walmart bilge pump as powerhead

[CiXeL]

has anyone tried using a walmart bilge pump as a powerhead? they seem like pretty reliable and decent water pumps and very inexpensive. they have the additional advantage that you can run them off a car battery if the power fails.

 

[Anonymous]

first thing I would do is check it for metal parts, and to be honest, I dont think bilge pumps are designed to run on a constant basis.

 

[Anonymous]

first thing I would do is check it for metal parts, and to be honest, I dont think bilge pumps are designed to run on a constant basis.

Same here. I'm fairly sure it has bronze bushings. The copper will leach and cause problems in a reef tank.

 

[CiXeL]

it has copper in it if its considered saltwater corrosion proof.
i looked at the ones at walmart and they seemed to be made entirely out of plastic. my friend had one running off a battery for a few days while the power was out due to hurricane katrina.

 

[CiXeL]

er it doesnt have copper

 

[Anonymous]

You need to check the inards. Bronze is a common bushing material. Bronze is mostly copper which does leach. I do not know the pump you are looking at using. IF it were me and I was going to use it I would crack in open to check it out.

 

[ChrisRD]

Check out the old AF index in the library under "Product Reviews". I believe Harker did an article on bilges. Might be helpful...

http://www.reefs.org/library/aquarium_frontiers/index.html

 

[wstellwagen]

I have used them to move water from storage to tank They last about one year in that far from continuous use . Also after moving about 55 gals they are rather hot. In short IME even if they had no copper they wouldn't make a good powerhead.

Walt

 

[CiXeL]

theres a bilge pump my friend has called fish saver that seems like its made specifically for power outages.

btw that article url is here
http://web.archive.org/web/200011191134 ... cordNo=639

theres also so many varieties to choose from that im sure a few of them are bound to work well its like finding the flourescent bulbs from walmart with the decent spectrum for the job.

it sounds like a nice inexpensive DIY and plus i love depriving companies making obscene profits on something that is so basic and should be so inexpensive.

everyone should be going out to fishing stores and buying those battery operated air pumps too that run on 2 D cell batteries. i noticed they had them at walmart for under 20 bucks. ive been seeing fishermen out here using them to keep their baitfish alive.

 

[CiXeL]

oh and in regards to not thinking bilge pumps are designed to run on a constant basis. there are rednecks out here with boats who know their boats have leaks and rely on a bilge pump to stay afloat.

 

[Anonymous]

oh and in regards to not thinking bilge pumps are designed to run on a constant basis. there are rednecks out here with boats who know their boats have leaks and rely on a bilge pump to stay afloat.

As a shipwright, I feel it necessary to point out that its not just rednecks, I have seen virtually every race do the same thing....



And if the motor is sealed from the impeller, has no iron screws or bolts in it, has no bronze bushings and does not take more electricty to run than the powerhead you are thinking of not using, then sure, why not...