Hape E4046 Double Sand and Water Wheel - Beach and Bath Toys

Product Information

To just see the general principal of a water wheel at work with a one time experiment, you can use cardboard and white glue. If you would like your water wheel to last under numerous experiments in the water, go for the more water proof option by using foam board and pins. Hot glue is waterproof and can be used in place of the pins if making the foam board water wheel.) What You Do: If you’ve never created a wheel before, we recommend U-BILD’s step-by-step book which details each part of the process in clear diagrams. The same techniques outlined in the book can be applied to much larger (or smaller) water wheels, so it’s a useful resource for all types of design. For the budget consensus or for smaller sized water gardens as décor, this 12″ diameter decorative wooden water wheel is a great choice of entry-level wheel. Hand-crafted from high quality pine wood, the wheel features a 12 inch (30 cm) diameter design with a popular overshot movement type. Unlike undershoot wheels, this wheel requires water flow coming from overhead for the best operation. Water which hits the wheel will be collected in the blades, and the wheel will turn on it’s shaft and axle as water builds to the correct capacity. The water wheel is housed within a very pretty wooden frame made to resemble a traditional watermill. The wheel sits with it’s axle within the main house which extends to the top of the wheel and moves water from the top to bottom in an “overshot” design. Although the wheel is designed for exterior use, coming with it’s own water tray, it can still be placed on a shallow pond shelf or on an embankment next to the pond. For overshot designs, or very tall water wheels, solar powered pond pumps may not be suitable as you’ll need to lift water to the top of the water wheel. In this instance a quality submersible pump or an external pump would be a better choice, as both would provide higher head height values compared to solar powered pumps. To work out exactly what size pump youneed will depend on the height of the waterwheel and how much flow is required to turn the blades and create movement.

A small submersible pump is included for convenience and has been fitted to easily power the wheel by pumping water to a small outlet in the head of the watermill. The pump will require electricity to work (6″ length cable), so you would need to make sure you have a power outlet handy to get things running. Finally, the wheel is safe for fish ponds and wildlife ponds thanks to it’s oil-free bearings and natural wood coating. Overall, a great little water wheel which would be perfect as decoration in a small water garden or small goldfish pond. Overall, a great hassle-free water wheel kit crafted from high quality wood, non-toxic materials, and with the addition of a water pump ready for operation. Although you have less flexibility in terms of design, the water wheel is a good choice if you just want a fancy decoration without the added fuss of construction. Both goldfish and koi are curious creatures, and will enjoy spending time around the base of the wheel due to the higher dissolved oxygen conditions. To keep fish safe, the wheel needs to be installed in an elevated position, and the wheel material needs to be treated with a non-toxic coating so it doesn’t leech into water. For example, for a 1 foot wheel which requires 200 GPH of water flow, you’d need a pump which can provide at least 200 GPH of water pressure at 1 foot of head height. An external pump model in this instance would likely be overkill, with a small submersible (pictured) being more cost effective. However, for a 5 foot water wheel which benefits from 500+ GPH of water pressure, a small external pump may be more energy efficiency in the long term.Overshot wheels are another common type of pond waterwheel design, being more efficient than undershot but more difficult to install and get moving. These wheels can achieve up to an 80% efficiency with specialist design, but the height of the wheel and diameter of the blades are directly proportional to power generation. This means you often need to go BIG to achieve decent power generation, making them sometimes non-practical compared to other eco-power methods. For decorative purposes, overshot wheels can look great and will have plenty of movement if installed with a quality pump with decent flow rate and head height values. Most water wheel kits will be an overshot type as they’re easier to keep moving when the water framework is installed correctly. Water Wheel Powered Pond Pumps – What Should You Choose? Submersible ponds are placed underwater, making them convenient for “undershot” wheels, but can also easily power “overshot” designs, too. Make a straight line two inches from the edge of the foam board, down one short side of the foam board or cardboard. Divide this section into ten 1.5 inch segments. These will be your paddles. The wheels are all overshot designs, so will require water flow to enter from the top of the wheel for best operation. The smallest wheels (15″) can be powered easily with solar pumps, small submersible pumps, or even a garden hose. The large wheels, such as the 48″ wheel, would require a stronger pump which can maintain higher water pressures at up to 1 foot of head height (height of water wheel). Although these are approximate values, we’d recommend a pump ranging from 400-600 GPH for the largest wheels to ensure smooth movement and the best aesthetic.

Cut out the water wheel pieces from the foam board or cardboard with scissors or a box cutter. Have an adult help you! If you already have a pond pump powering a waterfall or filter system, and the pump is providing plenty of flow, an undershot type water wheel can sometimes be installed in-line with the existing pump. Although we recommend dedicated pumps for larger wheels, if you’re purchasing a smaller design, you can install the wheel in front of the strongest flow in the pond and see what happens! The wheels are crafted by an expert Amish craftsman specialising in decorative water wheels, and are available in a range of impressive colors. The colors used are natural and non-toxic, with the pine wood material also coated in natural soy bean extract to keep moisture from damaging the wood. Both coating and colors are 100% safe for fish and wildlife. Using the protractor, trace out two circles on the foam board, marking the center of the circle using your protractor. This is where your axle will connect the two halves of your water wheel.

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Use glue or pins to attach the short end of the paddles so that they line up on the markings on the wheel. Attach the other half of the water wheel to the paddles.