Help - to set up solar powered water pump to fill water storage butts on an allotment for communual

allotmentman1

I really am not clued up to what I am doing but am willing.
Current system is 80watt solar panel charging a 12v leisure battery 80 amphours which in turn powers a 65 watt pump. The pump is in a stream and pushes the water about 80 metres along a standard hose pipe with a height rise of 4 metres.
When the battery is fully charged and someone remembers to turn it on it fills the 6 barrels of water which everybody uses. However the battery does not get fully charged and then runs out of power.
I've heard that I would be better off wiring the pump directly to the panel. That the process of using a battery wastes power in some way. Wiring directly solves turning the pump on and off and also when the sun is out - I'm in the UK ,it will trickle fill the butts. Overflowing is not a problem as it will find its way back to the stream.
Comments please - is the panel matched well with the pump?
At the moment there is some sort of controller which apparently is required whilst using a battery. What does this do?
Will appreciate peoples comments. Thanks

The solar panel details are ·         Peak power: 80W

·         Maximum power voltage: 17.5V

·         Maximum power current: 4.44A

·         Open circuit voltage: 21.6V

·         Short circuit current: 4.8A

Pump details are 

Stock No. ............................................36327 ........................... 36376..............................38241 

 Part No. ............................................ WBP2A ......................... WBP3A ....................... SWBP4A 

Rated voltage ..............................230V AC 50Hz.................... 12V DC.......................... 12V DC 

Rated input ........................................350W..............................65W.................................65W 

Maximum total head ..........................11M...............................11M................................. 11M 

Maximum operating depth .................3M.................................3M.................................... 3M 

Maximum output ........................... 2500L/hr....................... 1700L/hr ...................... 1700L/hr 

Maximum particle size Ø ................... 3mm ............................. 3mm ............................... 3mm 

Maximum liquid temp. ......................35ºC...............................35ºC.................................35ºC 

Output diameter .............................. 19mm ........................... 19mm ............................ 19mm 

Ingress protection ..............................IPX8...............................IPX8................................. IPX8 

Continuously rated .............................. No ................................. No .....................................No 

Thermal overload protection ............ YES ............................... YES .................................. YES

mcgivor

Short answer is no, the panel is too small to power the pump, although it is rated at 80W the actual output would be in the region of 60W in good sunlight, properly positioned so it's no wonder the battery dose not get charged. 
Are you using a charge controller or directly connecting the panel to the battery?
Just attempting to establish your current  setup. 

allotmentman1

We are using a controller which shows whether the battery is charging and whether it is full. We have two more 20 watt solar panels, could we add them to the other panel, and make use of them? if so how would you wire them in?
Was I right in what I read that you lose power by going to the battery rather than powering direct.
My view is that if it just works when there is enough sun we can have more containers that get filled up at that time in addition to the six we have already. 
Thanks for responding.

allotmentman1

Should I be buying another 80 or 100 watt panel and link them together, or would that be providing too much power? 

Estragon

One problem with running directly from panels is the pump will draw a lot of power for a second or two when it starts up. If I'm reading the pump specs right in your initial post, it draws 65w running but 350w to start. The panel voltage will likely drop too low trying to start the motor unless you get a lot more pv, roughly 5x100w panels.

If your controller has a load control function, you may be able to set it to only run the pump during the day when the battery reaches absorb voltage, or only when in float mode. That way, the battery reserve is available to start the motor, and most of the power to run will come from the panels, which minimizes battery losses.

Another alternative would be to replace the pump with one designed to be run directly from solar. They have a soft start to avoid the high initial current problem.

allotmentman1

Thanks Estragon, ......thankfully I have mislead you with my cut and paste. The first column of info on the pump is for a different model running on the mains. Our pump is the second pump listed - the middle column of data. 12v drawing 65watts.
Thanks for comments.