Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:19:40 +0100 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24741#Comment_24741 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24741#Comment_24741 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:52:03 +0100 greenman
I had idly wondered if I could rig up something water powered (bearing in mind that the only water in the ditch is what runs off my roof about 30m away, and therefore not likely to generate much power) - perhaps a screw thread in an angled pipe to feed a small header tank at the right height for the butts.

Anyone know of a design that might do the job please?]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24748#Comment_24748 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24748#Comment_24748 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:29:05 +0100 joe.e https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24750#Comment_24750 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24750#Comment_24750 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:41:30 +0100 greenman
I know it's a bit Heath Robinson, but I still wonder it there's an entirely mechanical solution...]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24752#Comment_24752 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24752#Comment_24752 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:59:18 +0100 Paul_B https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24755#Comment_24755 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24755#Comment_24755 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:11:35 +0100 greenman https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24759#Comment_24759 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24759#Comment_24759 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:26:33 +0100 joe.e Is the existing house guttering high enough for the water to run straight down to the veg patch? You could put a water butt up on legs and fit a tap up to the top of the butt, up just below the gutter. Then run a hose down and leave the tap on, so that it forms an overflow. If the heights and distances are right that would be a very simple solution.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24764#Comment_24764 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24764#Comment_24764 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:26:42 +0100 greenman
I like the solar powered marine pump idea though. I expect it would work out quite expensive (all things marine tend to be I understand)?]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24765#Comment_24765 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24765#Comment_24765 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:03:33 +0100 mrswhitecat https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24769#Comment_24769 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24769#Comment_24769 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:42:14 +0100 greenman
On a more serious note, I believe that the ifrst house in the country to have electricity used a small hydroelectric plant. Water power was also used to drive a pump on exactly your principle - a large mass of water falling a small distance used to pump a smaller volume of water half way up a hillside. On a drastically smaller scale, I had hoped to do the same.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24771#Comment_24771 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24771#Comment_24771 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:06:08 +0100 Paul_B principle is like you say to use a large volume of water with a fall to lift a much smaller quantity of water. Bit like shutting off a large volume of water quickly you sudeenly create a high pressure but low volume. Here's something I found on Google, http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/lib2/hydrpump.htm]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24786#Comment_24786 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24786#Comment_24786 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:56:36 +0100 mrswhitecat https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24793#Comment_24793 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24793#Comment_24793 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:40:21 +0100 joe.e Posted By: greenmanI could do that (run water into a butt near the house and then a hose to the vegetable patch), but as I've just expended a huge amount of effort putting in the drains to take the water away from the house, the idea doesn't appeal, even though it would be simple. There will still be water butts by the house, and any one of them could be used for the purpose you describe, but it would mean having a hose pipe running a considerable distance, including over paths where aging relatives would be sure to trip over them, cars would drive over them, etc.

I like the solar powered marine pump idea though. I expect it would work out quite expensive (all things marine tend to be I understand)?
Not sure about prices for pumps - have a look at the Plastimo website, they do all that sort of stuff. But if the water starts off high enough, then you do seem to be making work for yourself by not finding some way to run some of it straight down to the veg, rather than letting it run down lower then pumping it back up again.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24883#Comment_24883 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24883#Comment_24883 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:20:29 +0100 greenman https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24885#Comment_24885 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=24885#Comment_24885 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:23:36 +0100 Paul_B https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25461#Comment_25461 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25461#Comment_25461 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:14:34 +0100 dickster
Take a look at spiral water wheel pump on youtube. Fantastic.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25462#Comment_25462 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25462#Comment_25462 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:17:44 +0100 greenman https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25464#Comment_25464 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25464#Comment_25464 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:31:43 +0100 mrswhitecat https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25466#Comment_25466 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25466#Comment_25466 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:37:37 +0100 mrswhitecat https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25475#Comment_25475 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25475#Comment_25475 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:26:38 +0100 greenman
I was thinking I could put a suitable screw inside a plastic 30mm waste pipe, tilt it at an angle so that the pitch of the thread prevents the water running back, and then using the flow of the water to drive it. It would only run when rain water flows, but then there would be no point in it running the rest of the time! The main difficulty is how to source or make the screw...

Another aproach (and probably more effective) would be to put the thread on the inside of the pipe, and to rotate the pipe instead. This would have the advantages of there being fewer moving parts, and not having to engineer the screw to fine tolerances to create an adequate seal. Again though, making the screw thread would be tricky, and attaching it to the tube too for that matter...

Any suggestions anyone?]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25499#Comment_25499 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25499#Comment_25499 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:39:30 +0100 dickster
Suspect there's just a hint of disbelief out there.

The spiral water pump works, you just need a hose, a rotating joint and a flow of water. Seriously. Do some searching on Google etc.

Or not.]]> https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25500#Comment_25500 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25500#Comment_25500 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:48:36 +0100 StuartB https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25526#Comment_25526 https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1995&Focus=25526#Comment_25526 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:42:12 +0100 greenman
StuartB - the water demands of our vegetable patch are more than could be met by the run-off from a small shed, (assuming there waas room for one). There are a couple of outbuildings a little further away that could be used, but I would have to trench a pipe under the drive, and I'm trying to avoid that if I can (though it may still come to that).

Thanks for the suggestion though.]]>