[Tfug] *Way* OT... :>

[Don Freeman]

Take a regular piece of hose bent into a u shape. Plug the outlet end so the
air can't escape. Push the inlet down to the bottom of the barrel and
quickly open the outlet. The rush of water will start the flow. The farmers
use this technique all the time when they irrigate their fields. 


Don W. Freeman
Special Projects Manager
Pima Association of Governments
177 N. Church Ave. #405
Tucson AZ 85701
(520) 792-1093 voice
(520) 620-6981 fax

-----Original Message-----
From: tfug-bounces at tfug.org [mailto:tfug-bounces at tfug.org] On Behalf Of
Bexley Hall
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 11:55 AM
To: tfug at tfug.org
Subject: [Tfug] *Way* OT... :>

Hi,

We collect rain water (note to self:  do not plant citrus trees when you
live in the desert... REGARDLESS of how fond you may be of the fruit!).
Currently, several polyethylene (?) 55G barrels.

Polyethylene doesn't like most adhesives.  I.e., if you want to "glue" a
spigot onto the bottom of the tank, you need to either *weld* it *or* use a
compression seal.

Besides, why put a hole in the bottom of such a nice container if you don't
*have* to!

Since a 55G bbl of water weighs a considerable amount (I think ~400lbs if
memory serves), you can't really *carry* the barrel to where you need/want
that water.  Nor can you easily *tip* it to pour from it.

So, I usually empty them with a garden hose and siphonic action.

Of course, I am not fond of priming such a siphon "by hand"
(by mouth??).  So, usually find other tricks to get it primed (somehow, it
primed itself in last night's storm and emptied one of the barrels before
morning!).

When I was knee-high-to-a-grasshopper, I had a self-priming siphon that, to
a youngster, was absolutely *magical*!  You just put it in a barrel of water
and it started to work!

Unfortunately, I wasn't oobservant enough of its workings.  :< All I recall
was a plain tube shaped like an M -- or thereabouts.
I.e., more than an inverted U typical of a siphon.  IIRC, the peaks of the M
were not at the same height -- though that may have just been sloppy
manufacturing?

Anyway... can anyone shed some light on what this might *really* have looked
like?  (ASCII art) Ideally, I would like to make one to take the guesswork
out of the way I currently prime my siphons.

Thanks!
--don


      

_______________________________________________
Tucson Free Unix Group - tfug at tfug.org
Subscription Options:
http://www.tfug.org/mailman/listinfo/tfug_tfug.org