4000 gph 12 volt pump??

catfishjim90 · Sep 17, 2014

I made a 11" highbanker 4 foot long, do you think a 4000 gph 12 volt pump would push enough water.I am finding good gold in ind. where I go thay wont alow gas motors.I am using gold hog matting. The pump is a rule and 15.5 amps. And how long do think it would last on a batt. thanks for any input Catfishjim90.

SHoward · Sep 17, 2014

When ever I have a new setup I test it out in a wading pool ( about 10 bucks at Wal mart). That way I can get my angles and flows figured out before I head to the river. That will give you a good idea of how long the battery will last. If your battery is not giving you a good run time consider two batteries in parallel, batteries run cooler and last a lot longer (3-4 times longer). Of course lugging two batteries around isn't exactly my idea of fun.

Jim in Idaho · Sep 17, 2014

Just divide the amp/hours of the battery by 15.5. That gives you the hours of runtime. The best batteries for this use are golfcart deepcycle. Most of them are 6volt, but you can buy a 12v made by Crown in Ohio. To get the most lifespan on your battery, don't discharge below 50%, which is a reading of 12.0 volts with no load. You can go lower, but it shortens the life. I put a 12v digital voltmeter on my stuff so I can monitor the voltage with the push of a button. You can buy these little digital meters on Ebay for $10.
Jim

Prospector70 · Sep 17, 2014

my 1000 gph pump is almost useless...

Prospector70 · Sep 17, 2014

I'm eyeballing a brand new 6.5 hp 3 inch trash pump. from the home d. $200.00.
Supposedly 12,660 GPH. That should be just enough to run my BGT highbanker LoL

Timberdoodle · Sep 19, 2014

Your choice of a battery will determine the runtime. Deep cycle batteries are the best for this type of use. When getting up in current draw like the 4000gph rule pump it is best to find a battery that is rated with a RC (reserve capacity rating) this will be in minutes that the battery can run at 25amps and is a much better determination of battery quality then using AH rating. (some cheap marine Walmart batteries can have 100AH rating @1amp and can't handle high amps without running down fast)
Both ratings (RC and AH) are rated for a discharge down to 10.5volts so it is best to factor 80% of the calculated runtime for good operation.
Battery rated for 135minutes RC = 135minx25amps=3375 total amp minutes
3375min x 80% = 2700 total amp minutes
2700min / 15.5current draw = 174 minutes
174min / 60 = 2.9hrs of good runtime
Some manufacturers like Powersonic have charts for each battery which list runtimes with different amp loads. I will usually refer to these, but If they aren't available the calculations above will give you a rough idea on runtime. If the battery does not have an RC rating, I would look for one that does based on needing to draw 15.5amps. A lot of batteries have plates that are not designed for this size load and you can ruin them fast.
Hope this helps

AzViper · Sep 19, 2014

catfishjim90 said:
I made a 11" highbanker 4 foot long, do you think a 4000 gph 12 volt pump would push enough water.I am finding good gold in ind. where I go thay wont alow gas motors.I am using gold hog matting. The pump is a rule and 15.5 amps. And how long do think it would last on a batt. thanks for any input Catfishjim90.

Here is a great link to understanding Deep Cycle Batteries, Deep Cycle Battery FAG. For what your after you may want to look into a means of charging the the battery or batteries while in the field so that you can extend your run time. Depending on your location, time of year, size of panels used, and sunlight available. Solar is a means of charging those batteries. Here some food for thought.

First off, you don't want to go below 50%. That means a 100 Amp/hr battery has 50 Amp/hrs available. Second, replacing the Amp/hrs used is the easy part. A panel's output is more like this:

200 Watts of solar panel @ 80% derating = 160 Watts * 4 hours of 'good sun equivalent' means 660 Watt hours potential harvest. On a 12 Volt system this is roughly 55 Amp/hrs so it could replenish a 100 Amp/hr battery at 50% providing you are not also drawing loads while recharging. That's the part most people forget about. Third, there is the peak charge current issue. It's necessary to have current of at least 5% of the battery's Amp/hr rating in order for proper charging to be achieved. 10% is better, and 13% is typically the maximum. In this case, 100/10 = 10 Amps. The 200 Watt panel would provide this: 160 W / 14.2 charging Volts = 11 Amps. Just over the 10% target so there's room for efficiency losses, providing they aren't too much.

