DIY Waterwheel Build: Pumps water 20 metres (65 ft) high during drought

It's been a long journey to get to this final design. But it works! Even during a severe drought...
You can read more and see photos of the build process on the blog: backtotheland....
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[@cody481]

FINALLY Someone that gives all the correct information

[@zedcarnz]

I reckon you could make a one hour long video of the wheel just doing its thing. It would be a smash hit relaxation video. Great job, thanks for sharing.

[@BacktotheLand]

This is a great idea, it would make a very relaxing video!

[@cody481]

​@@BacktotheLandplease put your relax video link here.

[@scottpecora371]

Several good suggestions noted. Might want to add a third axle support point out in the creek so the paddle wheel instead of being cantilevered out from the bank which places a tremendous amout of side load and torsion on the existing support points would have balanced support on each side of the wheel. This could easily be added during the low water time in summer. A rotohammer and some epoxy would allow you to anchor into the rocks. Adding some jetties to direct water flow towards the paddle wheel couldn't hurt. And a screened settlement tank for the water pick up will considerably reduce wear and tear o. Your pump. Also a screen across the creek upstream a ways would help reduce branches and other objects contacting the paddle wheel. A clever set up, with room for several minor and inexpensive improvements to increase volume and reliability. Best of luck. Scott, Vancouver, Washington. U.S.

[@skyjim777]

Really cool dude! Have you also looked at a hydraulic ram pump to move water up the hill? Those are cool too!❤️

[@mbickie]

Nice one. Looks great. A good way to get rid of the sediment in the pipe is flow from the pipe into something big like a pickle drum with a sealed lid and out the other side again. It makes a hydraulic separator and as the fluid slows, the silt falls out. The only thing you need to do is to make sure the pickle drum can hold the head pressure. Thanks for showing us the video

[@joycethomas8868]

Nice work, you should be proud. Something satisfying and relaxing about watching the slow movement of the equipment, and yet it fills the tanks!!

[@BacktotheLand]

Thank you kindly. Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@kaboomatar]

You could just make an outlet on the top of the 2nd tank with a line running back to the river so it doesn't leak back around the tanks

[@MrPizzaman09]

If you ever need more power from the wheel, a Poncelet blade design could easily double your efficiency. Just angling the flat blades would help a lot. Certainly not needed if it's working well now

[@bombasticbuster9340]

Use wd 40 to repel the water off your moving and rustable parts. Great setup! Set up a filter box using screen, then put a basic filter on the end. The box could allow sediments to settle first.

[@BacktotheLand]

Cheers! Yep, I give all the at-risk components a good treating every so often. Will be testing some homemade filters this summer.

[@MrRain-hk4zi]

Nicely done!

[@magnetmannenbannanen]

its very nice and quiet. maybe not the most efficient but i prefer it working a long time instead of a short .

[@BacktotheLand]

We love how quiet it is, it's so peaceful to sit down there by it 😊. We kept making it more efficient until we got to the point it pumped enough for our stock, then we stopped as that's all we need, anything else just overflows out of the tanks. Fingers crossed it runs for a long time!

[@kenbolsen8295]

You could run tank overflow to water troughs that are below the tanks

[@LuisAlbanes]

The bearings of the axis are wooden?

[@ynthrepic]

So satisfying. Should record a couple hours of ASMR for us. Bonus points for subtle mechanical noises ;)

[@BacktotheLand]

It did cross my mind! Something very hypnotic about a waterwheel and the sounds of the river. I find myself entering a trance after a while, haha.

[@jamest.5001]

Get a 5 gallon bucket, drill holes all in the sides, put a big rock inside it, then wrap the holy bucket with a cotton towel, it will keep everything you need out if the water, 1" to 2" holes around the sides, it should work perfectly, and cost very little!

[@BacktotheLand]

Thanks James - we might just give this a try!

[@dansmith6909]

It strikes me that you could have run a little overflow pipe back down to the river (or another convenient place) and then you could just let it run and run all year

[@iksexplorationsfollower2588]

Amazing job well done. MartyT has built a water wheel on his property down in South Lands or down that way some where, He's on you tube as well, maybe worth have a look at that, He's under Marty T.

[@johnwade5747]

Great job! I love it!

[@larryparish8708]

Very interesting.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

Or make your own housing (large plastic pipe with cheap but efficient pool filter inside)

[@bartholomewleonard]

Had missed your videos. Nice one.

[@JoeMalovich]

Very cool, I like it!

[@stephenauty2402]

Brilliant but what about a big flood?

[@greenwichvillageanimalhosp9323]

Beautiful old pump! You say your pump lifts water 65’. The companies website suggests about 7 meters or 25 feet is all you can expect. How did you get that extra lift? Are the older machines just more capable?

[@BacktotheLand]

That figure is referring to how much height it can *draw* from, as opposed to head lift. These pumps are powerful - 250 feet is the max head height.

[@TheDungorm]

did you consider a hydraulic RAM pump? seems like it would be simpler, cheaper and work well for your application? Lovely presentation and editing, well done and thanks for sharing.

[@rafaellesme5161]

Ola buenas obras

[@audiosreality]

Given your overflow any video of your trough/ drainage systems we can see. I spotted the electric fence to keep stock from around the tank but I'm curious about the system your feeding and the usage of the overflow?

[@zerodegrees8]

why not use a hydraulic ram to pump water, much cheaper to build, then use the wheel for power?

[@bevnelson3678]

Awesome

[@mariluramirez5529]

Como podría construir uno? Algúna página donde esté el procedimiento, muchas gracias!

[@ElitePreacher]

This is awesome.

[@BacktotheLand]

Thanks!

[@davebean2886]

I noticed that your water intake to the pump pulls water from the stream below your water wheel. Do you think it would make a difference if the intake was from the stream above the wheel?

[@BacktotheLand]

I did experiment with putting the intake at various places in the river, upstream and down, but it was actually worse farther upstream, as there was a small waterfall churning up a pool. I found there was less sediment where the intake currently is, because most of it had settled at the weir, and the overflow over the weir is the clearer water. In any case, a sediment trap/filter on the intake should do the trick.

[@davebean2886]

@@BacktotheLand Thanks for the info - so a water quality decision more than a how much water will the pump suck decision. May not matter if the pump is at capacity.

[@sspence65]

@@davebean2886 those pumps "suck" well from 0 - 25'

[@davebean2886]

What are your 2021 plans for your water wheel piston pump? Did you solve the sediment issue?

[@freddo6336]

Nice vid

[@chadfellers9128]

dig a small pond in wet area, less waste