12v bilge pump to irrigate from a trailer tank?

[CurlyDave]

I suspect cost would jump up sharply for a similar pump with 3-4 times the capacity.

I bet I could put 3 or 4 pumps in parallel for less than $100...

But, after reading about the tank, where it came from and how little it cost, the $25, 18 gpm pump sounds just fine.

BTW, the duty cycle is going to be very low on this.

 

[Eagleview]

I think your container in the bucket is a great way to do it . I would have a 1" hose coming out the bottom of the trailed tank that would gravity feed into the bucket tank to refill it once you empty it on the trees . All you would need to do is lower the bucket to the ground , stick the hose into it and gravity feed from the trailed tank to refill it . Nothing to wear out or break down .

 

[California]

duty cycle is going to be very low

What don't I know? With zero net lift it's not working very hard. Is there a thermal cutout in bilge pumps?

I was assuming the 18 gpm would be available whenever I need it, intermittently. The replacement trees are at random spots in the orchard, so I would dump 10-15 gallons (like my picture above) then drive to another new tree.

I think your container in the bucket is a great way to do it . I would have a 1" hose coming out the bottom of the trailed tank that would gravity feed into the bucket tank to refill it once you empty it on the trees . All you would need to do is lower the bucket to the ground , stick the hose into it and gravity feed from the trailed tank to refill it . Nothing to wear out or break down .

I started with that concept but there's no elevation drop from the trailer to the top of that front tank, even with the loader on the ground. And I hate to install a bottom outlet on the tank because then I would need to raise the tank, and run a hose out the back of the trailer around to where I can reach it without getting off the tractor. (I'm not willing to drill a hole in the trailer!) So I want some sort of self-priming pump to get the water from the tank to the delivery hose.

Here's a photo showing the 4x8x1 tanks. (200 gallons).

Incidentally the Craigslist guy still has more. $25. Location West Sacramento. They were diesel tanks for trailer-mounted generators, superseded by double-wall tanks before the end of their normal lifespan.

Mine cleaned out fine. I rinsed it with Simple Green then dumped the residue on grass where I could see if it killed anything. Then rinsed several times more. No problems noted.

View attachment 127251

 

[2manyrocks]

Can't you find one of these 275 gallon tanks that already has about 1 1/2 inch valve at the bottom ? I see them listed for $60-$65 here.

$200 for a PTO pump is a relative thing. What do you have invested in 30 trees? Then factor in your time and labor designing a system around a HF electric pump whose life expectancy is what?

 

[studor]

I went and looked up the specs on HF for the bilge pump. With an 1 1/8" outflow I think it will be more then adequate to do what you need to do. not sure how you are going to get it into the tank though. What about just putting a couple of hose valves into the tank at the bottom of one side and letting gravity do the work as you do now? (but a little more accurately)

 

[California]

2manyrocks, this tank is so light that I got it out of the trailer by lifting it over the sidewall; I didn't have to mess with the tailgate. Putting it in/out the trailer is trivial.

In contrast I don't know if I could rassle an IBC tote into the trailer working alone. Installing my loader forks and driving around to the back of the detached trailer to lift the tote in would just add more steps, then navigating the tractor in the orchard leaving the forks attached (for unloading the tank later) would be a nuisance. I am trying to avoid a scheme with many setup/teardown steps.

I want to just toss the tank into the trailer without worrying about delicate underside fittings and go do some watering. The easier it is to set up this kit, the more practical it is to use it.

As for reliability of HF gear, this may turn out to be a project where HF stuff is used for a working prototype then commercial-quality gear is installed after the design is solid.

studor, putting the bilge pump in the tank is going to require some ugly butchery. I think I will cut three sides of a hatch and see if the material is pliable enough to lift the flap. If I leave the hinge near the end of the tank, I could make the opposite edge of the lid using a horizontal cut in that groove intended for the mounting strap. That way the lid would be self supporting.

As I described above, this kit will be easier to set up (and more durable) if I don't have delicate fittings and a support structure under the tank. Loaded weight is 1700 lbs which I think should lie flat on the trailer floor.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'm guessing that you want a submersible pump to overcome the problem of repeated pump priming. Do you suppose that if you added a foot valve to the end of a hose, you could maintain prime without using a submersible pump and thereby avoid having to cut any holes in the tank?

 

[studor]

California -- if that pump will fit inside 4" abs pipe, you might want to think about using 4"abs fittings to create a "standpipe" that the pump fits in and then using other fittings to close it in (like a threaded cleanout). You can use sump pump hose for the outflow (about the cheapest 1 1/8" hose you will find) and feed it through one of the bungs. Silicone caulking will both fasten and make watertight

 

[California]

I really appreciate everyone's advice.

Today I bought both pumps - the 1000 gph bilge pump, and the larger of HF's 12 volt utility pumps. The utility pump will self prime up to 5 ft lift, and deliver 260 gph @ 50 psi. It's rated 300 watts so it must have some muscle, even considering HF's wildly overstated hp ratings. (That's nearly as much energy use as the blue angle grinder!)

I am hoping the utility pump will do it all, and I won't have to hack up the tank to put the bilge pump inside.

Is there some way to use this 50 psi from the utility pump as a jetting pump, ie pump water through a venturi, for example a little basement drainer that goes inline in a garden hose? That would use its pressure to multiply the volume of water moved. We use this principle in a suction dredge (gold dredge) that is powered by a 60gpm pump, but that unit's physics aren't right for this irrigation application. The gold dredge loses suction if the outlet is about one foot above the creek. See photo below.

Also my experience with foot valves on the various dredges I've owned makes me mistrust foot valves in general. They work fine for continuous running like in the photo. But I think in stop and start service, expecting a foot valve to hold a pump's prime would be a hairpuller. While this little HF utility pump doesn't move much volume, at least it will self prime every time. Maybe I should run it near continuous to replenish that front-loader tank from the trailer tank, and go back to simply dumping water on the trees.

Studor, the bilge pump measures 4.5 inch diameter to the tip of the (horizontal) discharge bib, plus it would need several inches more to turn the output hose upward. So I don't see a way to mount it in a 'wet well'. But I don't need the top of the tank perfectly watertight. This is inherently sloppy work and a simple hatch cover will be sufficient to keep water from sloshing out. That's a good tip on sump pump hose. I had never heard of it. Now I will go look for some.

Several people have mentioned 'duty cycle' of a bilge pump. Do they normally cycle on and off due to internal heating? Should I expect the same from the utility pump?

I have learned a lot here, and again, I appreciate the advice.

 

[2manyrocks]

I think "duty cycle" means the use rating of the electric motor on the pump. Some electric motors are rated for continual use and others are rated for intermittant use. Usually the rating is stamped on a plate on the motor.