Can an automotive water pump be used to supply power in reverse?

Question

I'm wondering an automotive water pump can run in reverse if supplied with pressurized water. If it can, then I could hook up an alternator to its pulley and theoretically get power from it. I'm researching alternative energy and am brainstorming different options to pump water into a storage tank (by windmill most likely), then to take the power from it... be it a water wheel, water pump, whatever. If you know if the pump works in reverse, please let me know. Sorry, not interested in guesses! Thanks!

There are some really good answers here, but i need to be a little more specific. I'm going to use this to power a cabin w/ no hookup nearby. I would like to use a large tank or pond (which i'd have to dig) on the top of the hill as a "battery" if you will, to take power off when needed. I could use wind power to take water from the pond below y to supply the tank or pond above. Wind power directly is great but we can go long periods w/out it here and there is no energy lost by having the water stored above. No more than a few amps a week would be used. The alternator would be powerd by the water pump which would be pressurized from the water above.. if that is indeed possible. If not.. then a water wheel similar would be used. It just seems like a water pump would be more efficient as there isn't any spillage and whatnot.

There are some really good answers here, but i need to be a little more specific. I'm going to use this to power a cabin w/ no hookup nearby. I would like to use a large tank or pond (which I'd have to dig) on the top of the hill as a "battery" if you will, to take power off when needed. I could use wind power to take water from the pond below to supply the tank or pond above. Wind power directly is great but we can go long periods w/out it here and there is no energy lost by having the water stored above. No more than a few amps a week would be used. The alternator would be powered by the water pump which would be pressurized from the water above.. if that is indeed possible. If not.. then a water wheel similar would be used. It just seems like a water pump would be more efficient as there isn't any spillage and whatnot. I'm thinking that water storage would be much cheaper in the long run than the cost of numerous batteries and the replacement of them every 3 years.

Answer 1

Yes, a water pump will spin either direction. There is nothing stopping the hub from turning the opposite direction. If you go to an auto parts store and actually look at a pump, you can see for yourself.

Answer 2

the design if the automotive water pump will not allow this. there are "fins" on the pump which push the water one way. If run in reverse it will only divert water by design. Now you are talking about hooking up an alternator...there is another problem..as an alternator only works if it has power going to it. A generator on the other hand creates it's own power.

here is a suggestion. use the windmill to run the generator...have the windmill set up to where if there is no wind ...then have a resource such as a creek to turn the generator. this could be done by way of a water pump. Now in this situation the water pump could be run backwards..because the water would be coming in and turning the pump backwards rather then the pump being powered by an external source. By way of pulley the water would turn the pump then by way of a differential pulley system you could reverse the turns of the generator ...while at the same time if the wind is blowing it will take over...thus creating an alternative power source.

Hope this helps

Answer 3

First off the water pump does not have a close enough tolerance to prevent water from just flowing by the vanes, so it would only become a minor obstruction in the flow of water. Second even if it was viable, the "pump"would need to be the size of a small car to develope enough torque to turn an alternator at a speed that would produce any results. you may want to try a different type of pump. The water wheel because of it`s size would prove more viable. Using an alternator requires at least 4500 rpm before it will produce the needed "start"voltage to induce the production of any noticable voltage. Ac or Dc And whats wrong with using the wind mill as well? Hope this helps

Answer 4

If you plan to use wind as the power source, why not connect a propeller directly to the alternator and store the electricity in a battery.

If you already have a source of moving water, then the idea of using that energy makes sense. Create a dam upstream and let the water flow through a pipe to a turbine (the car water pump) and have that drive a generator. You can store the water behind the dam and electricity in a battery.

If you make more electricity than you can use at any given time, your electric utility will buy it back from you through a reverse electric meter. They don't have a choice. It's the law. That way you don't have the expense of storing it.

Answer 5

the motor uses a belt to turn the water pump, using pressurized water might not be enough to turn the pump, pulley for the pump and the pulley for the alternator. its worth a try though.

if you are going to use a windmill then why do you need a water pump? just hook a belt to the windmill that will turn the alternator. by the way it is possible to destroy a battery by overcharging it. so you may want to use an accurate voltmeter to monitor the battery voltage. more than one battery could be used, have you given any thought to that?

Answer 6

at first the water pump would not have an extensive sufficient tolerance to stay away from water from in basic terms flowing by way of employing the vanes, so it ought to maximum sensible replace right into a minor obstruction in the pass with the bypass of water. 2d in spite of the incontrovertible fact that it replaced into available, the "pump"might may be the size of a small automobile to develope sufficient torque to tutor an alternator at a velocity that would produce any consequences. it rather is rather helpful to to ascertain out yet another sort of pump. The water wheel because of the fact that of it`s length might tutor greater skill. employing an alternator demands no less than 4500 rpm formerly than it is going to produce the needed "initiate"voltage to bring about the form of any noticable voltage. Ac or Dc And whats wrong with making use of the wind mill as stable? wish this facilitates

Answer 7

The only problem is the vanes in the pump are meant to run in only 1 direction but you can use it as is just have the pump run in it's normal direction and hook up the hoses the way you want the water to go.

Answer 8

Most water pump vanes (the little fins on the impeller) are tapered to only run in one direction, usually in a pulling manner so that it can draw coolant in from the radiator. So, sorry I don't think that it will be possible for you to use a water pump to do what you need it to do.

Answer 9

good luck with that one gilligan

save your money and time and buy a flux capacitor