We recommend the Oasis Marine 3700GPH pump paired with a 16v LifeP04 (lithium phosphate) battery. After 100’s of hours of real-world testing (in the field) with different pumps & voltages at different depths, we’ve found the Oasis Marine 3700 GPH Bilge Pump paired with a 16v LifeP04 battery to offer the best balance of performance, durability and value. Suction is 30% stronger using a 16v LifeP04 battery versus a 12v LifeP04 battery.

This combination has proven very reliable after years of use. This is the same pump and battery combo we recommend to be used with the GoldiBox Backpack Dredge and it is what we use.

We include a free adapter that is designed to fit the Oasis Marine pump and the 1.25″ hose going to the nozzle.

Amazon Link: Oasis Marine 3700 GPH 12v Bilge Pump

Do not use a pump with less than 3700 GPH capacity

We strongly recommend a 16v LifePo4 battery (lithium phosphate) for maximum suction. These batteries provide 30% more suction than a 12v LifePO4 battery. These batteries have been thoroughly tested with the recommended Oasis Marine 3700 GPH pump. The Redodo & LiTime brand batteries have proven to be very reliable at good prices. We’ve done many capacity tests with these batteries and they are true to their spec. These are the same batteries that we use.

Amazon Link: Redodo 16v LIFEPo4 battery (30ah)

Amazon Link: LiTime 16v LIFEPo4 battery (70ah)

DO NOT USE A LEAD ACID BATTERY OR AN AGM DEEP CYCLE BATTERY. They do not perform well, are extremely heavy and lose their charge quickly. We do not support the use of either of these two battery types.

The GoldiBox Dredge Nozzle requires two hoses.

The first is the pressure hose which goes from the pump to the nozzle. The pressure hose should be 1.25″ in diameter. We recommend a length of 6 feet for the pressure hose.

The second hose is the suction hose. This is the discharge hose going from the nozzle (to the GoldiBox Backpack Dredge). The suction hose should be 2″ in diameter. We recommend a length of 6-9 feet for the suction hose.

TIP: Smooth interior walled hoses work best as they provide the least internal friction. If smooth walled hoses are not an option, make sure to clean the discharge hose out over a gold pan as the internal ridges act as riffles and can hold gold.

We recommend the following hoses from Keene. They’re what we use.

1.25″ Pressure Hose (Nozzle Input) – https://www.keene.store/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SH125

2″ Discharge Hose (Nozzle Output) – https://www.keene.store/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SH2

Yes, but we don’t recommend it. The stock GoldiBox Dredge nozzle was designed to be used with an electric pump. A gas powered pump is much stronger than an electric pump. We have tested our nozzles extensively with many different electric pumps operating at different voltages and we stand behind their durability. A gas engine is a different beast. Over time, a gas engine will even wear out a metal nozzle (high speed abrasives) so we don’t recommend using one. While we have used our nozzles with a gas engine, we have not done any long term durability testing with one.