Using Windshield Water Pumps

Build a homemade water gun or water balloon launcher and tell us about it.
 iPro
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Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:20 am

Hello, new here.

I am building an H2O accelerator (a.k.a. WaterPack), a soaker that is supposed to be styled as a Proton pack from the Ghostbusters (And have been succesful with the so-far building). But now the question came to using a water pump. Attaching it to the grip handle would ruin the design (and I am ticked on design) and putting it on the backpack would be inconvinient. So I wondered, whether using windshield washer pumps would be OK? The power suppliement is not a problem, and I read they can give up to 42 psi pressure. I am aiming at 30-40 feet range.
I am in Russia, I am telling you, we got no PVC pipes here, I used iron tubes.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Dug into the topic a little more, found out they only give about 20-40 psi. Would that be enough? The nozzle is a bit smaller than 1/5th of an inch.
Last edited by  iPro on Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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SSCBen
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by SSCBen » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:41 pm

Welcome to SSC!

42 psi, if that figure is accurate, should be very adequate pressure.

Also, I've read about plastic pipe in Russia. You might find this thread helpful: http://forums.sscentral.org/t5179/

Good luck with your project!

 iPro
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:45 pm

Thanks, Ben!
I've already got plastic parts, but they will go for the pack itself. I will attempt to find the most powerful pump, and jack around using lights and sounds :P Will probably update this thread with pics.

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Silence
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by Silence » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:16 pm

Welcome to the forums, iPro!

I haven't seen Ghostbusters for nearly 10 years, so I don't remember what the Proton Pack looks like. I guess I'll have to do some research.

Anyway, I'm interested in seeing your final product once it's done. Good luck. :)

 iPro
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:10 pm

Ah, nice to see a friendly and supportive environment :D
Thanks!

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Specter
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by Specter » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:13 pm

Silence wrote:Welcome to the forums, iPro!

I haven't seen Ghostbusters for nearly 10 years, so I don't remember what the Proton Pack looks like. I guess I'll have to do some research.

Anyway, I'm interested in seeing your final product once it's done. Good luck. :)
GOOGLE images works:

Image
Last edited by Specter on Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
My "arsenal": Customizable APH, Storm 600 pistol (still haven't finished fixing this), launcher- Model:AB1.0(Decommissioned), AB1.5, soon AB 1.1(2"rebuild) maybe ill get something else in the future
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cantab
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by cantab » Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:21 am

 iPro wrote:So I wondered, whether using windshield washer pumps would be OK? The power suppliement is not a problem, and I read they can give up to 42 psi pressure. I am aiming at 30-40 feet range.
I am in Russia, I am telling you, we got no PVC pipes here, I used iron tubes.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Dug into the topic a little more, found out they only give about 20-40 psi. Would that be enough? The nozzle is a bit smaller than 1/5th of an inch.
Pressure isn't the issue. What is is flow. There will probably be a maximum the pump can sustain. This in turn limits the output of your gun, and thus the nozzle size. The size you describe is quite reasonable though.

Besides, your primary interest seems to be aesthetic right? In which case merely equalling stock soakers should be fine, you don't need massive power. And a lower output lets you shoot for longer.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

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SSCBen
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by SSCBen » Tue Aug 11, 2009 3:00 am

Looks nice. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

Can you find some information about the power requirements of your planned pump? For example, does it say something like 10 W @ 200 kPa? This could give a good indication of the pump's adequacy.

I'd agree with cantab that you shouldn't require very high power. Lower power makes your water reservoir last longer and allows batteries to run longer.

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Specter
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by Specter » Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:10 am

Ben wrote:Looks nice. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

Can you find some information about the power requirements of your planned pump? For example, does it say something like 10 W @ 200 kPa? This could give a good indication of the pump's adequacy.

I'd agree with cantab that you shouldn't require very high power. Lower power makes your water reservoir last longer and allows batteries to run longer.

well if its a car windshield washer pump, it most likely runs on 9-14 volts, so he can get a rechargeable battery pack of some voltage in that range with a high watt hours
My "arsenal": Customizable APH, Storm 600 pistol (still haven't finished fixing this), launcher- Model:AB1.0(Decommissioned), AB1.5, soon AB 1.1(2"rebuild) maybe ill get something else in the future
My site Image My website/forum is back up and running, for the most part after it having been deleted in october

 iPro
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:01 am

Umm, the one I am getting will run on a rechargable 12 volt battery.
Here's what I am also planning to do:
I will be able to control the stream density using a transistor, like on a radio, to make the motor run faster or slower. The output is a rather small hole. I am only finished (technology-wise) with the Neutrona Wand, pic:
Image
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 0247-1.jpg

I am aiming more at the THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS version of the proton pack, it looks simplier :P
Image
Unfortunately, not everything is copyable, so don't expect a complete replica :D
Some parts of the original proton pack will stay though, some wiring, 4 cyclotron LEDS and so on. But I pretty much don't think it will look as good as the proton packs seen on screen :P

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SSCBen
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by SSCBen » Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:18 am

The power requirements (not the voltage--we'd need the amperage in addition) can help calculate the steady state flow we'd get at a certain pressure. The formula's rather simple: W_dot = V * I = ΔP * Q

So once you know W_dot (the power) and ΔP (the pressure differential) you know how much flow (Q) the pump can support at that pressure. Note that this is approximate at best; the power requirements of a pump aren't constant as a function of pressure but going off the information usually provided is the best we can do.

 iPro
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:18 pm

This... is a new method of gaining pressure for SScentral, isn't it?

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SSCBen
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by SSCBen » Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:21 pm

Yes and no. There's been a good amount of discussion about it but I came to the conclusion that electric pumps are restricted to low powered water guns unless one wants to spent a lot of money on a higher end pump and batteries. I can't recall any specific finished projects though, so we'll definitely reference this for some time to come for the electric pump alone (regardless of the excellent looks!).

 iPro
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:14 pm

Sorry for no update, I've been gathering parts, and... well... got lazy.
OK, so I am planning on making a trap too.
http://www.gbfans.com/images/gbtrap_playskool2000.jpg
How will this work?
So it will look like a tank with a sprinkler. The tank will hold both water and pressure. A remote triggered mechanism will be used to push the release valve, sending a splash into the air. Nothing explodes, so it's safer than those grenades and mines I read about.

EDIT: Unfortunately, the power switch on the handle has to go. It will be like in the cartoon, on the pack itself. The problem was that the wooden box, which I made for the handle has... broken. So now it will be on the pack, but withing an arm's reach.
Last edited by  iPro on Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

 iPro
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Re: Using Windshield Water Pumps

Post by  iPro » Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:38 pm

The pump is here
Image
No watts, only voltage and address of the factory. This one comes from a VolksWagen Transporter, assuming the vehicle has a humongous windshield, the pump should do just enough to build up the pressure in the bladder, which will be on the handle itself.
The trouble here is too attach it to the main tank (a LOT of Teflon tape needed :D )
And on the side note... I found PVC pipes in Moscow. Too late XD

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