Choosing the right pump
Today, there is simply a huge number of different barrel pumps. Therefore, a gardener or amateur gardener can easily get lost in all this diversity and choose a model that is not quite suitable for his garden or garden.
When choosing a device for organizing a proper plant irrigation system, it is necessary to evaluate the following parameters:
In addition, when choosing a product for watering a garden, one should also evaluate the parameters of the site, which also affect the technical characteristics:
- distance from the source of water intake to the extreme point of the garden;
- how many meters in this situation will be the height difference between the place where the pump is installed and the extreme point of the garden or garden;
- how often do you intend to water your garden or garden plot;
- what area is planted with cultivated plants growing in your garden;
- the type of watering you choose.It can be rain, under the root, drip, etc.
Remember that warm and settled water should be used for watering plants. Just for these purposes, a barrel is ideal. In addition, rainwater can accumulate in such a container, which is recognized as the best for watering cultivated plants.
Properly selected barrel pump will allow you to optimize the watering of the garden as much as possible and spend a minimum of time and effort on it. And the result in the form of a plentiful and tasty harvest will not keep you waiting and will delight you at the end of the summer season!
Overview of manufacturers of pumping equipment
High demand for pumping equipment for domestic use stimulates manufacturers. Today, foreign and domestic manufacturers offer a wide range of equipment in different price categories.
Imported global brands
Among foreign manufacturers that have proven themselves in the pumping equipment market, it is worth highlighting:
- HAMMER. German leader in the production of first-class pumping equipment. A wide range of models, unique technical solutions and the highest reliability - all this combines products manufactured under this brand.
- PATRIOT. One of the oldest American brands. The quality of products manufactured by this company has been tested by generations. Reliable and easy-to-use chainsaws are better known to the domestic buyer under this brand. But the pumping equipment is not inferior to them.
- "Salpeda". Recognized champion in the world market. The Italian company is famous for its good technical traditions. All equipment is manufactured using high-precision technology.
- QUATTRO ELEMENTI.Another well-known Italian brand representing high-quality equipment. The company, founded by like-minded engineers, focuses on the reliability and maintainability of its products.
Choosing products of well-known brands, even in the event of a breakdown, it will be much easier to find spare parts for them, and masters accept them more willingly for repairs.
Among the companies that are only increasing their potential so far, but have already earned a positive reputation among a wide range of consumers, it is also worth highlighting Makita and Gardena.
domestic brands
Popular brands of pumping equipment of a domestic manufacturer:
- "Vortex". Leading Russian manufacturer. The main advantage of the products is ease of use, quiet operation and minimal hydraulic losses during the pumping process.
- "Jileks". The Russian company produces reliable pumps that can be used both for pumping clean and slightly contaminated water for irrigation.
- "Gardener". Products manufactured under this brand successfully combine an affordable price with decent quality. Compact centrifugal units handle contaminated water with ease.
The price of centrifugal submersible pumps of these brands starts at 4 thousand rubles. Drainage units of medium power cost from 5 thousand and above.
Budget models of domestic production "Brook" and "Kid" are also widely popular. The price of products ranges from 1.5-2 thousand rubles.
But it is worth noting that they are very sensitive to voltage fluctuations in the mains.For work in our conditions, it is better to choose centrifugal models, for which no such sin has been noticed.
Drainage pumps - for polluted water bodies
If you plan to take water from a swamp, a pond, then it is better to give preference to a drainage pump. They are produced specifically for pumping heavily polluted waters, in which there is a lot of debris. Filters and a grinder are installed in the pump, which grinds solid particles almost into powder. A drainage pump is ideal for watering from a pond, because it will not clog, and all the “good” picked up from the bottom (silt, shells, etc.) will be sent to your beds in a crushed state, thereby fertilizing them.
Drainage pumps are equipped with elements that filter and crush small particles, so they will not clog in highly polluted water of a natural reservoir or pond
But keep in mind that the pressure in such systems is weak, and you can only water by gravity. If you connect a nozzle, like a sprayer or a gun, then the water will not go at all. The best option for using drains is to pump dirty water into a container so that it settles, becomes cleaner, and even from a barrel it can be watered with a surface or submersible pump, providing protection against sediment from getting inside from the bottom.
How to choose a drum pump
The garden pump for watering must work correctly. It moves the volume of water to the area
Consider the following selection criteria:
- Device type. If you are looking for a less noisy device that can be installed under the bay, then give preference to the submersible model. A surface analogue (almost silent) is placed next to the barrel, the main thing is to have a hose of the required length for further transfer of the liquid.
- Performance.Consider the time required to water the area. The indicator is calculated individually. Sprinkler irrigation is often used - it will take 5 liters per 1 m². It turns out that in 1 hour it will be necessary to pump about 0.5 m³ per hundred square meters. The performance of the pump is indicated by the letter Q - this parameter is indicated in the passport of the unit for the barrel. For a household appliance, a performance in the range of 1.5-2 m³ is quite suitable.
- Pushing power. The height of the water rise, the distance to the most remote irrigation point are taken into account. A height difference is added between the highest point of the garden and the pump installation site. Be sure to take into account the type of irrigation: pressure, drip or free flow under the root. The simplest calculation is this: 10 m of hose length = loss of 1 m of pressure. On average, a pump for irrigation from a barrel with a pressure of 30 m is suitable for a summer cottage.
- The presence of automation. This increases the cost of the system, but it prevents the engine from overheating. The float switch will protect the unit when the water level drops to a critical level. This will prevent the barrel waterer from running dry, reducing the risk of breakage. Many modern models are equipped with a float switch, but make sure you have one.
- Water unit body. It can be metal or plastic. The first option is more reliable, because protects the “insides” of the pump from mechanical impact from the outside, but it will cost more and weigh more. For the manufacture of a plastic case, durable ABS plastic is often used.
