Ultra cheap powered gravel vacuum

[Idris]

Silicone tube (which you've probably already got for syphoning - if not £2 from hardware store)
Windscreen wiper motor £2 from eBay or scrap yard
12v battery
Splash proof push button switch £3 from Maplin (or Radioshack)
Some wire (if you're up for making something like this you've probably fot it lying round the house.)
A lenth of 1" drain pipe. Can't be more than £1

A bit of engineering - priceless.

£8 the lot!



What d'ya think?

 

[simonbrown403]

looks good, hows the pump for umph

 

[Idris]

Don't know - haven't built it yet )
My guess is it could do with a bit more suck but I can't think of a cheap and easily available alternative at the moment.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

what wrong with the good old syphon power

 

[simonbrown403]

what wrong with the good old syphon power

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The lad wants to play il stick to my syphon its simpler

 

[Idris]

what wrong with the good old syphon power

Nothing wrong with it, I just think a pump is easier.

 

[simonbrown403]

what wrong with the good old syphon power

Nothing wrong with it, I just think a pump is easier.

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The only problem i can see is will the pump take the sedament you will be sucking up with it without packink up every 5mins, and the pump will need to be self priming or else you will have to suck to start it.

 

[Idris]

The only problem i can see is will the pump take the sedament you will be sucking up with it without packink up every 5mins, and the pump will need to be self priming or else you will have to suck to start it.

Sedament - fair point - and I'm trying to think of a cheap and easy way to add an in-line filter.

As for the self priming ... surely it's just a case of putting the tube in the water and turning on the pump?

(Alternative pumps I'm looking into are either a "drill pump" with an electric motor bolted to the spindle instead of a hand drill, or a fuel pump used for model aricraft refueling.)

 

[simonbrown403]

Pumps with an impeller like that used in our aquarium, need priming as they cant create a vacuum to suck up the water.

I think they type of pump you need is a centrifugal pump, but dont quote me on that, a drill pump should do the job.

hard to se how all this stuff is going to make the job easyer though.

 

[Idris]

Note to self - don't be a skin-flint and get one of these

 

[simonbrown403]

Note to self - don't be a skin-flint and get one of these

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That would of been my next idea but i didnt want to say anything

 

[daddyfish]

]Sedament - fair point - and I'm trying to think of a cheap and easy way to add an in-line filter.

As for the self priming ... surely it's just a case of putting the tube in the water and turning on the pump?

(Alternative pumps I'm looking into are either a "drill pump" with an electric motor bolted to the spindle instead of a hand drill, or a fuel pump used for model aricraft refueling.)

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The Pump alternitives Sound Promising.

But the sediment and the Inline Filter i see a Problem, I would think the Inline Filter Would have to be quite Large otherwise it will Get Clogged in a Heartbeat, and Need to be Cleaned and or Replaced Quite Often...

But it Sounds Promising, Don't Give Up, a little bit of trying and changing things around as you go will Lead into a Good Solution For any problem...
Even if it don't Work Out, The ONLY FAILURE is Not ever trying at all...

 

[daddyfish]

Note to self - don't be a skin-flint and get one of these

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THAT'LL WORK TO---PROBLEM SOLVED??
Just to Easy for all of US who like to Try and beat the System!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!