Diesel Water Pumps?

[fezman]

Hi all I have 20 rai with two year old rubber on it in Isaan , we have a well bored and did have a hand pump till someone stole it , I don't want to build a house on it just yet to get power as we only live five min away.

So what about a portable diesel pump? Are they any good?

How deep can they suck water from?

How far can they pump water around ?

And what price should I pay for a good one ?

Any advice would be appreciated , I have no idea ,thanks fez.

[Gary A]

I have that same problem. We had a well bored over a year ago and I still haven't found a suitable pump other than electric. There is no electricity available there. The well is 39 meters deep so no jet pump is suitable. I have come to the conclusion that a diesel generator and a submersible pump is the best solution I have found. Since there are thieves all over, the setup must be portable enough to be easily moved. The generator can be hauled in the pickup and a submersible pump can use flexible plastic hose that can be rolled up.

[thaicbr]

I have that same problem. We had a well bored over a year ago and I still haven't found a suitable pump other than electric. There is no electricity available there. The well is 39 meters deep so no jet pump is suitable. I have come to the conclusion that a diesel generator and a submersible pump is the best solution I have found. Since there are thieves all over, the setup must be portable enough to be easily moved. The generator can be hauled in the pickup and a submersible pump can use flexible plastic hose that can be rolled up.

That's going to be a big submersible pump with a 39m lift..what run do you want after the lift???

OK. Actually I might be wrong.. what size pump do you think?

sent from my Q6

Edited January 5, 2013 by thaicbr

[Gary A]

The main advantage of using a submersible pump is that it pushes the water out rather than trying to suck it out. A one horsepower pump will deliver much more water than a deep well pump. It can easily pump from deeper than a hundred meters. I hesitate to get a bigger pump because even though I have a six inch casing, I don't know how quickly to well will recover. The quickest way to ruin a submersible pump is to run it dry. Better safe than sorry. A deep well pump also needs rigid piping or the suction would collapse the pipe. Pulling rigid pipe out every time would be a hassle.

[fezman]

thanks guys ,well it sounds like the best way is to just build a small dwelling n it so i can get the power and then build a small concrete box over the pump and strong door with locks on it to keep the thieves out .

Thinking if i build a small portable house there I can move it down the back for tappers to stay in later on .

thanks again .

[somo]

This may be a silly suggestion but wouldn't it be possible to run an electic pump of a portable generator?

[RedBullHorn]

I tried with a 9Amp portable generator on a 1Hp pump before, doesn't work because the voltage and Hz are not constance.

[GilleThai]

I tried with a 9Amp portable generator on a 1Hp pump before, doesn't work because the voltage and Hz are not constance.

A quick search on the net show that at least some 1 Hp pumps have a running amp requirement of approximately 9 amp, so to start the pump-engine you would need 2-4 times that from the generator depending on how advanced the pump-engine design is. Even the cheapest generators would provide stable enough voltage and Hz for a pump. From my experience from power tools and compressors the requirement is normally closer to 2x the amp requirements on the plate than 4x. I would recommend to test the pump on a generator before you buy.

[kwonitoy]

I use a 3000watt portable gas genset to run a submersable pump. It's a three inch dia borehole with a 1 inch output. I can fill a 2000 liter tank in 30 min. The tank is connected to a drip feed irrigation system I installed this year. The pump fills the tank as fast as it drains.

The genset is on my ever handy quad. Go out early morning, plug pump into genset and open valves and watch my trees get watered

Ken

[jamescollister]

OP should really not need watering at 2 years old, water never hurts though. It's a cost thing long term, by the time you pay for the pump, pipes or hoses, fuel [ 20 rai is a big area to water properly ] will it be cost effective. Will you be paying out more than the returned benefit.

When I started out we just used 4/ 100 liter barrels on the trailer of the 2 wheeled tractor and gave a good soaking to each tree every week or so when it got really dry.

You would only be using the system for a small part of the year, unless you are in a really dry area.

Add up the costs before running off spending lots of money. Jim

[Gary A]

One horsepower is 745 watts. Considering motor efficiency and motor starting requirements, a 2,500 watt generator will easily start and handle a one HP water pump. Depending on the depth of the well, kwonitoy is using a 3/4 or 1 HP submersible pump.

