Dude I just scrapped together one similar to this from pretty much garbage and junk. Your video got me thinking about ways to use the dozens of tractor supply cheese ball canisters my mother just dumped on me. Works pretty darn good. Thanks for the video great help.
For anyone building this, please try making the U section out of smaller diameter tube. For a pump like this size, about 6mm or 1/4 in tube works well. The pipe going to the bottom can be any reasonable size. This way on each cycle the 1 gallon container fills with water nearly completely, increasing pumping efficiency and volume pumped per cycle. Good work and demonstration! Chris, UK.
Thanks so much, I'm trying to build a low power pump for an off-grid aquaponics setup. I built this using some old plumbing bits and it works very well! Cheers!
I made a pitbull-style pump with a geyser mechanism to time it. Basically, it's a geyser pump with checkvalves on the intake and discharge. The up and down cycles pump, making the most use out of the air.
Try to connect your air pump perpendicular to the end of the pipe, what I did is I put a hole half inch before the end of a pipe and connect the air pump, it works the same...
That's a pretty interesting device, the best way to mark the difference between where the air and water is: is by using food dye. Otherwise it's hard for people to see what is happening.
Lol. Fantastic! When I tried changing the outlet pipe only, it got really weak. If the entire thing is upsized, it works (as you found out). Watch my Part 3 video, I made the 2011 version of this with 1 1/2" pipe. Much more compact design. Works identical.
I did the math, it only pumps 11.25 gallons per hour at 6 watts, my 15 watt pump, pumps over 300 gph. Keep thinking and trying to find better ways but this one is a fail.
Depends on the application. I'm looking at this for a sump return in a plankton friendly marine aquarium. In my case, an impeller pump, while more efficient, would be detrimental to my intended purpose.
Mark Speir Sounds like a venturi pump would work well for you using air to make the venturi providing the motive force for your water movement. As long as your tank can handle the bubbles, but you can make a bubble trap for that. No moving parts. If you are clever you can make one yourself or research it and buy one.
On the first try you are trying to lift almost twice the hight from the water level in the shallow tank, not supprised it did not lift the same as in the barrel
With my limited research so far, the advantages I've seen have been the efficiency. ie Less maintenance and energy usage. It adds a huge amount of head height and flow coupled to a standard pump pushing water.
I guess the only way to compare this to a conventional pump is look at the flow rate versus the power consumption. I think it will be more efficient but not dramatically.
In some cases these airlift pumps are not as efficient as a conventional. BUT...they are *much* more reliable. No moving parts down in the water to service. Clogging almost impossible. Can also run many pumps off a single air source. This air source can run off battery easily.
If the materials were a bit more solid than Tupperware then maybe but good solid magnet impellers are super reliable. I had one running for about 5 years straight with no maintenance. Mind you good reliable conventional pumps are very expensive so this certainly has uses. I have used smaller air pumps for this purpose. I would certainly consider using this sort of thing in assisting filtration in a natural pond but maybe not so much for larger scale aquaculture.
Spencer Howard You need to watch part 3 of my video series on these pumps. The person who turned me on to this pump only built the Tupperware version. The 2011 patent version is all heavy 1 1/2" PVC, no Tupperware ;) Much better and far more simple to construct.
if u reduce the length of outlet pipe or reduce the distance between surface of water and the end of outlet , it should work better , all airlift pumps have this issue . they work closer to surface and pump good volume
Yes, most impeller pumps are way more "efficient". This type of pump really shines in low maintenance situations. It's a straight through pipe flow that is probably clog proof. See my part 3 of 3 build.
Designed By Instinct thanks for your reply. I think another advantage of this kind of pump is that no electrical parts under water so it's perfectly safe. Last week in my country, a koi pond builder has just died because of electricity leaking (I guess he used a bad chinese product).
Dude I just scrapped together one similar to this from pretty much garbage and junk. Your video got me thinking about ways to use the dozens of tractor supply cheese ball canisters my mother just dumped on me. Works pretty darn good. Thanks for the video great help.
For anyone building this, please try making the U section out of smaller diameter tube. For a pump like this size, about 6mm or 1/4 in tube works well. The pipe going to the bottom can be any reasonable size. This way on each cycle the 1 gallon container fills with water nearly completely, increasing pumping efficiency and volume pumped per cycle. Good work and demonstration! Chris, UK.
Thanks so much, I'm trying to build a low power pump for an off-grid aquaponics setup. I built this using some old plumbing bits and it works very well! Cheers!
Awesome. Make sure you see my Part 3 video. I did a much more durable version of this pump.
Great demonstration - thanks!
I made a pitbull-style pump with a geyser mechanism to time it. Basically, it's a geyser pump with checkvalves on the intake and discharge. The up and down cycles pump, making the most use out of the air.
Great job man.
instead of blocking off one of the pump outlets, get a T, and use both outputs to feed the hose going into the "bell"
Gut für die Playliste "Geysir Pumpen" Platzt 1
Super Performance
Great stuff
Awesome Possum!
Nice design
put a one way valve in that design and it will push that water up even higher as well.
Wow amazing
Try to connect your air pump perpendicular to the end of the pipe, what I did is I put a hole half inch before the end of a pipe and connect the air pump, it works the same...
That's a pretty interesting device, the best way to mark the difference between where the air and water is: is by using food dye. Otherwise it's hard for people to see what is happening.
