DIY Laminar Flow Nozzle

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epro05

epro05

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Jun 5, 2014
306
Keller, Texas
I found a lot of info on YouTube on building a Laminar Flow Nozzle, so I decided to build one. I installed it on my deck, overlooking the pool. It's a closed loop system. The pump is in the yellow bucket on the right and water goes through the PVC Pipe at the bottom of the deck to the Nozzle at the left, then streams back to the bucket. It has LED lighting, which looks really cool at night. It was a fun project. Here are few pictures/videos. Let me know what you think.






Day Video



Night Video


The nozzle is made from 6 inch PVC pipe, some Scotchbright Pad, a bunch of drinking straws, and a few other items. Here's a view of the construction.
 
The pump is a Total Pond 1200 gallon per hour Waterfall Pump. It's actually a bit more pump than I needed so I put a Tee at the output of the pump. So part of the water goes to the nozzle and part just goes back into the bucket. I put a ball valve in the line back to the bucket so I could control how much water goes to the nozzle and how much goes back into the bucket. Here's a picture of this setup. The pump is inside a mesh bag (comes with the pump) that keeps debris out of the pump.



Cost to build was about $275. (not including a few tools I had to buy). Futher below I've attached my costing spreadsheet.

I don't have any additional build instructions prepared, but will try to answer any specific questions you have.

Here's a link to how one guy approached the design. My design is not the same but you get some idea how it all goes together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCrTcaBWcnA

In my project there is another component which is a low pass filter (LPF). This is needed to reduce the water fluctuations from the pump and steadies the stream coming out of the nozzle. The LPF is simply a pipe closed at the top and bottom with water going into a connection at the bottom and coming back out about 3 inches higher. When the pump is running the water pressurizes the air in the upper part of the LPF. The compressed air help to absorb the pump fluctuations. Here's my LPF which is made out of 6" PVC Riser Pipe.



Here is a link with more information on LPF.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjOZmby5K8c

Here's couple more picture of my nozzle.





Here's my project cost spreadsheet.

 
This is awesome!!!! I just clicked here from a link you posted on one of today's posts (May 2, 2015). I love your laminar and it looks better than others I've seen! I'm going to show this to my son to build be for Mother's Day!!!! I'll pay, if he will do the work.

What beautiful gardens! Someone does a lot of work and it pays off! I also love the glass blocks under the spa spillway and the fountain in the spa! Wow, so many great things going on. I'm so glad you shared this. Take care! Suz
 
Suz. Thanks, I'm glad you like the Laminar. I'm sure your son will be happy to build one for you. If he does, post some pics here.

As for the gardens, it's my wife that does all work. She outside doing more right now. She loves it, especially this time of year, before it gets too hot. I do enjoy the fruits of her labor. It's definitely our oasis, which we enjoy.

Phil
 
epro05 said:
The pump is a Total Pond 1200 gallon per hour Waterfall Pump. It's actually a bit more pump than I needed so I put a Tee at the output of the pump. So part of the water goes to the nozzle and part just goes back into the bucket. I put a ball valve in the line back to the bucket so I could control how much water goes to the nozzle and how much goes back into the bucket. Here's a picture of this setup. The pump is inside a mesh bag (comes with the pump) that keeps debris out of the pump.



Cost to build was about $275. (not including a few tools I had to buy). Futher below I've attached my costing spreadsheet.

I don't have any additional build instructions prepared, but will try to answer any specific questions you have.

Here's a link to how one guy approached the design. My design is not the same but you get some idea how it all goes together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCrTcaBWcnA

In my project there is another component which is a low pass filter (LPF). This is needed to reduce the water fluctuations from the pump and steadies the stream coming out of the nozzle. The LPF is simply a pipe closed at the top and bottom with water going into a connection at the bottom and coming back out about 3 inches higher. When the pump is running the water pressurizes the air in the upper part of the LPF. The compressed air help to absorb the pump fluctuations. Here's my LPF which is made out of 6" PVC Riser Pipe.



Here is a link with more information on LPF.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjOZmby5K8c

Here's couple more picture of my nozzle.





Here's my project cost spreadsheet.

Click to expand...

ht where in hits pool?
Hi,I am a new member on this Forum & need a little advice.I have built a Laminar nozzle using a lot of your plan 7 now need to know what the wattage of your LED lighting unit is?Everything else is working fine but I cant see the light in the arc of jet?I can only see the splash of coloured lig
 

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Great fun project, you did a great job. I've got many other things I need to finish around here before I start on something like this, BUT this looks way more fun. A few questions if you don't mind, did you end up moving it to the pool and integrating it ? Or do you run it as a stand alone fountain as described with it being in the bucket. If the latter, how do you keep the water clean and half way sanitized, if any? Do you ever vary the stream for height or just a static colored display? Thanks.
 
Nope, didn't move it to the pool. I just ran it static for a year or two. I added a bit of bleach to the water every couple of days to keep it sanitized. I finally got tired of taking care of it and disposed of it. It was a really fun project though.
 
epro05 said:
Nope, didn't move it to the pool. I just ran it static for a year or two. I added a bit of bleach to the water every couple of days to keep it sanitized. I finally got tired of taking care of it and disposed of it. It was a really fun project though.
Click to expand...

Makes sense, anytime something takes too much maintenance it will get old. Thanks for sharing your parts list and information about LED. Did the compartment the LED was in stay completely dry?
 
It didn't really stay dry. It was in the open end at the bottom of tube. Rain couldn't directly hit it, but splashes could. Sometimes when it got wet it would stop working, but starting working again after it dried out.
 
I know this is an old thread (brought back with an odd blank post), but this is really cool. I may have to build these around my pool this summer. If fed from the pool water, they'd stay nice and clean.
 
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Going to give this a try this weekend. In the middle of a pool install and did want to pay the big $$ the PB wanted to charge. I tinker with things like this all the time. Going the LED way too. I may start my own post if it all works out.
 
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