I Managed to Create an Electric Dredge with Good Suction.

So I have been sick for the last month, but I'm feeling better now! In this video I go over a few of the things I've learned while designing an electric 2" dredge with good suction. The 3D printer has been doing it's job very well and we're definitely on the right track to produce a good 2" dredge that can run off a battery and be used silently out in the field in remote locations.
Right now I can say the plumbing part of the dredge is pretty much good to go, what's next is to dial things in a bit for maximum suction, and then start focusing on the gold recovery part of the equation. I'm hopeful that once I get a good venturi designed, some of you can go out and test with it and put together your own mini dredges designed specifically for your locations.
In time, I think this thing will be a great little gold mining tool!
Until next time,
Cheers,
and thank you for watching!
My Website: www.utmostoutdoors.com/
My Patreon: / utmostoutdoors
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:14 Start of testing
4:48 White board chat: how to calculate the energy coming from a water jet
14:50 Sizing nozzle for a gas engine dredge
17:04 Using Fusion 360 and how you can learn anything
22:41 Printing the Tri-Jet Venturi
24:12 testing the pressure and flow in the venturi jets
26:17 Bathtub Suction test with 2" tubing
33:08 Conclusion and what's next.

[@UtmostOutdoors]

Question: Are you getting any ads during the middle of this video? >I've left this video demonetised for now due to a work visa issue, and just curious if that affects the viewing experience on your end...

[@MohammedNovalija]

I never saw no ads in the middle

[@gabrielgriffin9230]

i have premium so i do not see any ads on any videos .. peace

[@mrkus-nc7od]

I hope you get well 100% soon . Waiting for some adventures you go on . And the take your electric drege on a test run .😊

[@BearlyOutdoors]

No ads in the USA/Virginia.

[@jonathanheinz2376]

I got ads for toothpaste without fluoride, Oranges with 3x the average vitamin C, and an ad for discounted real estate in rural Kentucky if the buyer is willing to sign a 75-year mortgage. My viewing experience is enhanced by these ads.

[@gabrielgriffin9230]

i have 4 claims .in California and i have been watching your vids for a while because i really want to be able to sneak dredge without any noise to alert the nearby neighbors or other miners ... also the fire risk is basically gone with all electric set ups .. no gas or loud hot engine to worry about ... clean and quiet and still able to do the work needed .... i appreciate the time and effort you have put into all these ideas and projects ..you have done a super job explaining the science that goes into your project... you are helping people out here for sure... thank you .. peace

[@UtmostOutdoors]

We could name this thing the "California Culvert Dredge" just for you 😀

[@gabrielgriffin9230]

@@UtmostOutdoors they are very strict about gas powered engines and dredge laws in california .. they hate the wildfire risk that gas engines bring and the possible spilling of gas into the waterways is another issue they frown upon .. i would love to be able to sneak a dredge into my claims with gas engine to make noise or cause fire risk or alert the other miners in my area that I'm running a dredge.. something like your project would be perfect for those looking to pack light and make no noise or draw any attention.. a small powerpack or battery and some dredge hose and nozzle and your able to carry that thing in one backpack with ease .. i think a lot of people in California and other states that banned gas powered dredge engines would love to see this project take off.. so much upside with the electric set up if you can get the suction and dredge dialed in ... i send you all my best vibes to help in your efforts .. peace

[@randydixon9512]

Big Brother watches everything. It is illegal to dredge in California, period. So, of course you aren't going to do it. God Bless the FBI and NSA, we love them.

[@gabrielgriffin9230]

@@randydixon9512 they just love the regulation and govt micro managing of things in the great state of california .. makes total sense why the cities like oakland and san fransico look like zombie movie sets.. the policy of the state has made people flee like crazy.. and its no wonder.. .. makes perfect sense to outlaw dredges in the whole state to protect salmon when the salmon only use a small portion of the waterways in the state.. my creek does not even flow all year round and holds zero fish populations to effect in any way.. its sad to see how they over regulate to the point of making little to no sense for the average miner doing hobby mining with a 2 inch dredge in a creek that does not flow into anywhere and harm anything .. its just a shame what they have done to that state.. just my op..

[@GOLD_FEVER]

@@UtmostOutdoors Legit , if you could make this compact enough to backpack i would buy it in a heartbeat!!! Please don't quit this. It is a brilliant idea! also, if you are into three dee printing sluice mats and sluices check out Alan Roberts, he does some 3d printing as well as silicone mats videos on the youtoobs.

[@EzraCannon-xp9is]

I can hardly wait to see if this will become available for sale.... I want to be one of the first to buy it!

[@boomersadventures]

Nice I’m impressed 👍can’t wait to see the final product

[@PrairieProspecting]

Are you thinking about a sluice box underwater? that will be interesting. I don't know how your going to tackle the backpressure from the discharge as it fights to get out against the "atmospheric" pressure of the water outside the box, but it's all very interesting so far. Be good to limit the curves in your jet line as they are resistance.Thanks for sharing! cheers, Kelly

[@UtmostOutdoors]

So far, I get more flow through the nozzle with the exit remaining underwater, and less as I lift the exit up and out of the water. The exit flare also seems to improve suction as I think this helps the water exit at a lower velocity against the water sitting in the tub. Super interesting stuff.

