Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump?

   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump?
  • Thread Starter
#11  
I suspect you guys are right in that I may need a trash pump. We're not talking a huge area though and the water is only 4 or 5 inches deep. For now, I drilled a bunch of holes in a 5 gallon bucket and set it inside a gunny sack. I dug a hole and set the bucket in there and threw in a sump pump attached to a really long length of garden hose.

I drove a stake in the ground and marked the stake at the water level.

I'll let it run and see if it makes a dent in it. Its supposed to pump 2100 GPH but I'm guessing it may be closer to 400 with the small hose and the length. Probably a fools errand but its what I had on hand that I could do without spending any money. If it doesn't make a dent in it, then a trash pump will be next. I have about 200 feet of fire hose that I can use with the trash pump for the discharge.
 
   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump? #12  
some issues...
1. getting out into the water to place end of a hose. or dropping a sump pump (not going to happen) if you plan on walking out into it. you will sink to waiste.
2. overall amount of water. way to much most likely. if it was just a small little puddle you would not be here asking for help, and just let it dry out. other words 1 acre or more i am guessing. google map your place, and then click on "earth" greenish button. and should be able to help you figure out how large puddle is.
3. puddle will be "shallow" and not as deep. result. you will be sucking air more than sucking water. if you use anything that will air to be drawn into it. (think draining kitchen sink, and the whirl pool that forms sucking down air as sink is almost drained of water)
4. i am guessing you will need a much larger pipe sizes than 1" most likely 3" or 4" pipe size.

=============
google
retrofit bottom drain
or
retrofit bottom drain diy
or
retrofit bottom drain site:koiphen.com

above is like a drain for sink, bathtub. but instead of coming in through the bottom, it comes in at the side, over over the top down into the water.

================
have a couple ideas. but for you going to suggest....

making something out of PVC pipe. + 55 gallon trash can lid or round snow sled / saucer + some concrete, + maybe some hardboard insulation that comes in 1/4" to 2" thick 8' x 4' sheets. + toilet flange 3" or 4",

build your self a "sled" with some pvc pipe as skies, say 1.5" to 2" pipe. this is so you can physically push/pull a sled across mud, and into water. in the bottom 2" pvc pipes / skies, dump some concrete into them. so it weighs things down. (you want bottom heavy)
--concrete is there to help keep it up right, but also to help keep the bottom under water. all plastic pipe loves to float, even when it has water in it.

you are going to want the anti air sucking device (snow slow / trash can lid) to be approx 3 to 6" above the mud. and the toilet flange is used to connect your pipe/hose to the trash can lid/snow sled. attach the toilet flange in the center. and then come off the toliet flange with a 90 degree fitting. then attach to your pipe/hose.

your going to need a lot of rope/cable. something. most likely min of 2 ropes. to physically attach to the sled, then walk around the perimeter of the puddle. and then pull the sled into place. the 2nd rope most likely used to help keep things from flipping upside down on you, or to correct an upside down retro fit bottom drain. (bottom heavy with concrete in the pvc skies, is to help keep things right side up)

going to suggest 1/2" thick 4 feet x 4 feet sheet plywood. as structural base.
--using TWO 2" shower drains, TWO 90 fittings per ski (all local hardware stores carry this) to attach 2 skies made out of 2" pvc pipe. to the plywood
--cut out center of plywood for trash can lid/round snow sled.
--run some bolts / washers/nuts between plywood and the trash can lid/ round snow sled. just drill and use washers around the edges of the trash can lid/snow sled. to keep it held firmly in place. does not need to be "water tight" plywood most likely only last for 1 year as is.
-- toss on some U bolts. with some extra washers. in a couple spots, to fasten your min 2 ropes/cables to. to pull sled out into the puddle
-- toss on a couple extra U bolts. and use zip ties or something, to strap the pipe/hose to the plywood. something to help keep from pulling the toilet flange out of the trash can lid/snow sled. perhaps some 2x4's, and building a H frame. or something to better support and hold onto the pipe. there numerous 3" and 4" metal braces/straps you can pick up at local hardware stores. that might work as well.

optional to sled
--toss on a couple inches of hard board insulation to the top of the plywood. so it floats a little. bit. and easier to pull across puddle. as long as the anti suction air device (trash can lid/round snow sled) is pointed down and edges are under water. you are good to go. the plywood and hardboard insulation can be above or below water. just the outside edge of the anti suction air device. needs to be in contact and/or below water. to keep from sucking air.
--and yes a dome shape like a trash can lid or round snow sled. is more preferred. it raises the suction area up a little bit like a large vacuum end nozzle.

