Will this pump work with AM grubsteak in recirculating setup

Dredger Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 176 Location: Aiken, SC

I am trying to setup a recirculating sluice (small highbanker) to use at home. I found a 1200gph bilge pump at Wally World for a little over $30. I want to make a frame and spraybar to put on my Angus Grubsteak. I found a small square bucket that will fit in the flare that I want to use like a hopper and mount the spraybar to.

I was thinking since the grubsteak works good with low waterflow this pump should work fine. They also have a 800gph for about $10 less.

When I first started prospecting I went out with someone who had a similar setup using the same pump with a Keene sluice. I think it was an A-52. We ran his setup all day with with no problems besides just having to feed it a little slower.

I plan on classifying to 1/4" instead of 1/2" like I do at the stream.

So do you guys think it will work or does anyone have a similar setup.

I was also wondering if you can run the pump off a battery charger or do I need to get an actual battery since I don't plan on using it at the creek.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:46 pm

It should work fine running off a battery charger, you may get a little surging when using a battery charger but it shouldn't be much of a issue on a sluice, if you use the bilge pump for a Blue Bowl I would say no because the surging will affect how a Blue Bowl works, for even flow I use a lawn mower battery with the battery charger hooked to the battery.

You should run the bilge pump at full volume with no back pressure, i.e. using a valve to reduce the flow it not good for a bilge pump, but you can setup a Y garden hose fitting with a valve on each leg of the Y with one going to your sluice and one going back into your bucket/tub, adjust the valves so that you have 100% flow from your pump, i.e. 75% going into your sluice and 25% going back into your tub, or any combination that adds up to 100% and works for your sluice setup, you may find that you need all of the flow for your sluice but you can use this setup for a Blue Bowl as well and get just the right flow to your equipment without putting back pressure on your bilge pump.

Skip

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:07 pm

I would go ahead and use some kind of battery. Some battery
chargers convert ac power to pulsating dc power. this can be
hard on you dc equipment. (i.e. burn up a motor) So even if
you use an old weak battery it will rectify you dc voltage and
add life to your pump. IMHO

Bruce

Dredger Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 176 Location: Aiken, SC

Thanks guys. I may try to find an old battery. I have to pick up my boat tomorrow and I may see if they have an old deep cycle.

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 5:24 am

The 1200gph should be plenty flow. I use to run a EZsluice that way at home or the creek. I never had any problem with having back pressure on my bilge pump from using a valve to control the water flow.

I now use a AC pump( I stole from my wife's Koi pond) for all my recirculating equipment at home. It keeps a steady flow where a DC pump will slow down as the voltage drops on the battery. Most chargers will cause the DC pump to surge but with what you are wanting to do it shouldn't be a problem.

Kev

Dredger Joined: 27 Jan 2011 Posts: 176 Location: Aiken, SC

Kev NC wrote:

The 1200gph should be plenty flow. I use to run a EZsluice that way at home or the creek. I never had any problem with having back pressure on my bilge pump from using a valve to control the water flow.

I now use a AC pump( I stole from my wife's Koi pond) for all my recirculating equipment at home. It keeps a steady flow where a DC pump will slow down as the voltage drops on the battery. Most chargers will cause the DC pump to surge but with what you are wanting to do it shouldn't be a problem.

Kev

Yeah Kev I looked at the pond pumps but they cost a good bit more. I just want something cheap that I can run at home right now. I ususally bring a couple of buckets home with me each trip, so I figure I can run them in the evenings when I have time. I have about 75 gallons of material to run right now.