[loong]

I use a 3000watt portable gas genset to run a submersable pump. It's a three inch dia borehole with a 1 inch output. I can fill a 2000 liter tank in 30 min. The tank is connected to a drip feed irrigation system I installed this year. The pump fills the tank as fast as it drains.

The genset is on my ever handy quad. Go out early morning, plug pump into genset and open valves and watch my trees get watered

Ken

Interesting.

How deep does it have to pump from?

So you can pump 4,000 liters per hour. What's the cost/fuel consumption for running the generator for 1 hour?

With the extremely low rainfall last year, it would be good to know the approximate costs if I decided to put in irrigation.

Thanks

[somo]

I use a 3000watt portable gas genset to run a submersable pump. It's a three inch dia borehole with a 1 inch output. I can fill a 2000 liter tank in 30 min. The tank is connected to a drip feed irrigation system I installed this year. The pump fills the tank as fast as it drains.

The genset is on my ever handy quad. Go out early morning, plug pump into genset and open valves and watch my trees get watered

Ken

Interesting.

How deep does it have to pump from?

So you can pump 4,000 liters per hour. What's the cost/fuel consumption for running the generator for 1 hour?

With the extremely low rainfall last year, it would be good to know the approximate costs if I decided to put in irrigation.

Thanks

I too would be interested in costs. Irrigating cassava fields is something I have been intending to research for a while. If for example one well with pumps piping etc could service say 10 or 20 rai it would probably double the crop and increase profits by at least 5k Baht/rai/year. So as long as the running costs are well below that it may be feasable. With the increasing cost of farm land irrigitaion is going to become more feasable.

[kwonitoy]

I can run the genset for 10 hr for 500 baht of fuel. The borehole I think is 30m deep. I put it in 3 years ago so I'm a bit fuzzy on details.

[kwonitoy]

Ok trying to post from the aiport on the go.

Borehole I beleive cost 30k to install, submersiable pump was 15k. Genset was 13k all have been working fault free entering the third year. This year I spent 25k on tank, pvc pipe, and 20mm black drip feed tubing to water 13 rai of trees.

Cost has been spread out, and I'm very glad I have it for the long dry spell we are in up north

Ken

[revar]

I have 5kw diesel generator (26000 bath) and a 2.5 kw benzin generator (11000 bath) bought as an extra for if the diesel one breaks down. The benzin one is much more quiet an interesting enough more economical. It runs 1.5 hours on one liter. I normaly use the benzin one now.

Both run my 1hp pump for my 26m borehole just fine. The borehole was 15000 bath, the pump (piston) 7000.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[fezman]

OP should really not need watering at 2 years old, water never hurts though. It's a cost thing long term, by the time you pay for the pump, pipes or hoses, fuel [ 20 rai is a big area to water properly ] will it be cost effective. Will you be paying out more than the returned benefit.

When I started out we just used 4/ 100 liter barrels on the trailer of the 2 wheeled tractor and gave a good soaking to each tree every week or so when it got really dry.

You would only be using the system for a small part of the year, unless you are in a really dry area.

Add up the costs before running off spending lots of money. Jim

thanks Jim,

Good idea ,have started doing that with 4x4 now ,mum in law says the same thing ,first 2 years ok.

[fezman]

I use a 3000watt portable gas genset to run a submersable pump. It's a three inch dia borehole with a 1 inch output. I can fill a 2000 liter tank in 30 min. The tank is connected to a drip feed irrigation system I installed this year. The pump fills the tank as fast as it drains.

The genset is on my ever handy quad. Go out early morning, plug pump into genset and open valves and watch my trees get watered

Ken

I really like the tank and drip feed system Ken , but like Jim says maybe I can wait till next year, but I could get a geni now and use it for power tools and blackouts now and add bits over the years.

Most guys are using gas genset , they mean gasoline ? Why not diesel is petrol better ?

Shane

[thaicbr]

I use a 3000watt portable gas genset to run a submersable pump. It's a three inch dia borehole with a 1 inch output. I can fill a 2000 liter tank in 30 min. The tank is connected to a drip feed irrigation system I installed this year. The pump fills the tank as fast as it drains.

The genset is on my ever handy quad. Go out early morning, plug pump into genset and open valves and watch my trees get watered

Ken

I really like the tank and drip feed system Ken , but like Jim says maybe I can wait till next year, but I could get a geni now and use it for power tools and blackouts now and add bits over the years.

