After fixing the problems with the pump motor controller circuit, we left the motor on 24 hours per day and 7 days per week running off of only the 2 solar panels next to it. I am only running one of the two pumps hooked up to the solar panels because the other is designed to be run only when the pump across the pond is also on. (Something to do with one pump sucking water from the other one unless they are both on… don’t worry about it.)

Before the problem with the controller was fixed, the FET would blow out within about 30 seconds of turning on.

Well, I am proud to report that it has been on continuously (except for the few hours it took to repair the belt once) since Dec 23, which is about 25 days. Hopefully it continues to work for at least a year, but since it was a hand wired prototype board, it might be more reliable if we design a printed circuit board now that the circuit is actually working.

Here is a closer-up view of the water coming out:

You can see how the water level has really dropped. It was above the outlet pipe at the end of the rainy season.

Oh well, there seems to be occasional rains now, so maybe it won’t drop much further.