Need to remove water with debris, mud and sand? Here's our quick guide to choosing the right trash pump for sale.
Most general water pumps are designed to pump clear water, so when debris and other solids are added into the mix, things can quickly go wrong.
The answer is a trash pump. Trash pumps can move water that contains solids (twigs, leaves, pebbles) and other elements like sand, sludge and muck. Just as with all water pumps, the type of trash pump you needs depends on the type of water you're pumping. Thinking of purchasing a trash pump for sale? There are three main types of trash pumps:
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Trash Pumps are popular with tradesmen, farmers, builders, professional contractors and the hire industry[/caption]
Semi-Trash Pumps
As the name suggests, semi-trash pumps can pass small debris - but not much more. Think items no bigger than about 15 millimeters. If you want to pass larger items, the pump housing simply won't be able to cope. With semi-trash pumps, it's recommended to use a hose with a strainer, so bigger items don't clog the hose.
Ideal for: Pumping clear, slightly muddy or sandy water.
Trash Pumps
Trash pumps are designed to handle leaves, pebbles and twigs, and other debris.
They are built with larger impeller veins and pump housing to send the debris on its way. There's no grinding or pumping; everything leaves the pump in tact. Again, we recommend using a hose with a strainer, as it makes the pump easy to clean out if clogged. You can just open it up and remove the larger items. These types of pumps are the most common on construction and building sites used by tradesmen and professional contractors.
Ideal for: Pumping water with leaves, pebbles and twigs and other debris, typically up to 30mm in diameter.
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Honda Powered Trash Pump; Perfect for construction/building sites and yards requiring transfer of muddy water containing solids and debris[/caption]
Diaphragm Pumps
Diaphragm pumps are a whole different ball game. Rather than using centrifugal force, like traditional trash pumps, a diaphragm is pushed up and down to create a vacuum effect. When the diaphragm is pushed up, it sucks in the water. When it's pushed down, it ejects the water. This motion can handle water and mud, sewage as well as leaves, twigs and other debris. Often larger than standard Trash Pumps.
Ideal for: Pumping sludge, sewage and very abrasive liquids, such as draining a thickened pond.
More Trash Pump Advice?
The type of trash pump you choose is determined by the job. But you also need to ensure you choose a trash pump with a quality design, durability and a manufacturers' guarantee. This will make life even easier on the farm or worksite. Look for a pump brand like Water Master or Crommelins that have a good warranty and are powered by a high quality engines such as Honda, Yamaha Subaru. These premium brands of trash pump for sale have both petrol and diesel options available.
In terms of sizing, you can refer to the below chart or this Maximum Head and Flow Rate Pump Chart from the Water Master range, which will help you decide what size trash pump you need for your particular water pumping requirements.
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Water Master Trash Pump Chart: Max Head vs Max Flow rate[/caption]
As a rule of thumb, the Maximum Head capacity of the pump will tell you what the pump can do in terms of maximum height; suction height + uplift. For example, if you needed to draw up water 5 metres from the water source to the pump, then move the water from the pump up a gradient of 20 metres, then you would need a pump with a maximum head greater than 25 meters (5 + 20). The flow rate diminishes with the distance/height, so you should also consider how much water you want to move per minute (flow rate) and how much discharge pressure you may need - this is where referring to the pump chart is useful. Overall, you should select a pump with maximum head larger than your height requirements, as to account for the water flow you will need and small friction loss from water movement that will occur.
Trash pumps need a higher horsepower engine, which means they tend to be more expensive than other water pumps. But they do have lower maintenance over the long term. And a bonus with trash pumps is that they can be quickly and easily disassembled for service or inspections, without the need of any special tools. It is not recommended you consider a cheap, unknown brand with no service network or after sale support. It is advised you opt for quality brand such as a Subaru or Honda Trash Pump.
For more information on pumps, you might like to read our Buyer's Guide to Water Pumps or view our range of trash pump for sale; My Generator Water Pumps.
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DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
