Thread: Water lift

All arguments aside, how do we figure that one in Rays link works? I’m guessing its a double ended hydro cylinder. It mentions in the add, that it reuses its own water. I’m figuring double sided, so the volume of water is the same both sides of the piston. It pumps from the dead side and pumps into the load side.

In a later, re-listed add, some one asked a question.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250851045045

The structure is 5.5 metres high, for a lift of 2.4 metres, so you have room to do that, I’d think.

In the second picture, you can see the supply and discharge lines going up into the structure. You would only need a valve to switch over whether it pumped into the top of the cylinder or the bottom, if the displacement from both side is the same.

It would have to be a corrosion resistant cylinder, and there would be some science in the seals so they don’t produce too much drag.

Phil.

Ah, is that how him works. I would have thought it had a storage pit somewhere. Then you only pump to get it up and controlled discharge back into the pit to lower it. I guess a BIG LONG threaded rod thats turned is a lot more difficult.

Originally Posted by _fly_

Ah, is that how him works.

That’s only guess work, I’ve never seen one, I was just going on what I could see in the pictures. You would need some control of it. What’s the other options? I had thought of a cable attached to the lift, pulleys in the roof and a counter weighted 44 gallon drum that you pump full. Seems like a good way to launch Nana through the roof.

You could be right about the storage pit, but looking at the second & thrid pictures from the left, both hoses, suction and delivery, seem to be heading upwards into the structure. The pump is already sitting up at the landing level, at the top of the stairs.. You would think a reservoir would be at foundation level.

Regards Phil.

Originally Posted by Machtool

All arguments aside, how do we figure that one in Rays link works? I’m guessing its a double ended hydro cylinder. It mentions in the add, that it reuses its own water. I’m figuring double sided, so the volume of water is the same both sides of the piston. It pumps from the dead side and pumps into the load side.

That would make sense. But it'd still need a reservoir to replace operational losses.

However, given the price I suspect that one is much simpler in design. Double-ended rams are expensive! I suspect that - as was suggested earlier - it's simply pumping into the ram for lift and controlled discharge back into the reservoir for fall.

I'd also imagine there'd be some jiggery-pokery with cables and pulleys to tailor the load to whatever pressure that leccy pump can exert. (eg. you could double the lift height, but also need twice the pressure to lift the same weight. Or double the load rating, at the expense of only half the lift height.)


Oh... and RMM? One thing about these forums: if you ask for advice, you'll get it. Often not the advice you ask for, but you only get what you pay for!

Still, if/when you start building - and posting the mandatory progress shots - I suspect there'd be a lot of us watching with interest.

If it was only a couple of metres you could probably use one of those car lifts...

As usual, what seems to be a new idea, has been done before. The earliest type of lift in Melbourne was controlled by water pressure. Long before cables and motors.
Peter

I'm reminded of the excellent TV series that described how things worked.
Here's a part of the episode on lifts:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdwEWMCidR4]‪The Secret Life Of Machines - The Lift Part-3‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

Jordan

Found an interesting link about the old lifts raised by water pressure:Water Powered Lifts : Nostalgia Board - Melbourne, Victorian & Australian Architecture Topics
Peter

Why is water better than gears, chains etc?

Is the power needed for the water pump less than that required for a straight electric motor and mechanical system? I'd guess the power would be about the same in each give or take the different efficiencies of the systems.

What's the general benefit of water over 'mechanical' (for want of a better description)

safer and simpler would be the main advantages..

Originally Posted by murray44

Why is water better than gears, chains etc?

as RC said Murray
did you watch the video above?