Keene pump/engine combo Expression Of Interest

[ratovic]

I'm considering putting together a Rato engine and a Keene pump package to offer to the prospectors here. A lot of people here seem to be big fans of Keene pumps but from what I see when they are combined with the usual Honda engine the price goes beyond the budget of many people. And when I seen the price of some of the Keene/Engine combos I just baulk at the prices. If people are interested enough I can look further into a Rato/Keene combo.

For the Keene P90 a suitable Rato engine retails for $183. For the Keene PHP160 and P180 a suitable Rato engine is $215.

I have some obstacles to overcome with sourcing Keene pumps at a sensible price but if there's a potential market there for them I'll look into this further. So I'm asking you guys here at Prospecting Au if there's an interest worth pursuing. Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Ben78]

I'd be interested in a 6kg 4 stroke pump setup at around 110L/min.... and cheaper than the Makita/Honda/Subaru options...

 

[ratovic]

I'd be interested in a 6kg 4 stroke pump setup at around 110L/min.... and cheaper than the Makita/Honda/Subaru options...

Hi Ben,

Sorry but I don't have any pumps that light. My lightest engine weighs 8.8 kg. The lightest pump/engine combo I have weighs 12.5 kg which is the 40mm RT40ZB20-1.1Q which sells for $178 and is good for a 16m head with a maximum flow of 233 lt/min. It will put out an impressive 80 lt/min at the 16 m head which is great for a pump of this size & price.

I think I've seen the pumps at a field day you mentioned though. They sure are small.

 

[Ben78]

Thanks anyway, I've been looking at the Honda wx10, you could literally carry it in on one finger....

 

[kemjak57]

I would be keen to have a look if the price is ok. Thanks, Rick

 

[ratovic]

I would be keen to have a look if the price is ok. Thanks, Rick

Thanks for the feedback Rick.

The price will depend on what I can get the Keene pumps for and how many obstacles there are with fitting the pump & engine together. The head of Rato Australia is looking into finding a cheaper manufacturer of pumps similar to the Keene's. If we can find those the price would be significantly less. I'll keep the prospectors here informed if this happens.

 

[sususydney]

whats the different between adding the keene pump on Rato engine and then compare that to the original Rato 1.5" pump?
difference in weight? and pressure? if you have already worked on it please.. then maybe.. I'd consider saving a little more

 

[Tathradj]

Been looking at a p90 and if my memory serves me right it puts out about 300 litres per minute.
Very nice on a "Chonda" motor.
Lightweight and spot on for our Walbankers.

 

[ratovic]

whats the different between adding the keene pump on Rato engine and then compare that to the original Rato 1.5" pump?
difference in weight? and pressure? if you have already worked on it please.. then maybe.. I'd consider saving a little more

The Keene P90 is rated for a maximum flow of 455 litres per minute and a maximum head of 49 metres. It requires a 2.5 HP engine. This is really good performance for a pump that weighs only 2 kg. But you sure do pay for it. The 40mm Rato pump doesn't have this performance. But a question you can ask yourself is, how much water do you actually need? Sure it's good to have plenty on hand but you need to consider justifying the cost of that performance if it isn't needed.

I've just sold 2, 1.5" pump kits to people from this forum so keep an eye out for their feedback.

Email me direct if you'd like to know more or have a look at the Rato websites.

 

[sususydney]

great info, and thanks for the quick response, I will head over to the website for more, thanks folks.