jwl868 said:
I've read about these, but never had the occasion to try to use them. (It seems to me that water and a
stage would not be a good combination.)
[darkfield - Does the pump discharge line end at the pipe with the holes, or does the pipe continue back to the bucket, with a recirculating flow?]
Joe
It's recirculating. (I guess it wouldn't have to be, but sure makes sense).
The
outlet of the pump is a hose
fitting and you just need to have a place to attach the hose (shortened scrap of it, as short as
practical to allow handling the pump but avoid opportunity for trapping air) to the
pvc. No reason you couldn't use steel pipe, either, but drilling is more of a hassle.
This scheme replaced an attempt with the hose that suffered greatly from water hammer issues. Much nicer to limit the amount of water that can get loose, and since the
stage doesn't typically have a sink or other tap, the hose might have to be run in a way that creates additional headaches (doors that can't close, or hose needs to be removed every night).
I think the trough was built from plywood or 1x12, but lined with plastic sheeting, too. A sink drain type
fitting about 1-1/2" or so ran out the low end, stuck out several inches, and went through a hole in the side of the 5 gallon bucket. The hole is in the upp half of the bucket. You have to have enough capacity in the bucket to hold the water in the
system, obviously, since it will all drain back there when the
power is off. Again we stuffed thick foam rubber around the area between hole and the drainpipe.
I can't remember all the details anymore, like did we suspend the pump so it didn't rest on the bottom and transmit nosie and vibration?
This was a small
portable sump pump, not a big one. The kind that rests on the floor, with a screened
base, and
cord/hose connection on top.
The water wasn't a big issue. Plastic sheet on the back of the flats, on the floor,
etc.
I am repeating myself, but the running water noise was very effective.
It was probably up and running as needed for a little over a week, never had a problem with the mustyness. If it's clean, it should be fine, and you could change it if necessary. I wish I knew what to add for visibility that wouldn't smell or cause other problems.
You don't need a huge amount. Despite that, I suppose it might be smart to consider issue like nearby floor pockets and so on that would be at risk in a worst case (trough tips over, piping come apart, bucket spills, somebody soaps the trough).