slurry booster pump capacitor

Semi-Trash Pump

Semi-Trash Pump

For quite a while I've needed a pump that runs on fossil fuel, that could move a fair amount of muddy, organically filled anoxic non-clean water (muck). As I'm getting closer to Dave D's age, things need to be lighter than they were in recent years. I'd been using submersible electric sump pumps running from a very heavy 5KW electric generator. They worked, but ... I thought I found the pump I wanted that I could get almost without any additional cash, through some gift certificates I have. The reviews for this, and similar pumps, turned out to be horrible. Until I got into the greater than $500-$600 category, the reviews for most pumps were dismal, or the pumps were just too heavy/big for me. Then I ran across a no-name (well, Red Lion). I found a couple of people who really loved theirs. The pump I bought had 5-star reviews on several web sites. I found that Tractor Supply kept this particular model in stock. The 2-inch semi-trash pump, with 6 hp engine, (150 GPM/9000 GPH)was on sale for $219.95. I also bought some intake and discharge hoses, filters, and adapters. All together, just over $400, including an 8500 sq. ft. impulse sprinkler. I was surprised how small and light the thing was. About 50 lbs., including roll cage that pretty well protects the whole engine and pump. It fits perfectly in the base of my tractor front-end loader, along with 100 ft. of 2-inch hose. One of the things the reviews stated was the ease of starting. After making sure it had the correct amount of crankcase oil, the pump was primed, and I only put about a half-inch of gasoline in the tank -- just in case it didn't start. I dropped the intake hose off the end of the dock. I put the discharge hose up on the lawn. I started to pull the starter cord to get the piston to the near top of the cylinder, so I could give it a good pull. It started as I was tightening the starter cord! Within a few seconds, the 25 foot discharge hose was thrashing around on the lawn like a huge snake on meth and crack. I've used it twice since early this week. Assuming it holds up, it sure does move a lot of water with minimal gasoline usage. It seems to be quite well built -- even though it came from China. As I'm sure most know, the weather in our area is kind of hot right now. I bushhogged about an acre of 3-foot high fescue yesterday morning so we could light off some large commercial fireworks for July 4. After cutting, the fescue dried pretty significantly in yesterday's 100 degree direct afternoon sun. I put a half-tank (half-gallon) of gasoline in the new pump and hooked it to the sprinkler later yesterday afternoon. It ran for three hours on the 1/2 gallon of gasoline, and thoroughly soaked the cut grass. During that time we moved the sprinkler once to cover the entire acre. It was pushing water well over a 150 foot diameter. Sometime before our typical fall pond turnovers, I plan to disconnect my floating dock from shore where I can pull it with shore-secured posts and ropes, from side-to-side in a matrix. I plan to take the pump into the deeper parts of the pond where I know I've got a lot of silt and anoxic materials in this 25 year-old pond. I want to pump the muck/water into the air and onto shore behind silt fencing above the pond. I'm hoping to aerate the water, and hopefully capture a lot of this old muck as the water returns to the pond. Anyway, these are just some opinions on what I think is a pretty good product, for pretty good price. Regards, Ken

Re: Semi-Trash Pump

Ken: I bought one in the middle of our drought last year when it appeared my secondary pond was on its way out. Local hooligans had wiped me out of catfish at night so I figured I could start all over and, at the same time, irrigate the several motts of ancient live oaks that were beginning to drop leaves in June (not a good thing). I purchased that same Red Lion trash pump from TSC, along with 300' of 2" collapsible vinyl hose and ran that pump for about 5 days, 12 hours a day and saved those trees. It never missed a beat. Have used it several times since. Didn't cost near as much as a Honda. Earl