Most guys are using gas genset , they mean gasoline ? Why not diesel is petrol better ?

Shane

Petrol gensets are cheaper to buy. Easier to start and lighter to lift. Oh and generally easier to fix if they go wrong.

sent from my Q6

[revar]

I have 5kw diesel generator (26000 bath) and a 2.5 kw benzin generator (11000 bath) bought as an extra for if the diesel one breaks down. The benzin one is much more quiet an interesting enough more economical. It runs 1.5 hours on one liter. I normaly use the benzin one now.

Both run my 1hp pump for my 26m borehole just fine. The borehole was 15000 bath, the pump (piston) 7000.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

Typing error.

The benzin generator runs 2.5 hours on one liter. Not 1.5.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[revar]

I use a 3000watt portable gas genset to run a submersable pump. It's a three inch dia borehole with a 1 inch output. I can fill a 2000 liter tank in 30 min. The tank is connected to a drip feed irrigation system I installed this year. The pump fills the tank as fast as it drains.

The genset is on my ever handy quad. Go out early morning, plug pump into genset and open valves and watch my trees get watered

Ken

I really like the tank and drip feed system Ken , but like Jim says maybe I can wait till next year, but I could get a geni now and use it for power tools and blackouts now and add bits over the years.

Most guys are using gas genset , they mean gasoline ? Why not diesel is petrol better ?

Shane

Petrol gensets are cheaper to buy. Easier to start and lighter to lift. Oh and generally easier to fix if they go wrong.

sent from my Q6

True, its very hard to start my diesel one without the electric starter and it depletes it battery quickly. I can lift the petrol one but the diesel one is on weels. Most shops can fix a petrol one, while there is only one shop who can fix the diesel one.

PS

I am in the habbit of using thai names like benzin instead of petrol since an uncle who I told to buy petrol for me put diesel in my petrol generator. Luckily I noticed it before I started it.

Sent from my GT-S6102 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Gary A]

Today I had some help so we put the submersible pump down the well. It is down 36 meters and as expected the 2,500 watt gasoline generator starts the pump and runs it fine. Today I really wanted to see if the well would recover fast enough to keep the one HP pump supplied with water. It only got about a 30 minute test before the generator crapped out. It wasn't the generator but the engine that quit. I wasn't able to find anything wrong with it so the gen set is now in the shop.

The pump outlet is an inch and a half and I was advised to use 1 1/2 inch pipe all the way out. I had planned to use the tough black flexible pipe but couldn't find the right size. I settled for PVC and used threaded joints on all nine four meter long pieces.

Yesterday I was able to find a diesel gen set but the engine is second hand water cooled but it is a Chinese make. It is eleven HP driving a 5,000 watt generator. The generator has no automatic voltage control and depends on engine speed to regulate the voltage. Asking price is 37,000 baht. I passed up the deal. There are cheap diesel gen sets but the diesel is air cooled and I have very little faith in Chinese air cooled diesels.

Has anyone got a source for 4 or 5 KW generators with automatic voltage regulator? I'd also be happy with a 3 KW and could use an 8.5 HP Kubota or Yanmar diesel. The 8.5 HP Kubota engine is 35,000 baht.

[slapout]

Gary, you might want to google onan generators thailand. They have a couple placesin Thailand, maybe more by now.

Onan makes what you are looking for , either diesel or gasoline powered, probably LPG also. We used them as a power source on small and big mobil units in the oil field. Tough in all conditions/weather and repair parts that I ever saw needed were in a cigar box of spares.

[revar]

My Sawada petrol generator is very good and has a year garantee. My Anata diesel generator breaks down every week. Wouldn't recommend it. Generally if ypu can see the wires, don't buy it.

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[Canada]

Just a quick answer to the OP. There are diesel powered water pump set ups available. I was looking at one the other day and will likely buy it. 2 inch pump, 5 hp motor, electric start. 14,500 baht. Also available in 3 inch.

[Gary A]

Just a quick answer to the OP. There are diesel powered water pump set ups available. I was looking at one the other day and will likely buy it. 2 inch pump, 5 hp motor, electric start. 14,500 baht. Also available in 3 inch.

