Question for you engineering lot

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fatblokish

Guru
Location
In bath
Is it possible to empty a duck pond by syphoning using a flexible (lay-flat) 2" pipe similar to those used by the Fire Brigade, or would the pipe just be crushed flat at the top of the syphon by the suction pressure?

I work for a charity and we are looking for an easy and safe way of doing this regular maintenance task by people with disabilities and thought maybe I could blag an old knackered hose from the firemen. We have a nearby filling point so eliminating the risk of someone imbibing a gobfull of, well...

ta
 
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Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
You could just try it... sounds like it would be fun having a go!
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
It may not work very well. There would not be enough pressure to stop the hose from flattening, especially if the sides of the pond are higher than ground level. the water would have to go up before going downhill. If it is relatively flat ground it might work as the water would not have to go uphill before emptying. If the hose is very strong and thick, it may not work because of that. There are a lot of variables. As above, trying it is the only way really.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
You would need a piece of suction hose, as is used between a pump and the water source. Other types of hose, as used by firemen to dampen a fire, would be likely to collapse if used for siphoning.
 
Location
Loch side.
It may not work very well. There would not be enough pressure to stop the hose from flattening, especially if the sides of the pond are higher than ground level. the water would have to go up before going downhill. If it is relatively flat ground it might work as the water would not have to go uphill before emptying. If the hose is very strong and thick, it may not work because of that. There are a lot of variables. As above, trying it is the only way really.
When syphoning, water does indeed run uphill. As long as the hose's exit point is lower than the entry point, the water will run. Through.

The solution here is a standard round hosepipe.
 
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fatblokish

fatblokish

Guru
Location
In bath

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
When syphoning, water does indeed run uphill. As long as the hose's exit point is lower than the entry point, the water will run. Through.

The solution here is a standard round hosepipe.


Yes. I know it will run uphill. Ive had t syphon water from a pond before, but if it is a stiff hose with a tendency to lie flat, then the pressure of water may not be enough to stop the hose from flattening and stopping the water.

We have always used a stiff round solid hose. Works much better
 
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fatblokish

fatblokish

Guru
Location
In bath
Pretty cheap to hire a pump ,syphon will be tricky and Who's going to want a gob full of pond water?? Nasty stuff. But I guess you woul use a bellows I hope
shop around locally and prove its for a charity and you may well get it Free

http://www.jewson.co.uk/tool-hire/pumping-equipment/pumping/products/4520/centrifugal-pump/
Cheap yes, but not cheap enough. The pond is emptied and re-filled fortnightly in the warmer months plus we don't have power anywhere nearby.
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
To syphon with a pump you need steel reinforced suctiom hose, it has a thin wire spiralled in the casing (a bit like brake cable) but if you hire a pump it should come with a length of it and a 'weed trap' on the end (to stop debris being sucked through the pump)
 
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fatblokish

fatblokish

Guru
Location
In bath
When syphoning, water does indeed run uphill. As long as the hose's exit point is lower than the entry point, the water will run. Through.

The solution here is a standard round hosepipe.
I reckon we could generate a differential head of about 3-4 metres (between the bottom of the pond and the downstream discharge point), about 20m away. The pond's volume is about 3m3. A small bore hosepipe may take quite a while, and be prone to blockages, but it is worth a go. Ta
 
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