Barrel pump in the diagram
Submersible
This type of pump is able to work exclusively in water.It can be centrifugal and vibrational, and the first option is considered more preferable, it is recommended to take a filter to it - the system is mounted directly on the intake hole. Vibrating analog pumps exceptionally clean water, without suspensions. This one costs less.
Submersible irrigation pumps are arranged in a special way - so that the pumped water cools the engine. With proper installation, the motor will not overheat during long operation. Many models are equipped with float switches that protect them from damage. If the water level falls below the desired mark, the unit turns off by itself - automatically stops working. Advantages:
- minimum noise;
- there is no overheating;
- works with partial immersion;
- ease of installation;
- modest dimensions, does not take up space next to the barrel.
Flaws:
- the electrical cable must be well insulated;
- complexity of service, because the pump must be removed from the tank;
- the cost is higher than that of surface types of devices.
Types of drum pumps
Surface
Such a garden pump for a barrel can be vortex and centrifugal. The last option is better, because it is able to function for a long time without overheating, even in the case of drip irrigation. The centrifugal type also pumps muddy rainwater. Remember: due to suspension and large fractions, the impeller of the unit will quickly fail. The complex of units is installed strictly on a horizontal surface. The impeller is made of different materials:
- of stainless steel;
- alloy (brass);
- high strength plastic.
Vortex models differ from centrifugal models by the addition of a special swirler and the design of the impeller.If in a centrifugal pump water is supplied from the center of the impeller, then in a vortex unit it is supplied along a tangential line to the impeller. The vortex model is suitable for applications where small volumes of water are needed, but with a significant delivery height and a large suction depth.
Advantages:
- sealing of the electric motor is not needed, as with a submersible unit;
- there is more space for control automation and protective devices;
- the structure is easier to repair;
- simple installation and maintenance.
Flaws:
- high noise level;
- lower suction depth;
- worse case cooling compared to submersible models.
Surface aggregate
Such pumps are designed to lift liquid from a shallow depth (within 10 meters). They are installed on the surface, immersing only the water intake hose into the reservoir. Since the device pumps liquid by suction, it is highly undesirable to use rubber hoses to remove liquid: under the action of rarefied air, the walls will simply shrink, preventing the movement of water.
Surface pump
The indisputable advantages of submersible devices are the ease of connection and the ability to issue a powerful jet to a height of up to 50 meters, which greatly simplifies the irrigation of large areas. A significant drawback of this type of device can be considered their "growl". Therefore, surface units are often placed in closed outbuildings.
Varieties of pumps for irrigation
Submersible pumps work only in water and are divided into centrifugal and vibration. To cope with rainwater collected from gutters, mechanisms capable of pumping muddy liquid should be used.It is better to use centrifugal pumps, but for them it will be useful to install a filter on the intake hole. The vibration pump pumps only clean water without suspension, but the model costs less than a centrifugal unit.
Pumps for watering the garden from the barrel, installed in the tank, operate with low noise, do not overheat. When installing the device, you need to make sure that the connector is tight, that the electrical cable is well insulated. , used to raise water from the wells "Brook" and "Spring" are also used for irrigation from open reservoirs. But the devices work when immersed by at least 50 cm, they cannot be used in shallow water. They supply water from open reservoirs at a distance of up to 400 meters.
The Karcher pump for watering from a barrel is used more often than other devices. The German manufacturer has provided all the features of watering with heated water from a container. A float pump with a lower water intake is more suitable for irrigation systems. The design of the barrel submersible pump has a filter on the intake hole. The kit includes a hose with a section of half an inch, 20 m long. The device is equipped with a valve that allows you to adjust the pressure and a spray gun. The pump is carried by a handle, stored in a container. The power of the device is 400 watts, the productivity is 3.8 m 3 / hour at a pressure of 11 m.
The Gardena 4000/2 Comfort pump is no less popular with farmers. Easy start-up and good functionality make the device in demand for irrigation of large areas. The pump generates a pressure of 20 meters and a capacity of 4 m 3 /hour while consuming only 500 watts of energy. But in rural conditions, German technology should work through voltage stabilizers.
Surface pumps for irrigation are always noisy. But only a surface centrifugal apparatus can operate for a long time without overheating in a drip irrigation system. Such a pump can pump cloudy rainwater, but the suspension will quickly render the impeller unusable.
For drip irrigation, it is necessary to calculate the productivity and pressure of the pump, based on the length of the irrigation tapes, the number of capillaries. It is generally accepted that a normal hole in the tape should pass 1 liter of water per hour. Knowing the number of holes per linear meter of the tape, it is easy to calculate the total flow and choose a centrifugal barrel pump for watering the garden.
It is not difficult to choose a pump for irrigating plantings, knowing the types of devices and the features of the summer cottage.
Consumer feedback on the Karcher watering pump - video
Summer cottages are rarely supplied with running water. And you can’t do without water in the garden, especially when the year turned out to be dry!
So gardeners have to get out - some dig wells or drill wells, others organize irrigation from nearby reservoirs or collect rainwater. In all these cases, a pump for watering the garden can provide invaluable assistance.
From a barrel, from a pond, from a well or a well - how to choose a device for each case and whether there can be a universal option. We calculate the performance and pressure, and choose the best one!
The main thing to consider when choosing the type of pump is where the water will be drawn from. For example:
- Surface are suitable for shallow wells or small reservoirs near the site.
- A barrel pump is needed for irrigation from containers that collect rainwater or heat cold water from a well.
- A submersible pump is more versatile because it can lift water from great depths.
- The drainage pump does not need clean water - it can even be lowered into a flowering pond, river or lake.
