# Off season project... your thoughts...



## Sean Ehmke (Jan 4, 2006)

Ok, this might sound alittle winded but bare with me. Since this year we had to deal with alot of cold temps and freezing water I have decided to come up with an idea.
My idea was this: An electric home made pump to help keep the water from re-freezing while we are sitting in the blind.
The parts would consist of the following:
(1) old porcelan (SP) washer tub.
(1) pump (would need help on what I can use) submersible (110/115)
(1) power converter (size?)
(1) car battery
This would be similar to the snow goose caller setup. My problem is I am not very good at the electircal part and need to know what size of power converter I would need and if one battery is enough to run all day long. I would place the battery and converter in a box so I can transport for charging.Here is a picture of what I am thinking.








The reason I was thinking electric would be for the noise not scare birds. I guess do you think this will work or do you think I am chasing a dream. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,Sean


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Just get a big bilge pump for a boat.. Already 12vlt.

You could rig it up to hang under a goose floater to avoid the wash tub setup.

I like the drawing.. :beer:


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## cutter08 (Sep 11, 2008)

i think you are going to have a problem with the power inverter. One deep cycle isn't going to last to long. I like the idea and i am sure it is a lot cheaper then an ice eater. I don't even know where to fined a 12V pump. Keep us posted and let us know what you come up with


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## Sean Ehmke (Jan 4, 2006)

dblkluk, do you know how much they cost or how much water they pump. I was thinking of using a sump pump or smaller. Just wasn't for sure how these would hold up as well as the power converter would take it.

Thanks,
Sean


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Heres link that should give you an idea..

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t.../search-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1


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## 9erfan (Oct 18, 2007)

of course you won't need this next year, what with global warming and all....

:koolaid:


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## 9erfan (Oct 18, 2007)

in all seriousness, I have heard of guys just mounting an electric trolling motor to a post to basically do what you're thinking about


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

Macks and Cabelas both sells agitators. If it is something that I was going to use all the time. I would just by one and use it.


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## Sean Ehmke (Jan 4, 2006)

dblkluk, do you have a drawing or sketch on how they mounted it to the bottom of the floater and how do you keep the floater from moving around?

Thanks for the help.

Sean


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Or, you could get one of the floating pond pumps. AKA like a pump that is used to shoot water up in the air. You could take a couple Oversized goose shells and mount them on the flocker.

They have a tube that goes down and pumps up and shoots the water out. You would just need to put something over the part that the water comes out of. Have the water stay ground level.

Guys I think he is basicly talking about something that is going to pump water from under the ice to ontop of it. So an agitator isn't going to get it done.

I would just take my 2 inch gas pump out there and have the thing hooked up. If the ice starts to refreeze fire it up for a few min!

You can get 2 inch gas pumps with hose and everything for less then $500. IMO thats what you want to do!


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## shooteminthelips (Jun 13, 2007)

How much is some TNT? :beer:


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## dblkluk (Oct 3, 2002)

Sean Ehmke said:


> dblkluk, do you have a drawing or sketch on how they mounted it to the bottom of the floater and how do you keep the floater from moving around?
> 
> Thanks for the help.
> 
> Sean


Actually Ive never seen it done. Just throwing ideas out there..

I wouldnt think it would be too terribly difficult with a little imagination though.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I'd use a high volume bilge pump on an aerator timer set to run every few minutes. That way you would increase your battery life but still move enough water to keep it open. You could experiment with attaching a flexible outlet hose to a decoy. That way when the water was pumping the decoy would also be moving giving you some motion.


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## Sean Ehmke (Jan 4, 2006)

Thanks for the help guys. I will probably go with a high volume bilge pump. Then that way if we set up in a field with flooded terraces I can use it there as well. I will post some of my findings and ideas as I experiment with this.

Thanks,
Sean


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## wetspot27 (Jul 16, 2008)

nice drawing you might have problems with power though we have a honda generator about 200 yards from the blind in a box to cut down on noise if there is any wind u can not here it cut an hole for the pipe and line the whole box in carpet double up the plywood if needed we did but might of been a waste. the only problem is the amount of heavy dudy extention cords you have to hall but when everyone else is froze you will be glad you did it.


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