re: wiper vacuum source

[lefty rodan]

After reading the discussion on boosting wiper vacuum isn't there a 12 volt electrically powered vacuum canister available? I'm looking at replacing my vacuum wipers in my 50 merc but it would be a lot easier work wise and possibly cheaper to hook up an independent 12 volt vacuum source and I assume it might give me wipers with some variable speed capability. Any ideas?
Thanks. Lefty Rodan

[Old Henry]

Here's one.



Available here for $14.95: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10...dMEaAr4v8P8HAQ

A bunch more here: https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...mp&safe=active

Here's what looks like the same one in 6 volt if anyone's interested (I might even be): http://www.alibaba.com/product-detai....12.kz1Heb&s=p

More choices here: http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/vacuum-pump-6v.html

[Kahuna]

How would a person determine the capacity required for a vacuum wiper setup to see if one of these vacuum pumps would work?

Seems like a great addition, IF the capacity is there

[JM 35 Sedan]

"After reading the discussion on boosting wiper vacuum isn't there a 12 volt electrically powered vacuum canister available? I'm looking at replacing my vacuum wipers in my 50 merc but it would be a lot easier work wise and possibly cheaper to hook up an independent 12 volt vacuum source and I assume it might give me wipers with some variable speed capability. Any ideas?
Thanks. Lefty Rodan"

Lefty,
Do you possibly have a dual action fuel pump on your Merc now, and that and your manifold vaccum combined are not sufficient to power your wipers? If you are just operating off the manifold vacuum now, you could check to see if a dual action fp would fit on your Merc, and give that a try before going in other directions that have been suggested. Now maybe the cost of a dual action fp would be more than some of the other suggestions that have been made, I am not sure.

ps...I still have that nice 4" Merc crankshaft in my stash just waiting for its chance to get back into a nice newly built flathead, but the only poesibility I see for it now is to maybe use it in an early 21 stud 36 LB engine and it just might happen

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/1951-ford-dou...-/400116863720

[flatheadmurre]

One way to find out what it takes to power the wiper is to measure the volume of the wiper vacuum chamber and then multiply with desired speed of the wipers.

[Old Henry]

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The pump I found (Post #2) moves 12-15 LPM. I'm assuming that's liters per minute. That sounds like quite a bit without knowing exactly how much a vacuum wiper motor takes. I'll probably order the 6 volt one for my car and try it out and see. I won't use it full time but as a "booster" on a long climb in heavy rain or snow to keep the vacuum wipers going.

[flatheadmurre]

Wonder how much the diaphragm of the pump can take, so running it in series and engine braking dont break the pump.

[Old Henry]

Originally Posted by flatheadmurre

Wonder how much the diaphragm of the pump can take, so running it in series and engine braking dont break the pump.

Vacuum can't brake the pump because vacuum maxes out at the ambient air pressure of about -16 psi. The biggest strongest vacuum pump in the world (including a flat heat engine) can't create any more vacuum than that, just higher volume.

For a booster, I will connect my electric pump to the regular wiper vacuum line with a T such that the engine provides the vacuum most of the time. Then, when it doesn't provide enough (long climbs or acceleration) I'll switch on the booster pump to supplement. The one way valve at the carburetor will keep the electric pump from sucking air backwards out of the carburetor or manifold. That's already a stock item in the system.

[tubman]

I would be interested in a 6 volt unit. Does anybody have the scoop on "Ali-Baba"? This is not the first time I've run into them; they seem to be reps for various Chinese manufacturers. Can you order direct from them? When I tried to go further on their site, I got in to a manufacturing quote request area. I didn't go any further for fear of inadvertently ordering 100,000 of something.

[flatheadmurre]

Originally Posted by tubman

I would be interested in a 6 volt unit. Does anybody have the scoop on "Ali-Baba"? This is not the first time I've run into them; they seem to be reps for various Chinese manufacturers. Can you order direct from them? When I tried to go further on their site, I got in to a manufacturing quote request area. I didn't go any further for fear of inadvertently ordering 100,000 of something.

Try ordering "samples" that usually makes them interested in selling a single unit and of good quality to have you return

[V8COOPMAN]

Ali-Baba is supposedly a Chinese AMAZON-like outfit. I steer quite clear! DD

[rotorwrench]

I'm used to watching the manifold air pressure gauges on the helicopters. They likely correlate to some degree on normally aspirated engines. The vacuum in inches HG is usually around 10" HG at idle but increases closer to ambient pressure at wide open throttle. That's why they put the boosters on there was so you would still have enough vacuum to keep the wipers motoring when running down the road at highway speeds. I remember having to let off the throttle now and then to get some vision back when driving in a hard rain. I figure the wiper motor needs around 16 to 20 inches HG in order to operate. The closer to ambient, which is average 29.92" HG at sea level, the slower the wiper will work. Most folks that have ever driven a car or truck with vacuum wipers usually note that they don't motor at all at higher power settings since there is just not enough vacuum there.

If a person uses a vacuum source other than the engine, you could have wipers that work all the time as long as the thing has enough vacuum pumping capacity. A person could use a regulator or an adjustable vacuum bypass bleed if the source put out too much vacuum. This would control the wiper speed to some extent if it was easily adjustable.

[fordor41]

At the moment I have a vac. pump to run my wipers out of a Toyota 4 Runner. It supplies a ton of vac. but I believe because of wiper is used so little, the wiper motor dries out. Lub it and away it goes. I'm heading to electric motor.

[Old Henry]

An electric vacuum pump won't do a thing to help a vacuum motor that's not working right. It's not going to provide any more vacuum than the engine does. All the electric pump can do is provide vacuum when the engine isn't providing it on climbs and acceleration.

[jms50f5coe]

I have a aux. 6 volt vacuum pump on my truck. It has a switch that cycles it on when manifold vacuum is low. Helps alot. Appears to be original to the truck, maybe dealer option. 1950 F5coe

[Old Henry]

I got a quote from the seller of the 6 volt pump. $15.00. I ordered one coming by slow boat. Hope it gets here before my next road trip.

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by jms50f5coe

I have a aux. 6 volt vacuum pump on my truck. It has a switch that cycles it on when manifold vacuum is low. Helps alot. Appears to be original to the truck, maybe dealer option. 1950 F5coe

Sent you a PM regarding the pump on your 1950 F5coe.

[fordor41]

Originally Posted by Old Henry

An electric vacuum pump won't do a thing to help a vacuum motor that's not working right. It's not going to provide any more vacuum than the engine does. All the electric pump can do is provide vacuum when the engine isn't providing it on climbs and acceleration.

that was the point of the vac. pump. A constant, reliable source of vacuum. But the vac motors do tend to dry out from sitting idle for periods of time.

[Alaska Jim]

Old Henry, let us know how it works out, and whether you think it would work as a "stand alone" option, that is , with out the eng. vac. or a double action fuel pump. inquiring minds want to know.-------Jim

[tubman]

A quick "Google" search shows that there are quite a few options for vacuum operated switches that could be used to turn the pump on only when needed. I think I am going to forego my search for a vacuum reservoir for a while until we hear from Henry.