Keep in mind that air cooled diesel engines are noisier and have a much shorter life span than water cooled diesels. Also ground level pumps whether centrifugal or piston types will not pump water from much more than five meters below ground level. The two pipe deep well pumps can pump from a much deeper water level but the output is considerably reduced.

I also looked into the Brumby pumps. They are air powered and can pump water from very deep wells using compressed air. Supposedly they are very durable but the pulsing water delivery put me off. Google Brumby and you can watch a video clip of the pump working.

[Canada]

Just a quick answer to the OP. There are diesel powered water pump set ups available. I was looking at one the other day and will likely buy it. 2 inch pump, 5 hp motor, electric start. 14,500 baht. Also available in 3 inch.

Keep in mind that air cooled diesel engines are noisier and have a much shorter life span than water cooled diesels. Also ground level pumps whether centrifugal or piston types will not pump water from much more than five meters below ground level. The two pipe deep well pumps can pump from a much deeper water level but the output is considerably reduced.

I also looked into the Brumby pumps. They are air powered and can pump water from very deep wells using compressed air. Supposedly they are very durable but the pulsing water delivery put me off. Google Brumby and you can watch a video clip of the pump working.

Thanks for that Gary. I'll research it a little more. They seem to be a popular sell around here. I am pumping from less than 20 m, but not sure actual water level or supply. I currently run a Kubota 10 hp and japanese made 2 inch pump. It is a portable setup and works well at various locations. I looking to set up something a litlle more permanent at one location.

I notice that one poster runs a submersible off a genset. I have a genet here so I'll look into sub pumps as well. I only have a 4 inch bore though. Anyone know if submersibles are available for a 4" bore?? Thanks

[Gary A]

Just a quick answer to the OP. There are diesel powered water pump set ups available. I was looking at one the other day and will likely buy it. 2 inch pump, 5 hp motor, electric start. 14,500 baht. Also available in 3 inch.

Keep in mind that air cooled diesel engines are noisier and have a much shorter life span than water cooled diesels. Also ground level pumps whether centrifugal or piston types will not pump water from much more than five meters below ground level. The two pipe deep well pumps can pump from a much deeper water level but the output is considerably reduced.

I also looked into the Brumby pumps. They are air powered and can pump water from very deep wells using compressed air. Supposedly they are very durable but the pulsing water delivery put me off. Google Brumby and you can watch a video clip of the pump working.

Thanks for that Gary. I'll research it a little more. They seem to be a popular sell around here. I am pumping from less than 20 m, but not sure actual water level or supply. I currently run a Kubota 10 hp and japanese made 2 inch pump. It is a portable setup and works well at various locations. I looking to set up something a litlle more permanent at one location.

I notice that one poster runs a submersible off a genset. I have a genet here so I'll look into sub pumps as well. I only have a 4 inch bore though. Anyone know if submersibles are available for a 4" bore?? Thanks

Mine is what they call a 4" pump. The diameter is actually 3.875". They are made for a 4" casing. That's all they had where I bought mine. They had 1, 1.5 and 2 HP models.

Our bore hole;

Edited January 9, 2013 by Gary A

[fezman]

some great advice from everyone here ,thanks a lot ,i have plenty to think about now.

Still think I am leaning towards putting up a small concrete structure now so i can get power on and then turn that into a bathroom when I build the new house out there .

need to get out of the middle of this village or start going crazy.lol.

thanks again ,shane

[Gary A]

I have a 450 watt little generator at the house for the main power failures. It would run my computer, some lights and a fan. The automatic voltage regulator failed and I cannot find anyone to repair it. The 2,500 watt for the farm and water pump had a bad magneto coil and that is now repaired. I was telling my wife what she could run and not run when the pump is plugged into it. She wasn't too happy about those limitations.

I really had my mind made up to buy a water cooled Kubota or Yanmar diesel but the generators available have no automatic voltage regulators and the unit would cost about 60,000 baht. The shop that repaired my 2,500 watt generator also sells new ones. I ended up buying an electric start 5,000 watt gasoline powered unit for 18,000 baht. Kind of a no brainer as far as convenience and money. That one can stay at the farm so my wife can run any electrical thing she wants. Without the electric start, I'm not sure she could get it running. The best part is that everyone is happy.

The 2,500 watt will stay at the house and make things easier when the power fails.