoor plants.

This was a simple project to pump water from a rainwater collection barrel up to a porch so that we could easily access rainwater for indoor plants. All the major components are off-the-shelf and are mounted in a NEMA enclosure (Carlson E987R) via simple 3D printed mount brackets and 'peg board'. The 1800 mAH lithium polymer battery is charged via a panel/Dfrobot controller. Either the battery or solar panel itself powers the 5VDC diaphragm pump when a button is pressed. The pump draws water from the collection barrel up to the porch, dispensing at the outlet.

A 25mm fan attached to a 3D printed vent/breather is controlled by a bimetal thermostat which turns on at ~80F. All punctures through the enclosure are fully sealed, and an emergency drain hole was added on the bottom in case of pump failure.