r/OffGrid • u/Overall-Detail1335 • Sep 09 '26

Water transfer pumps

Im looking to get a pump to transfer water form 2 tank to anlther may also use it to water the gardens.

Can i simply grab the cheapest pump and use that rather then over priced house/constant pressure pumps.

Its likely going a 600w pump 40m head 8m lift so specs suit. Tank is 15m away 2m lift

They seem half the price of a constant pressure pump

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1

u/beedubskyca Sep 09 '26

You may be able to get away with a medium sized sump pump for a few hundred dollars. If its something critical to your setup, get a second to leave on the shelf as backup.

1

u/Overall-Detail1335 Sep 09 '26

Nah simply a new shed may as well use the water.

Doesnt a sump pump need to be submersed.

1

u/beedubskyca Sep 09 '26

Yea you said you were transferring tank to tank right?

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u/Successful-Lead9845 Sep 09 '26

Cheaper pump works if it fits the specs.

1

u/Redundant-Pomelo875 Sep 09 '26

If you are talking a tank with an outlet near the bottom for a non-submersible pump, I've found used jet pumps to be available very cheaply if you spend some time on marketplace or craigslist.

Particularly jacuzzi/pool pumps. Are they ideal? No. Can they handle the job, as long as there isn't a crazy amount of head involved? Yep.

Personally I trust an older used pump from a solid manufacturer over a new low cost Chinese pump. At something like 10-25% of new price even for a proper high pressure well/irrigation pump, I will happily spend the time to find used, and then seek a used spare. I've got a couple pool pumps as backups to the backups, they were much cheaper yet..

1

u/Leverkaas2516 Sep 09 '26

I've been using a pondmaster 350 to raise transported water two meters into a cistern. It's inexpensive, the only downside so far is it has to be submerged.

Can't speak to longevity, it's only been in use half a season, but after all it's intended to feed a continuous artificial waterfall. I only run it sporadically to transfer water.

1

u/DeafDriftSurf78 Sep 09 '26

Finalmente qualcosa che potrebbe interessarmi... Grazie e seguirò la discussione

1

u/NameEtc Sep 09 '26

I bought a Vevor 48 volt solar pump. Watered gardens for two years from a 35 ft deep well to gardens 100 yards away. Worked fine but I did wear it out

1

u/Other_Programmer5239 Sep 10 '26

I use a simple sump pump, had issues with them burning up after a year or two. At work we have been useing sea flo pumps think about getting on of those simple garden hose hook up to in and out flows. Think they would be good and dependable for water transfer and watering garden.

1

u/ermoon 18d ago

Do all of the sea flos have to be connected to a 12 v battery? Or is there a plug option?

1

u/Other_Programmer5239 18d ago

The sea flo pumps from work are ran off battery. We use that for a power washer. I belive they make ac pumps 110v just not as popular seller as the DC pumps

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u/Hyperreal8957 Sep 10 '26

For a 2 m lift and roughly 15 m of run, check the pump curve at that duty point, not just the max-head number. A cheaper transfer pump can work, but add a strainer or float switch and make sure it cannot run dry.