A better drill pump

I had an almost similar problem, I wanted a cheap submersible low voltage pump for slightly dirty water and was very pleased to find a wide choice of bilge pumps in ebay from a tenner upwards. Not strictly self priming either, how much suck do you need? Note I havn't tried these with hydrocarbons but I expect the impeller and seals would be compatible. The other thing I looked at at was recycled waste pumps from dishwashers or washing machines. Reasonably powerful induction motors (so no sparks) and probably hydrocarbon compatible pump body and seal materials. Shower pumps look quite similar but usually seem to have brush motors (bad idea wiith hydrocarbon vapours).

A Jabsco Water Puppy springs to mind, readily available in 12V & 24V DC, there might be a mains option if you ask Cleghorn Warings. Fine for water but if you use for diesel need the Nitrile impeller option. Specifically for diesel there's the Gear Puppy

Not cheap,but half the price of a shower pump.

Cheers Tim Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

hydrocarbons but

vapours).

No not submersable - it needs to take 1/2" hose as input and output, and it needs a fair suck to pull up from the bottom of a 45 gallon drum etc. There are a few diaphragm pumps on ebay that seem ok for running dry (going away leaving to pump) but fairly slow flow rates.

AWEM

Don't bother with lecky. Fit a stand pipe into the main drum fitting on the 45 gal barrel, stop about 1-1/2 from bottom to stay clear of s**te, dead kippers etc. Then fit an air line coupling into the 1/2" gas fitting on the drum, feed at 5 to 7 psi and it will empty the drum in about two minutes..............................sign of a misspent youth.............

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-

You, sir, are a genius (albeit slightly evil :-)

Mark Rand RTFM

Nice idea for the drum application, but that's only occassional (even my huge genny takes a while to get through 45 galls !) I've been transferring fair quantities of water plus antifreeze with the drill pump as I alter cooling system plumbing on the furnace and that's whats wrecked my drill pump! It is usefull to be able to suck it all out of the various hoses that will not gravity drain.

AWEM

That's what wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners are for :-)

Mark Rand RTFM

Have you ever thought about using a "bubble lifter" like those used to lift water to tropical fish aquaria?

Have you ever thought about using a "bubble lifter" like those used to lift water to tropical fish aquaria filters?

Nice bit of lateral thinking but not applicable sadly to the multiple uses I want to put this pump to.

AWEM

Any slight increase in pressure can lead to a semi-spherical oil drum. Any significant increase in pressure can lead to instantaneous emptying in many directions simultaneously!

emptying

...ah ... but great fun, like many of John's suggestions

AWEM

7psi is 3 1/2' of water. A 45 gallon oil drum will cope with this as positive or negative gauge pressure.

Mark Rand RTFN

Would you like to try again?

7 psi is near enough half an atmosphere That's about 15 inches of mercury or 11.3 * 15 /12 feet of water 14 feet of water

Henry

...boys ...boys ...boys... stoppit ! Emptying a diesel drum was only one (occassional) application, others were actually more important and involve sucking quantities of water plus antifreeze out of a network of neoprene pipes where they cannot drain by gravity ('cos they are in coils)

AWEM

Feck! That was before I got into the bottle too.

Mark Rand RTFM

That's what airlines are for. No, not BOAC, the other sort!

Mark Rand RTFM