Trash Pump Vs. Water Pump

Derrick Enterprises is one of Red Deer's own oil field equipment suppliers. We supply temporary office trailers, job site trailer rental, wellsite trailer rentals, power generator rental, trash pump rentals, and heavy duty equipment rentals. One of the questions we often find ourselves answering is, what's the difference between a trash pump and a water pump?

A standard 3 trash pump or 2 trash pump (that is, pumps with either a 3-inch or 2-inch diameter) can handle liquids and solids simultaneously. A standard water pump with the same diameter won’t be able to handle any solid material, with the exception of a little dirt and dust. If you’re dealing with clean water, a water pump will do the trick nicely. On the other hand, if you’ll be dealing with bits of mud, trash and other random solid objects in that water, a trash pump is more appropriate.

2 vs. 3 Trash Pump: The Right Size Depends on the Trash

Trash pumps can handle solid waste up to half of the size of their hose diameter—which means that a pump with a 2-inch diameter can handle solid waste as big as 1 inch in diameter. For 3-inch trash pumps, that would be 1.5 inches. Don’t be tempted to cram bigger trash down the hose or you’ll cause a messy jam that could damage the pump! If in doubt, just go with the bigger hose to avoid problems.

When Should I Use a Water Pump and Not a Trash Pump?

A trash pump, vs. water pump, is designed to handle some solid waste and therefore a 3 trash pump flow rate is lower than that of a clean water pump of the same size. Clean water can be pumped more quickly and at a higher pressure because of its purity, whereas trash and dirty water requires a pump with lower internal pressure to avoid jams and mechanical damage. Use a water pump when dealing with clean water and use a trash pump if the water is dirty—that’s all there is to it!

A 3 trash pump gpm can range from about 250 to 315 (up to 1,200 litres per minute) depending on the power of the engine. In general, a 2 trash pump gpm is about 150 to 200 (up to 770 litres per minute), so your flow rate increases with the diameter of the pump hose.

Trash Pump & Water Pump Maintenance

For best performance, keep your trash pumps, water pumps and sump pumps clean and well maintained throughout the year. Rinse the hose and nozzle after each use and wipe the machine clean. If you lose suction while using the pump, turn it off and check for a jam in the pipe or intake. You may need to disassemble part of the machine to find the blockage, but doing so will make for better suction and prevent damage to the internal structure of the pump. Clean your pump thoroughly on a regular basis, especially your sump pump. If you find mould, use bleach to remove it and kill the spores.

Basement Flooded? Use a Trash Pump for the Worst of it

It’s crucial to find the cause of any floods to prevent the same problem happening again once the water is removed. Plumbing issues require a strong trash pump, ideally with a larger intake hose, while rainwater flooding should be manageable with a clean water pump. Don’t forget to find and fix any drainage clogs in your basement after the mess is cleaned up! This is also a good opportunity to check and clean your sump pump.

Rent trash pumps right here in Red Deer County with Derrick Enterprises and choose from 2-inch and 3-inch trash pumps as needed. There you have it, Trash Pump Vs. Water Pump - we've talked about the differences and their versatility. We’ve got all your oilfield, industrial and construction rental needs covered throughout central Alberta—from genie man lifts to office and sleeper trailers. Give us a call and we’ll find just what you need on-site!

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