Use a rope as a siphon?

[RobertL]

It's impregnated with wax so I don't think it would.

Robert

[michael adams]

Whether rope will work may well depend on how near the pool is to the edge. And maybe how high the roof is. If it's near the edge then if you first soak the whole rope before placing it in situ, the water will move down the vertical rope due to gravity - and this may draw water through the horizontal rope from the pool through capillary action as a result of cohesive forces in the water. It may be necessary for the end of the rope to dangle free and drip into something for gravity to have the greatest effect.

michael adams

...

[michael adams]

On second thoughts, that's a load of old bollocks, as is using rope generally, as the rope would soon dry out. So that as soon as the puddle reappeared it would be necessary to climb back on the roof and soak the rope again. As even if the rope was suspended in a butt full of water its doubtful the top horizontal bit would get soaked. And without the rope being soaking wet throughout, to start with, I don't think this would ever work.

michael adams

...

[charles]

you can, or could, get both waxed and unwaxed sash cord.

[Jonno]

Brian-Gaff scribbled

Make a rope out of cotton bandages.

[Vir Campestris]

I use a bit of cotton to help keep my boat dry.

It's got bailers in the bottom which can be open when it's ashore, but any leaks tend to pool in the bottom. A bit of cotton cloth in the bit where the puddle forms and trailing out of the bottom seems to help no end. I don't think it syphons so much as wicks it to somewhere the wind is blowing.

Andy

[Johnny B Good]

IIRC, the phrase, "Coming in a jiffy" is Australian for 'Safe Sex'. :-)

[Thomas Prufer]

Dunno about the bollocks.

A wet rag placed over the edge of a sink full of water will wick the water up and drip it down on the floor, emptying the sink.

Wasn't me, but I saw it...

Thomas Prufer

[Martin Bonner]

Despite what others have said, this should work if the piece dangling over the edge is long enough, and the water can move along the rope by capillary action.

You can see the effect if you put a full bucket of water on the ground (outside!) with a towel dangling over the edge to ground. The water will flow by capillary action up the towel, over the edge, and then down the towel to the ground. The water will then drip out of the towel to form a puddle until the water level in the bucket has dropped far enough that the water can't soak far enough up the rope.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I imagine that it should work - I've seen similar things happen by accident - but I was wondering why it didn't work when I used a piece of sisal that I had. I think it's not absorbent enough, so I'll see if I can get some cotton rope.

[Thomas Prufer]

Or a bit of cotton sheet (old bedsheet), or rope made thereof, in in escaping-prisoner fashion?

Thomas Prufer