New Solar-Powered Roof Drain

We have developed a new solar-powered roof drain to drain ponded water areas on flat roofs. You can find it in the classifieds here, or at koldking.com

These new pumps are a good new profit center for roofers. They will be $395 each, but are $295 for a limited time while being introduced. Suggested price to your customer installed: $695. They take about 15 minutes to install.

They need no electricity and no holes cut in the roof or decking. Simply set the box in the low spot of the ponding area, run a garden hose or PVC from the pump box to a downspout or drain, and down 24" inches so that a siphon is created in the event of an extended rainy period exists that drains the battery. Then walk away.

The pumps will pump 500 gallons per hour and turn themselves on at around 3/4" of water. The solar panel is regulated by an automatic charge controller - the battery is a GEL deep cycle that can be recharged over and over without damage. Solar panel/battery will run the pump for almost a full day on a full charge, but again, the hose/PVC will continue to drain water indefinately if the roof you're on allows you to run the hose/PVC at least 24" down the drain.

Don't let the simplicity fool you - a lot of engineering and trial & error went into the design to make them as dependable as possible. When you look inside you'll think: "Hmmm, that looks pretty uninvolved," but they work and there's a lot more engineering going on inside than meets the eye. I won't elaborate on that because I don't want to make it easy to copy. Suffice that there are a lot of ways to make them look very similar but that will have problems in freezing temps, or causing the pump to turn on and off indefinately.

Alba Said: Does it come on automatically when there is water on the roof?

Yes, the pump starts automatically when the water reaches about 3/4" deep, and trust me, much of the engineering went into making that happen. It's very easy to make one that comes on at 2" deep, but of course that's too deep.

On gravel roofs you can also gain about 5/8" of an inch in depth by spudding the gravel where the box sets.

Does it come on automatically when there is water on the roof?

Aaron Said: the siphon effect.. smooth invention, Tim. I trust youre getting it patented... youre smart like that.

Yes, I've applied for a Provisional Patent on the concept of siphoning. Therefore, everyone and everything thing that uses siphoning, in any form, for any reason, and in any application, must cease and desist immediately. :lol: The next time you drop a hose in your truck gas tank to fill a can to run your spudder, you'll need to send me a $1.25 royalty. :cheer:

Seriously, what is patent-protected is the unique combination of already existing and patented devices. "Almost" every item being used is already on the market, but we're the first to assemble them for this use.

Sold 1 yesterday on the first full day of them being on the market, and 5 so far today as our postcards hit mailboxes. Looks like they'll sell ok.

Btw, this isn't the "new product" I hinted about that will be rolled out in Vegas.

the siphon effect.. smooth invention, Tim. I trust you're getting it patented... you're smart like that.

wywoody Said: Is that unit about the size of a car battery? Im surprised you didnt need a larger solar cell setup. Looks like it could have lots of uses. Does it have the power to move water uphill?

Yeah, actually the case is a marine battery container. I used that as a prototype expecting to have a box custom-built, but the more we worked with it the more we realized that it gave the most bang for the buck. We tried galvanized sheet metal, 12" PVC pipe sliced at an angle, UV-resistant Lexan, etc...everytime we came back to the battery box. They're cheap, durable, won't rust or corrode, etc.

Yes it will move water over at least a 6' tall parapet. Once you get the water over the "hill" you don't lose much because the siphon/gravity of going back down the other side pulls water. It will push water at least 150' laterally.

We played with a larger solar panel but the one we ended up with was the best compromise of price vs power. In very general terms, 1 hour of daylight gets you 2 minutes+ pumping time, and that ratio improves dramatically after 1 hour. A full charge (less than 1 day of sunlight) will run the pump all day, which is overkill because after the pump runs about 30 seconds a siphon is created and the water will drain indefinately even with a dead battery.

Is that unit about the size of a car battery? I'm surprised you didn't need a larger solar cell setup. Looks like it could have lots of uses. Does it have the power to move water uphill?

Old School Said: Neat. I still like to install tapered insulation to let gravity to the work, I guess if you can get it to siphon, you are. Good idea

Over the years there has been a lot of roofs that other drain options just weren't available. A church I roofed in Lubbock in 1986 has an 8" concrete deck (storm shelter) so cutting holes through the deck wasn't a good option. They didn't have the money for a tapered system. We installed our original puddle pumps but they required 110v and a sump/hole to be cut thru the roof, creating a potential leak source. A chill tower on a 20-story building I roofed about the same time had about 4" of water on the roof at all times in the summer months.

I designed this specifically for the roofing industry but we're finding quite a few other markets for it, i.e., farmers/ranchers who need to transfer or drain a water tank out where electricity isn't available, building contractors who need to move water at a construction site where electricity isn't available yet, etc.

Neat. I still like to install tapered insulation to let gravity to the work, I guess if you can get it to siphon, you are. Good idea