500 $ Mini highbanker options

[mshanygin]

I am curious to see any ideas on small highbankers. I have a bazooka sniper 36" and am looking for the 500 dollar mini highbanker for the times the bazooka can't be run. My friend Echoplex just got one and I was impressed with how easy it is once you get it tuned in and set up right. I will probably get the same but wanted many opinions before that. Thoughts and ideas please.

 

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[arizau]

I own no powered equipment but this is one I would include in my considerations were I in the market for one. http://www.goldhog.com/mini_highbanker.htm
Includes the Goldhog mats so no retrofitting necessary.

Good luck

 

[KevinInColorado]

Use the bazooka. $100 for a 1200gph pump, hose and plumbing (or less). Get a deep cycle battery ($100 or less) and a stand ($50 or so) and you are good to go. A couple people on tnet have posted their build.. I just bought a new pump to build mine (will happen this weekend I think!)Here's one by Hamfist: set up as a recirculating (mine will be at the stream). And here's the pipes: and some key comments:
...awesome how simple it is right?!

 

[arizau]

Use the bazooka. $100 for a 1200gph pump, hose and plumbing (or less). Get a deep cycle battery ($100 or less) and a stand ($50 or so) and you are good to go. A couple people on tnet have posted their build.. I just bought a new pump to build mine (will happen this weekend I think!)Here's one by Hamfist: View attachment 1163749 set up as a recirculating (mine will be at the stream). And here's the pipes: View attachment 1163752 and some key comments: View attachment 1163753
...awesome how simple it is right?!

I like the concept but, on a practical note, for large volume production runs in recirc mode?....not so sure. I think a recirc system will need larger receptacles to accommodate waste and provide an adequate water supply without constantly emptying and refilling. Just something to think about. Different recirc setup or water pumped from an unlimited water source and waste to the ground.... good to go.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Agreed and mine will be set up at creek side

 

[arizau]

Agreed and mine will be set up at creek side

Now you need to adapt a cart for transport and setup.

 

[Hard Prospector]

I have the Mini Gold Grabber and the Royal Multi-Purpose 30" Highbanker. Both breakdown and process dirt very well, are packable and run on the same 12v pump

 

[2cmorau]

might be a option#58 Mini Highbanker - RDH Prospecting

 

[63bkpkr]

There are several options on buckets such as the rectangular "recycle wastebasket" that even a Keene A52 goes into and all the way to the bottom of the wb without wedging against the sides of the bucket (can't do that with a std. 5 gal. bucket). Then some 'smallish' Rubber Maid Tubs that hold more water/solids only need one but have to balance the angle of the setup. Many good things to think about, like Hamfist's..........................63bkpkr

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

 

[mshanygin]

Going for the bazooka homemade highbanker. At least I could use the pump and battery on the one I would want later. Went to ace hardware. Bought some pvc piping and fittings. Planning on getting a 1600 gph Johnson pump. I almost feel like there should be a seperate pump for the spray bars at the bottom. Those rely on psi and the top needs more flow. Already have a 900 gph pump that I might play around with.I plan on putting valves wherever possible to adjust. Hope my ducks don't mind me using the duck pond. I will let you know how it goes. KevinColorado please do let us know of any interesting angles or pressure\flow options that you find.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Going for the bazooka homemade highbanker. At least I could use the pump and battery on the one I would want later. Went to ace hardware. Bought some pvc piping and fittings. Planning on getting a 1600 gph Johnson pump. I almost feel like there should be a seperate pump for the spray bars at the bottom. Those rely on psi and the top needs more flow. Already have a 900 gph pump that I might play around with.I plan on putting valves wherever possible to adjust. Hope my ducks don't mind me using the duck pond. I will let you know how it goes. KevinColorado please do let us know of any interesting angles or pressure\flow options that you find.

Will do!

PS the tubes don't need very much pressure or total flow so I think the 1600 gph pump may be plenty. I'm building with a 1200 to try to balance production throughput and battery life. We shall see if it's enough

Going to the hardware store later today I think so the build is ON!

 

[fowledup]

After spending alot of wasted money on different substandard pump combo's and not being real impressed, I would recommend not skimping on the pump. Yes you can get 1100gph pumps all day for $12 but a day spent trying to get a mediocre system dialed in or a broke system working just isn't worth the savings. A Rule 3700 will operate any of the sluice combos you are contemplating easily and give you the ability to "throttle" the flow up or down to accomodate different types of material. If you gather your material and run it in batches you won't have battery issues. Or look on ebay for a 60 watt solar panel and charger combo for less than a hundred bucks and let it rip all day long. Stay away from the harbor freight panels, for the same money you can get one small panel on ebay that puts out what the three harbor freight panels do. I ended up turning the solar panel into another project, a 1500 watt self contained solar generator. It allows me to run the highbanker pump on 12v and a small roto hammer or electric shop vac for crevace work on a 120v inverter simultaneously. It will run everything on minmy trailer but the A/C unit. Cool project and not nearly as complicated as it sounds. They sell for $750-$1500, by doing it myself I'm into it a total of $250.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Hey all, I need recommendations on a good battery to run my little 1200gph pump. I'm cost conscious and weight conscious too. Thoughts?

 

[Echoplex]

Hi Kevin, How many amps does your pump draw? How long do you want to be able to run it in the field? Constantly or intermittently, etc.?

Just went through the battery research and trials and ended up with a 12v 20Ah Duracell deep cycle for my 1200 gph Tsunami for $65. It is perfect for my needs. The battery weighs about 12.5 pounds. My Tsunami only uses 3.5 amps, so I can easily run it intermittently all day long without any issues. I could have even gone less Ah for intermittent use, but would probably not recommend going lower than a 18Ah deep cycle. The 18Ah I was looking at weighed a little less at about 10 pounds...

Also, FWIW, the Stanley jump starters have an 18Ah battery and are almost the same cost as a battery alone. Only downside is that they are a lot heavier at ~18 pounds and bulky: Stanley 1000-Amp Peak Jump Starter #J509 - Walmart.com

If you end up with just a battery, get the Genius maintainer/charger. It is awesome and it actually brought a battery I thought was toast (wouldn't charge or hold a charge) back to life for me: Amazon.com: Genius G750 6V - 12V Smart Charger for Genesis NP8.56 6V 9AH: Electronics

 

[KevinInColorado]

Hi Davin, I happen to have the exact same pump! Where did you buy your battery? Is the battery in the jump starter a deep cycle type?

I checked out my local Walmart and a local auto parts store, neither one had deep cycle batteries smaller than like a giant car battery

 

[arizau]

Hi Davin, I happen to have the exact same pump! Where did you buy your battery? Is the battery in the jump starter a deep cycle type?

I checked out my local Walmart and a local auto parts store, neither one had deep cycle batteries smaller than like a giant car battery

Maybe Battery's Plus store?

 

[Echoplex]

Got mine at batteries plus. They have a nice selection and it's nice to see everything in person. They also carry the Genius maintainer/chargers there. The battery in the Stanley jump starter is a deep cycle.

 

[Jimmydolittle]

I bought a wheelchair battery to run my Black Magic table, probably would not do for an all day long run. It's real small, and portable though.It says 12Ah/20Ah on it.

 

[KevinInColorado]

It lives!

bazooka Sniper, a $35 1200gph pump, a handful of PVC plastic, an old, hand-me-down stand and an auto-rescue battery. Ran for about an hour and I can say it works decently well and catches gold. It takes more hands on rock clearing as ALL the water runs thru the trap, none over to top to clear the rocks. But it works!