Nozzle Help needed

[Salmon King]

Hey all...

I'm in the process of making a 1.5" electric dredge.
Yeah I know...most of you will tell me it won't work but they work in the YouTube videos
I'll be dumping out into a sluice box but I'm having some difficulty with the suction.
I have a 1.25 " hose from the 2000GPH pump reduced to .5" at the pipe which feeds a .375" jet inside the nozzle.
exiting into a 1.5" hose.

The pressure hose is 5' long (it was 8 and I cut it down thinking it was too long (I had NO suction).
The jet is perfectly centered in the nozzle and I have a good strong stream BUT...
I only get suction when I lay the nozzle over on it's side.
If I stand the nozzle up as if I were going to use it I get no suction.

So now...For those of you that have built your own nozzles...
Might I not have the jet far enough into the nozzle? It is BARELY visible when looking into the suction opening.
Is my pressure hose still to long?
Could my discharge hose be too long?


Lots of possibilities I know...Sorry I can't provide pictures at this time I only have 1 camera and the wife took that on vacation with her.

Thanks all...
Terry

 

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[ratled]

I use my 2" Proline jet instead of trying to make a nozzle and have plenty of suction through about 8' of hose. I don't lift the material out/above of the water.
ratled

 

[kcm]

You didn't mention what brand/model/type of 1.5" electric pump you're using. At 2,000 GPH, sounds like it might be a high-volume/low-pressure pump.

Another consideration is, you mention going from 1.25" down to .5". Some pumps cool themselves using the water that is being pumped. If you block the water too much, the pump and/or motor can overheat - likely the motor.

 

[Salmon King]

I use my 2" Proline jet instead of trying to make a nozzle and have plenty of suction through about 8' of hose. I don't lift the material out/above of the water.
ratled

You are using a 2" nozzle with an electric bilge pump? That's AWESOME!
...and more food for thought...



kcm...

I bought the pump on Ebay for like $45...not sure of the brand but the packaging said
Large Volume - High Pressure.

I know that now that I got it figured out it will throw a 1" rock out of my 8' hose that will go 3/4 of the way down the sluice box...completely misses the riffles.
Which is why I need a different sluice box now.

 

[Salmon King]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!

I was getting back pressure on the suction hose because I use a hose barb to connect the hose to the nozzle. It took the flow from a 1.5" to a 1.25".
This was not letting enough water out the outlet fast enough.
I removed the hose barb, connected the hose directly to the nozzle and I now have more suction than I thought I'd ever get...even in a perfect world!
In fact it works so well I needed to use care not to overload the box at the outlet.
COLOR ME HAPPY!!!!!

Now...I think I'll buy me a backpacking sluice to use with it. I hear McKirk makes a really nice one that's actually inexpensive.

 

[kcm]

Great! Now you can post some pics.

 

[Salmon King]

Before I take pictures or a video I have to find (or make) the right box set up that I'm envisioning.
Then test it...I hate showing failures. ;-(