On Wed, 22 Apr 2015 06:13:33 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Have you ever dealt with a dirty water pump that just wouldn't
drain the last few inches? Is there a simple solution?

There are simple solutions and cheap solutions. Pick one.

The simple solution is to rent a proper trash pump:
http://powerequipment.honda.com/pumps/trash-pumps
Attach a suction hose (one that won't collapse) and most important, a
strainer,
http://www.hondaenergy.com/product.php/286/water_pump_strainer_2_inch
and pump away. It should clear your swamp in a few minutes. As the
water level goes down, use a snow shovel to clear out the remaining
debris and dead bodies. It's better to stop and shovel than to
constantly unclog the strainer. Resist the temptation to remove the
strainer as that's the only thing keeping your pump from eating a rock
and jamming. It takes two people. One person to operate the hose and
the other to shovel. Do not ask how I learned to do this.

The cheap way is a hand operated bilge pump borrowed from someone with
a boat.
https://www.google.com/search?q=hand+operated+bilge+pump&tbm=isch
I have several of this type. Same ritual as the rented pump as these
things really don't like dirty water and debris. The down side is
that water weighs 8.3 lbs/gallon and it could take forever. The good
news is that you'll get plenty of exercise. Estimate the amount of
water you have to pump and calculate the weight. That's how much
weight lifting exercise you're about to experience.

If you don't mind some fabrication, you can build an Achemedes screw
pump out of any kind of flex hose spiraled around a shaft with a
crank. These can easily handle debris.
https://www.google.com/search?q=archimedes+screw&tbm=isch
Unfortunately, it may take longer to build and debug than to continue
bailing with buckets. It will also need a small pipe in order to work
at 3" and below.

If you have a larger air bladder and some bricks, you can raise and
displace the water to a higher water level, giving your Harbour Fright
pump more depth with which to work. If that's too complicated, try a
few boards to build a dam, and shove the water to one side of the pool
for pumping.

Last resort is to find a rectangular trash can, and drag it along the
bottom of the pool. Not the most efficient but at least you'll be
picking up the trash along with the water.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558