water drip system- help!

[girlingboyer]

Hi,

I'm trying to create an art piece that makes it seem like there is a leak in the ceiling, with water dripping slowly into a bucket, but really that water is just being continuously pumped. I'm having a hard time finding a pump that emits a slow drip. I thought maybe someone here might have an idea-- maybe something involving drip irrigation? Thanks

[Jardin du Fort]

I doubt you will find a pump that exactly fits your flow requirements.

My suggestion is that you use the smallest pump that accomplishes the rise from pan to above ceiling. It will pump too much water, and could be damaged if you block the flow. What you need is a reservoir above ceiling that holds the water, with an overflow pipe back to the bottom. The pump, at the bottom, pumps water up to the drip pan through one hose or pipe. An overflow from the pan goes back down to the bottom reservoir with a larger (unpressurized) hose or pipe.

The rate of flow of the drip could be controlled by a needle valve, rather than pump rate.

Just thinking....

And OH, by the way, since this IS posted on the Organic Gardening site, please make sure you use no pesticides or herbicides in this apparatus.

[imafan26]

I think that Jardin has the right idea. All you really need is a pump to pump the water from the reservoir up to a "tank". The pump does not even have to be run continuously but can be cycled instead. The drip will be determined by the size of the hole in the tubing and the water pressure from the tank. Gravity will do the rest.