pump
--you will need a "TRASH PUMP" no if's and's or but's. trash pumps will state on them they can handle up to a given size on them. min 3/4" if not larger, due to a corn stalk, bean stalk, or rock, clump of dirt coming into pump.
--exception to above. is if you can create a "SIPHON" were you can physically run pipe from lowest spot in field. to a lower spot some place else (the pipe itself can go up and down, but the ends of pipe matter)

hose/pipe
--pvc pipe, abs pipe, you need to be extra careful of the joints either with bell ends or couplers joing the pipes together. once you begin pulling and pushing. those joints may want to come apart on you.
--black poly hose, will love to curl up on you, and never lay flat. you might want some extra weight on the sled skies. so you can keep the sled from flipping over.
--stay away from corrugated piping (ribs on the inside of the pipe), that stuff will clog up quickly with any sort of corn stalks, bean stalks, etc... you want a smooth inside pipe. less fittings the better.


=================
extra tips.
--cut a 55 gallon drum or 30 gallon drum in half. you have an "anti air sucking device" instead of a trash can lid or snow sled.
--your skies can be longer if wanted. if you think it will help, pulling it across the puddle/field and keep it from catching/flipping over.
--the retro fit bottom drain. allows you to suck water, within a couple inches of water.
--i doubt you will get very far out in the mud trying to walk out into puddle without sinking up to your waist. and trying to use a little boat or raft or something, i think it would be to much extra work. and you ending up in the puddle sunk down to your waist.
--if you are running a trash pump. it may want to clog up with something eventally, keep an eye on it.
--google map your place, and then click on the "earth" / green button. and zoom in on your field. it might help you approximate the physical size of the puddle.

===================
for myself, 1 of the lakes here i want to say 1.5 acres in size, the overflow clogged up on me. i ended up using 4" pvc pipe. and created a siphon over the ****. i took i want to say 2 maybe 3 days. to drain it down 3 to 4 feet. i want to say at least 10,000 gph flowing through it. i had so much suction pressure, that i cracked sch40 4" pvc pipe. and sucked a 4" test plug i used in a tee to prime the siphon clear down into the tee itself. and that was after a pair of channel locks, and cracking down as hard as i could. on the test plug to keep it in place, and keep it form sucking air in around it.

=====================
random images. to maybe help you get a better idea.

something with skies on the bottom = 2" pvc pipe with concrete filled.
sled drain field of water.jpg

55 gallon trash can lid, with 90 attached (retro fit bottom drain for a rubber liner goldfish/koi pond)
IMG_2396.jpg

for a rubber liner koi/goldfish pond, = retro fit bottom drain, the 4 feet is good enough, due to once in place it is there long term.
on other hand you need to pull/push the retro drain into place. so 2 skies is being suggested. so you can drag it across easier.
you also need to account in also dragging the pipe/hose with the retro fit bottom drain. so little bit extra re-inforcement via plywood and/or like. plus attachment points for ropes.
c2c8a9fac9c87ae74d7cbf41f1253a05.jpg
 
   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump? #13  
If you got some firehose use it for the discharge line to replace garden hose.

If two hundred feet get you to an elevation that drains away look at putting in a drain swale if there isn't much digging to do. Beats a pump.
 
   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump?
  • Thread Starter
#14  
It took 3 hours to drop it 3/4 of an inch. So by morning it should be pretty close to dry.
 
   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump? #15  
Great, glad its working out for you!! Its amazing how much one of those little pumps can do given a chance.
 
   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump? #16  
I ran a standard sump pump for about 3 years to drain my front yard. The ground settled with some hard freezes, and I had a bad drainage problem that was threatening my septic. I ran 1 1/4" PVC pipe out of it to a convenient place where it would run down to a stream. It took 2-3 days to drain, and we're talking a about an area maybe 20 x 60, max depth maybe 3 or 4 inches.

That's why I bought my Kubota - to install a French drain. It's working very well. Doesn't meet anybody's specifications or code for slope, but the water doesn't seem to care. One end is a few inches lower, the slope is constant, and the water seems to find its way down there just fine.
 
   / Pumping water off field and how to filter inlet to pump? #17  
How to filter inlet?

Simply wrap the whole pump body with about a sq yard of window screening!
that or metallic 1/4 inch soldered screening that most box stores sell and sort of shaping into a basket sort of form perhaps hand forming over a small bucket or perhaps even a gallon paint can.
The 1/4" would be best bet as then smaller particles would pass easily.
No matter what screen/filter you use be prepared to clean from time to time as any or all debris will migrate to the pump.
 

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