So in your case depending on hours in the field more watts of panels would be needed.

Hoser John · Sep 19, 2014

With all the weight of a deep cycle battery that lasts more than a few hours you'd be much better served by a real pump with a gas engine, unless banned that is. Lots a luck-John

AzViper · Sep 19, 2014

catfishjim90 said:
I made a 11" highbanker 4 foot long, do you think a 4000 gph 12 volt pump would push enough water.I am finding good gold in ind. where I go thay wont alow gas motors.I am using gold hog matting. The pump is a rule and 15.5 amps. And how long do think it would last on a batt. thanks for any input Catfishjim90.

With all the weight of a deep cycle battery that lasts more than a few hours you'd be much better served by a real pump with a gas engine, unless banned that is. Lots a luck-John

I suppose someone should have read your entire post thoroughly as you did mention gas motors were not allowed.

Prospector70 · Sep 19, 2014

Doc is a treasure trove of information. Watch his video on pump choices for his highbanker.<3

NeoTokyo · Sep 20, 2014

That's an awesome video, thanks for sharing the link P70.

Thanks to Doc for making it.

Hoser John · Sep 20, 2014

Hahahaha those who think they are perfect do absolutely nothing so to err is indeed human. :laughing7:

Go to your local parts store and heft one of them batteries and see if you really want to lug them monsters around,with all your other gear, out into the back country. --John

Prospector70 · Sep 20, 2014

Hoser John said:
Hahahaha those who think they are perfect do absolutely nothing so to err is indeed human. Go to your local parts store and heft one of them batteries and see if you really want to lug them monsters around,with all your other gear, out into the back country. --John

Avg:
Motorcycle battery: 10 lbs
Car Battery: 39 lbs
Truck Battery: 53 lbs

<3

catfishjim90 · Sep 20, 2014

Thanks everyone for your input.It really would be nice if I could use a gas pump but it is what it is.This camp ground was going ban all prospecting because of the noise, but settled on no gas motors.Has anybody else had this problem?

AzViper · Sep 20, 2014

Another option is to go completely solar with two panels and a controller with no batteries. You would need two 220 watt solar panels and a DSP 200 Linear Current Booster Controller 12 VDC

A pump controller (linear current booster) is used for pv-direct applications when no batteries are used. The Dankoff DSP 200 uses MPPT technology to deliver the maximum power from the solar array to the pump. This allows the pump to deliver a greater volume of water throughout the day. The extra current helps increase the pump's performance in low light conditions and during startup. The controller also limits the voltage to the pump which protects it from over-speed and damage. The DSP 200 requires an ATO/ATC type fuse. It comes with a 10 amp fuse but you would need a 20 amp fuse. The maximum output for a 12 volt pump is 20 amps.

catfishjim90 · Oct 1, 2014

I need to bye a deep cycle battery for my 4000 gph 12 volt Johnson bilge pump. For my highbanker.can anyone tell me the best to get, and how long it will last? The pump draws 15.5 amps. Thanks for any help

AzViper · Oct 1, 2014

You did not mention the size of battery your wanting to buy. Any deep cycle battery you should never allow the battery to drop below 50 percent of its capacity. So knowing this if you buy a 100ah battery your only going to get a few hours of use.

You may want to look at Trojan Batteries as they are used in marine, rv, golf carts.

catfishjim90 · Oct 1, 2014

Yes I want to buy a 12 volt deep cycle battery. Could I get two and put them inline would that work?

Timberdoodle · Oct 1, 2014

I have had good luck with one of these. Exide Stowaway Deep Cycle Marine/RV -Deep Cycle Battery, 27MDCST
Tractor supply sells them for $90. If you connect 2 in parallel you could get 5-6 hours runtime. If you have a way to transport them easily, then 2 is better than 1 by sharing the current load and is less expensive than 1 larger battery in most cases.