Ideas needed for amateur WaveLoch project.

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

So a group of us want to make our own Wave Loch type setup in my backyard because we're unable to boat right now due to all the flooding. The local lake we usually go to is closed until July 31st due to flooding and bacteria!

www.waveloch.com

We have everything figured out except for the type of motor/pump we need to push a pretty good size volume of water at a pretty decent speed over our mat.

FYI - We've designed a skeleton structure made out of wood and metal. The overlaying skin is an 18' x 25' wrestling mat. Smile

Does anyone have any ideas? Has anyone seen the motor or equipment used by a waveloch or similar type system. I'm thinking we can make one for under $4,000 depending on the motor setup. One idea is to use two jet ski motors and impellers.

Any help is much appreciated.

Cory Kerber · Criminal Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 87 City: FRESNO

The jet ski motors may work. Idk if a pump would have the power to put out the water fast enough.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

I sent out for some information on those waveloch systems. I thought they had some specifications in there. If I can find them I'll let you know.

The jets are going to be the most difficult, expensive part. You also need a large holding tank for enough water so that the impellers are always submerged. Those things pump a ridiculous amount of water.

flounderbout · Outlaw Joined: 30 Sep 2006 Posts: 224 City: London

Don't forget you need a full circuit for it to work. So you need a deep flow channel back to the start... Not quite as elaborate as the pic maybe, but you can't just fire water at a mat.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

flounderbout, that's the most elaborate waveloch system they make. You do need to recirculate the water shot at the mat. The purpose of the "deep flow channel" in this diagram is that the once the rider falls they end up automaticaly in the lazy river. But you don't need a deep channel like that.

Here's what the basic system looks like. The water from the pumps drops behind the mat and gets circulated back to the intake.

flounderbout · Outlaw Joined: 30 Sep 2006 Posts: 224 City: London

Wakebrad, cool trailer. I want one!
I wasn't suggesting you need the whole water park thing - you do however need some way of getting the water to circulate - as you say in the trailer example the water flows back under the wave form, which would be hellish difficult to achive with a wrestling mat!
I'm sure it is do-able, but you need either a) a hell of a big water reserve (which is the point you make in your first post) or b) a very efficient water return system. Otherwise your pumps will run dry in about 10 secs. And then fry.
In a back yard scenario it is going to be hard to get the mat raised such that water flows back underneath it (unless you have it on a solid form, which makes the mat kinda redundant), and so you need some serious channels to make sure the water gets back round to your pumps.
Would love to see someone get one of these set up though. In fact I'd olve to see one get a commercial version available at the sort of price you could deal with for personal use. I'd definitely have one instead of a swimming pool. Or maybe as well as...

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

Basically you'd have two layers, one being the top (the mat) and then another channel underneath so the water just flows back towards the front (gravity). It's actually a very simple idea. The water is being forced up, just put a grate (and a net) up at the top so the water flows through and then let gravity do the rest. Again, the pump piece of things is the only thing holding us back. We're building a small scaled version (desktop model) using a small sump pump and compressed air.

If anyone has any ideas on the size pump needed, it would be most beneficial.

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

Here is a great drawing of how things are setup at Waveloch! Checking on a price for one of those pumps!

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

wakessories, I wonder what the power requirements would be. I wonder if you could run them on 110AC

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

Most likely not. Those pumps need like 460 volts, so we'd probably be looking at a 3 phase setup! I have a local Flynt pump dealer working on pricing for me for the EXACT pumps Waveloch uses. This outta be expensive! Smile

wakessories · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 283

Ok, so I finally got a rough price out of the local Flynt rep. Going strictly by the picture above and what the pump looks like, it's about a $25-$35,000 pump. Smile

From what I can tell, the pump in that picture is actually backwards, the water flows through the pump over the motor to help keep it cool. We're talking roughly 3,000 - 5,000 gallons per minute! It does in fact require 3 phase (460 volts)