[@Superminigoldtrommel]

Get er done... 🛠👍

[@randydixon9512]

Thanks for all your work and sharing it with us. I've asked/argued on many sites about dredging and the difference between water pressure and velocity in creating suction. You laid it out clearly and it is always what I've understood, that it is velocity of the water that is the main factor. You have shown that a low pressure, high volume pump can produce relatively high velocity simply by using the correct nozzle size. My arguments have been regarding Gravity dredges and/or using a 3-inch trash pump vs. a 2-inch high pressure pump, but the physics are the same.

[@UtmostOutdoors]

Yeah, I think a dredge pump is miles ahead in terms of power and efficiency, but you can absolutely run a 3" dredge with good suction off a standard 2" trash pump. I bet if you optimized the jet size to the pump you'd do even better.

[@randydixon9512]

That was my point, that a nozzle designed for a 2" high pressure pump isn't going to work well for a 3" trash pump, but if you do the step down correctly you should be able to get the same velocity and so the same suction. The difference is the $600-$1000 in price.

[@StevenHanover]

Bro you need to utilize the bottom spout of a Y shaped plumming connector. As the water is pulled in it shoots past the hottom opening creating drag suctiong force 10x stronger. Halfway there mana

[@MrDingaling007]

Any links or further info on this? sounds interesting.

[@tandr3w]

I know there are computer programs that show flow and restrictions. Maybe that would help with designing the 3d printed dredge. Once it is finalized, I would like to buy the stl file to print it.

[@MohammedNovalija]

Who would have thought digging dirt is as complicated as putting a man on the moon. Get well soon and less moon and more dirt.

[@illernpiller]

For the 80% throttle.. It's most likely due to that max throttle doesn't give you the most torq. Max torq is usually a bit lower than max throttle.

[@MrDingaling007]

for a petrol engine that would make sense but i think electric motors this doesnt apply.

[@brocojack]

Interference will reduce effeciency on the jets

[@randydixon9512]

It's not rocket science? Yeah, it is almost literally rocket science. Speaking of which, the only suggestion I would have is to put a flare at the end of each jet nozzle, like a rocket engine has. I believe this creates more laminar flow and reduces the pressure so you get a little more flow. Have you considered a Fluid Bed for your sluice? Or a hybrid. Also, you talked about airfoils and lift, have you ever thought about using an airfoil type of configuration in a sluice. They are the most efficient shapes at creating differential pressures in a fluid so it seems like that could be used in a sluice.

[@MrDingaling007]

Awesome information here. I'm still getting my head around the maths/physics here. I'm interested in going for 3" suction hose. You mentioned going to the larger bilge pump which translated to approx. double the energy consumption and double the suction with the same 2" suction pipe. I take it the amount of suction would decrease with the jet going into a larger (3") pipe?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

Yeah, As you increase the hose diameter you need to increase the wattage of the machine to keep the suction the same. You can definitely move gravel through a hose with the 2000gph pump and my impeller modification, but part of dredging for gold is that it's nice to have a little extra power to help suck out cracks and crevices and pull apart compacted material using the flow of the water. I want so build a machine with suction that could be considered "good", not just barely enough to function. I think 3" dredge would provide good suction with about 350 to 400 watts of power, and I plan on experimenting with a brushless motor setup to further increase the efficiency. I suspect that you could also use two 3700gph pumps through two 15mm diameter jets to achieve "good" suction.

[@MrDingaling007]

@@UtmostOutdoors Thanks for that info. Yep, that makes sense! The area going from 2" to 3" suction pipe is a huge increase. So, i may have to settle on 2.5" suction hose then and work with a single 4000gph pump. Learning a lot here, can't wait to get out there and start testing this stuff out in the rivers.

[@user-bk3gu3gv5j]

dont know about asking you this but i am just starting out with a sluice from edmonton could you let me know any good places to go for gold as i have tried devon with very little luck. and would like to try to get some like what you have gotten. as now your in the land down under. thanks.

[@UtmostOutdoors]

This type of question regarding location is one I will never answer. If I give a good spot to the world, then people who know of that spot will have a problem with me, and the person asking will get a spot that immediately looses it's value. I would not give up on Prospectors Point as a place to learn your gear. After the spring floods that bar was a historically rich spot, and depending on the floods some years you will have no problem finding a gram in a day if you get to a hot spot before the crowds do. Otherwise just set yourself up to have a look around that river both within edmonton city limits and upstream or downstream. There are paystreaks all over the place, but you will spend a full weekend just panning to find one at first. The faster you switch from panning to sluicing, the less time you will have to put into locating hot spots. A tip would be don't just assume gold is heavy and the best gold is always at the waters edge, many good paystreaks are way up out of the river and near the bushes along the edges, other times gold is mixed with larger gravel, other times in light dustings of sand. There are lots of other locations to try you can find with a keen eye if you just google around a bit. Just want to say, no harm in asking, and I wish you the best of luck out there, but locations are just something I don't do. Cheers! :)

[@jonathanheinz2376]

Let me know when 3D printers in France and Brazil successfully contribute to gold recovery!