Have you tried to use the air directly, without the large "chamber"? Just made a fit and thight chamber along with the pipe.
Would connecting both air supplies increase the air volume and thereby decrease the time between surges? Have you done Gal per hr calculations?
I think it needs another barb and two lines to the bell. I think I want to try and swing bottom drain air lifts.
Is that a press for making briquets from scrap yard waste I see besides the barrel?
I made one of these with a 1" pipe. I did not know it was not supposed to work so it did.
Lol. Fantastic! When I tried changing the outlet pipe only, it got really weak.
If the entire thing is upsized, it works (as you found out). Watch my Part 3 video, I made the 2011 version of this with 1 1/2" pipe. Much more compact design. Works identical.
what happens if you run your second air line into the bottom of the lift tube like the original design?
You dont need the diaprahgm you can attach the air tube direct to the bottom of the pipe upward you just try
Can I ask, why do you have the U pipe attached. would it work with a straight through pipe?
whats the advantage over a basic air lift , I don't think I know what this pump is trying to accomplish ?
its now used to lift larger debries and particles than the normal airlift
why dont you put a 1 way ball valve in it to stop reverse flow, would probably reduce the intervals between the spurts
And an airtank to smooth it out
Turns this pump in to a proto ram pump
I did the math, it only pumps 11.25 gallons per hour at 6 watts, my 15 watt pump, pumps over 300 gph. Keep thinking and trying to find better ways but this one is a fail.
Depends on the application. I'm looking at this for a sump return in a plankton friendly marine aquarium. In my case, an impeller pump, while more efficient, would be detrimental to my intended purpose.
fair enough
Mark Speir Sounds like a venturi pump would work well for you using air to make the venturi providing the motive force for your water movement. As long as your tank can handle the bubbles, but you can make a bubble trap for that. No moving parts. If you are clever you can make one yourself or research it and buy one.
@Brandon Horvat, show us your geyser pump plz
Exactly @Mark Speir! This type of pump is very gentle and has a wide open straight through flow. See my Part 3 of 3 to see how large the pipe can get.
No weight? How about an inert, flat rock and some silicone sealer/adhesive?
nice bong
I would like to see this done with a manual large bicycle pump.
Al Neuman All about bonsai plant
On the first try you are trying to lift almost twice the hight from the water level in the shallow tank, not supprised it did not lift the same as in the barrel
What maximum head for your 6w of power?
Never got the need for it ! I've always added ventury to my return from the water pump, you get loads of oxygen with one pump no air pump needed
With my limited research so far, the advantages I've seen have been the efficiency. ie Less maintenance and energy usage. It adds a huge amount of head height and flow coupled to a standard pump pushing water.
Cool
I guess the only way to compare this to a conventional pump is look at the flow rate versus the power consumption. I think it will be more efficient but not dramatically.
In some cases these airlift pumps are not as efficient as a conventional.
BUT...they are *much* more reliable. No moving parts down in the water to service. Clogging almost impossible.
Can also run many pumps off a single air source. This air source can run off battery easily.
If the materials were a bit more solid than Tupperware then maybe but good solid magnet impellers are super reliable. I had one running for about 5 years straight with no maintenance. Mind you good reliable conventional pumps are very expensive so this certainly has uses. I have used smaller air pumps for this purpose.
I would certainly consider using this sort of thing in assisting filtration in a natural pond but maybe not so much for larger scale aquaculture.
Spencer Howard
You need to watch part 3 of my video series on these pumps.
The person who turned me on to this pump only built the Tupperware version.
The 2011 patent version is all heavy 1 1/2" PVC, no Tupperware ;)
Much better and far more simple to construct.
Spencer Howard jn
Sally Ho JN?
Anyone else think his voice reminds you of Jeff Daniels?
Small thing, but maybe put a "T" on the air pump so you can use both outlets? You might be wasting 50% of it's output.
I did that and made no difference on my pump. They are connected internally to the same diaphragm.
Hot glue does not do well around water ....it will come apart. RTV glue or E6000 will work best. Or food grade safe silicone glue.
if u reduce the length of outlet pipe or reduce the distance between surface of water and the end of outlet , it should work better , all airlift pumps have this issue . they work closer to surface and pump good volume
It's working against too much gravity
Why just don´t use a circulation pump of 10W and you get like 100g/h instead of 10-20g/h with this thing?
No moving parts down in the water with this one. Almost uncloggable. It was fun building it.
It's a great invention.
4oz=120ml
u need check valve on the pipe
exactly
Am I the only one who feels that a 6w water pump can move more water than this? anw, very nice explanation. Thank you!
Yes, most impeller pumps are way more "efficient". This type of pump really shines in low maintenance situations. It's a straight through pipe flow that is probably clog proof. See my part 3 of 3 build.
Designed By Instinct thanks for your reply. I think another advantage of this kind of pump is that no electrical parts under water so it's perfectly safe. Last week in my country, a koi pond builder has just died because of electricity leaking (I guess he used a bad chinese product).
Electric cords underwater is a bad deal. I don't care what anybody says. It's not hard to design around that problem.
SHOW
its not good wasting electricity
N
too long man, I hope you upload a shorter version
I have watched 4 aquaponics videos and they are all incoherent. Would be nice if the narrator had a script.
no offensive but this pump is a POS.