Talk:Water organ
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"For the latter, solar heat was used to syphon water from one closed tank into another, thereby producing compressed air for sounding the pipes."
This sentence, in the third paragraph, is confusing. Someone who knows how this mechanism works should revise it. While "syphon" may be used correctly, it confuses because it seems that gravity is not the driving mechanism.
Would this be an accurate revision?
"For the latter, solar heat warmed and expanded air in a closed tank partially filled with water. This forced water into another tank, compressing air in the second tank. Compressed air in the second tank sounded the pipes."
Let's not bother with the words Where is the evidence that anything like this existed. The story sounds like a 19th century invention 195.92.67.75 17:25, 5 October 2006 (UTC)
The last paragraph seems to describe a trompe, a simple form of hydraulic blast pump --scruss 02:50, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Mechanics?
The explanation of how water blows the air in the non-ancient water organ makes no sense at all. I too am suspicious of this "device". I've never read of an organ being blown by water action alone without bellows.
[edit] Split?
I'm sorry, but the ancient Greco-Roman hydraulis is a different machine from the Renaissance "water organ"... I, coming to the Wikipedia to find information about the hydraulis for a presentation to a Junior Classics league and was quite disappointed at the state of this article. I disagree with the redirect. A distinction must be made between the two different instruments. Links between the articles are appropriate, but they ought NOT be conflated. Afterall, we don't put them in with the pneumatic organ do we? The principle applies equally here: There is a difference that makes a significant difference and so separate articles are called for...
At this point, the Wikipedia's treatment of Ctesibius' invention is rather shoddy. There is plenty of good material to be had to develop a decent article. The tangential brush that the pipe organ article gives isn't adequate for the world's first keyboard instrument. I hope that someone takes this to heart and works on it... I haven't the time at the moment, but will check back.
All the best, Emyth 01:22, 3 December 2007 (UTC)