[@BearlyOutdoors]

I am seeking a battery powered suction hose, light enough to carry 1/2 mile. (I am old so weight matters!) I am also pulling up super fine (Flour) gold. I am guessing your design would be perfect?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

I'm far from a perfect design for fine gold. First I need to focus on the final refinements for max suction efficiency. But then this should be a super light and easy to carry machine. I'll need to test fine gold recovery after that.

[@BearlyOutdoors]

@@UtmostOutdoors I have a very good mat layout. Why would the suction matter?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

@@BearlyOutdoors Ah, good call. I just need to make the suction part, and then you can set it into your own sluice and mat setup.

[@markstahl1638]

The Doctor never gives enough antibiotics...any Dr.. Then you become resistant to the antibiotics and you end up back at the Doctor needing stronger antibiotics.

[@markstahl1638]

If you are interested, I can give you some natural remedies my friend passed on to me.

[@UtmostOutdoors]

I have always been told to complete the entire antibiotic treatment even after you feel better to help prevent this. I was still sick after from the original viral infection, but the bacterial lung infection was nicely cleared up by the antibiotics. Pretty much at 100% as I write this. :)

[@sparks4025]

How does the jet create suction? Why does the jet cause more water to be moved? If it transfers its kinetic energy to the surrounding water, shouldn't there be a net positive effect on the total water movement?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

Yes.

[@videoaccount1947]

I thought you live in Canada. How is it you are in Australia?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

Through the magic of aviation 😀

[@chalder1]

I've been using two small gas pumps in series which has almost, in theory doubled my head therefore doubling my psi. I've been wondering if running two bilge pumps in series would work the same. Of course you'll be doubling power consumption. Thoughts?

[@chalder1]

I should mention that psi will increase but gph does not. Also power consumption on the second pump in series would be less due to the fact that it isn't working as hard.

[@UtmostOutdoors]

I think running two bilge pumps in parallel could increase suction by a fair bit, while cutting the battery runtime in half (twice the power use) . I think that with a fluid, running two in series may not be as efficient unless the first and second impeller are specifically designed to work together. Sometimes in a jet drive unit they have one impeller in front of the other and I think the first one is called the inducer that feeds the second one pressurized water to prevent cavitation at the second one. I think one water pump pumping into the intake of an identical second pump would result in a lot of inefficiency (just my best guess) and that you would be better either running both pump in parallel, or just using a single pump with twice the power. I think the one use case where higher PSI would be key to good suction might be if you need to run a high lift dredge setup, in that case, just adding more volume of low psi water would likely not be helpful. All very interesting to dial in for various dredging situations!

[@chalder1]

@UtmostOutdoors is it possible to purchase the plans for the nozzle?

[@chalder1]

To print

[@UtmostOutdoors]

@chalder1 You bet, go to my website, utmostoutdoors.com and I put two up for free download for you to test out.

[@johnolsen7073]

Are you considering a field trial video?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

Not in the near future. I will do some recovery testing in a pool or something until I get satisfactory results, then I will need to travel somewhere for the field test.

[@fittergrips2010]

Motivation makes a quick learner . Don't force (motivate) me to educate myself you may not be able to handle the competition ? Kyle Graphs and charts for your viewers . Enclosed Sluice under water, the water coming out will be pushing against water as apposed to air. What will be the effect on the speed of the water over the enclosed sluice ?

[@UtmostOutdoors]

All I know for now is that the suction flow rate was best when submerged. As I lift out of the water, flow decreases. The more you flare the exit, the velocity slows and this must reduce back pressure, explaining the increase in flow when adding that flare.

[@edwingolddelirium]

Pipe size does matter bring it down to 1,5'' or to 1''.

[@UtmostOutdoors]

The only issue with that is that then I wouldn't have a 2" dredge. A 1.5 or 1" isn't really anything but a crevice sucker, but with a 2" you can begin to actually move small amounts of material. I'm hoping to finish this design as a full on 2" dredge with good suction if at all possible. :)

[@edwingolddelirium]

@@UtmostOutdoors then install the two pumps with that and the impellers change.and measure the pressure 2 bar is nice thats 20 mtr high up.

[@jedrzejkaczmarek7791]

Nice job! Can you tell me what diameter Jet will be Perfect for 4700ghp pump? My math svck as fvck 😅

[@UtmostOutdoors]

I have no way of knowing without experimenting. Basically need to measure the flow through a nozzle size then we can get the joules of energy to compare. I suspect 16, 17, and 18mm would be a good start maybe for a 4700?