Need Recommendation For DC Powersupply for Sump Pump

Underburden

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Mar 22, 2012
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Gold Hog Stream Sluice
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Any cheap battery charger at Walmart will do the trick.
P1040658.JPG
 

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apynckel

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Apr 22, 2017
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Like a car battery charger? Because it obviously has to be able to supply a minimum of 3A (probably 4 for headroom and no fires).
 

Underburden

Sr. Member
Mar 22, 2012
484
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They are usually triple amp...2 amp trickle charge, 12 amp high charge and 50 amp start. Selectable with a rocker switch.
 

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apynckel

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Apr 22, 2017
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Is there anything more compact that could be used? A laptop computer power supply for instance?
 

Capt Nemo

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Apr 11, 2015
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And why can't you get a 12V 5A transformer, 10A bridge rectifier, and a couple of 50VDC 20,000 uF electrolytic capacitors, and just build it.
 

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apynckel

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Apr 22, 2017
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I don't want to invent my own converter, just looking for something easy, and cost effective.
 

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Underburden

Sr. Member
Mar 22, 2012
484
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Idaho
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Gold Hog Stream Sluice
Primary Interest:
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Are you cramped for space where you don't have room for a conventional battery charger?
 

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apynckel

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Apr 22, 2017
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No, just want to go from AC to DC with as little complication as possible and as close to rated current as possible.
 

Capt Nemo

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Yeah, my suggestion is a little overbuilt, but it will run cool, and be damn near bulletproof. Simple is best! That's the simplest 120VAC to 12VDC power supply you could get. Damn near a wall wart!
 

DizzyDigger

Gold Member
Dec 9, 2012
5,840
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Concrete, WA
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Nokta FoRs Gold, a Gold Cube, 2 Keene Sluices and Lord only knows how many pans....not to mention a load of other gear my wife still doesn't know about!
Primary Interest:
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No, just want to go from AC to DC with as little complication as
possible and as close to rated current as possible.

Nobody's being a dick; think before you comment. What Nemo suggested
for you would make a righteous power supply that would provide you exactly what you asked for.

Honestly, stick to the battery charger as suggested. It will do the job,
and couldn't be simpler to operate.

Yes, you could adapt the power supply you posted a link to, but that would
require cutting wires, twisting and taping, etc. You still would need to recharge the
battery you're using after a day in the field, so that's why the charger is the better choice.

If you want smooth, consistent current then recharge the battery and run the pump off
of it rather than converting an a/c source.
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,281
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St. Louis, missouri
At home I prefer to run my bilge pumps off a battery while I use my battery charger to re-charge it as I'm working. By doing it this way there is no slowing down of the pump when the battery gets low. I've read in the past that running just off the charger (like I used to do) will ruin the charger eventually. I've also seen guys pitching their bilge pumps if they slow down or stop. Cleaning or flushing them out usually brings them back to life.
 

bobw53

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Oct 23, 2014
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At home I prefer to run my bilge pumps off a battery while I use my battery charger to re-charge it as I'm working. By doing it this way there is no slowing down of the pump when the battery gets low. I've read in the past that running just off the charger (like I used to do) will ruin the charger eventually. I've also seen guys pitching their bilge pumps if they slow down or stop. Cleaning or flushing them out usually brings them back to life.

If you are going to run the charger on the battery, with the pump.... Make sure the battery is NOT flat out DEAD and TRASHED... I've made that mistake, battery in my truck started to
crank a little slow, swapped it out and used the old one on the bilge pump.. I was better off running straight off the charger. Use a good battery if you are going to go that route.


On the pumps... First off those lower GPM pumps are CHEAP!!! I always keep a spare for my Gold Cube. I've lost several by letting them sit in the water and not cleaning them
after I'm done. After learning that lesson (more than once) I had one last me quite a while.. Long enough that the impeller actually started to wear out from pumping through
silt and sand. Its still worked, it was just getting "weak", impeller nicely rounded, thinner and shorter.

Nothing worse than getting all set to run a bunch of dirt and the darn pump doesn't work, and you don't have a spare... :BangHead:
 

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apynckel

Greenie
Apr 22, 2017
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Yea, putting some staged filtration between the pump and the sluice is in planning. Going to use 2 or 3 reservoirs with siphons between them to move the water from the sluice to the pump.

I remember watching "gold rush" [cringes] and seeing all the headache everyone always had with their tailings ponds getting so over silted that their pumps couldn't deliver the goods.
 

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