[FLsurvivalist]

I was looking for a hand operated water pump. I am unsure what to get. It seems like the pumps are either cheap crap or too expensive. I was looking at the 2 hand pumps that Northern Tools sells, but I am not sure of quality. Looking for something that is cheap and reliable (those 2 words rarely go together). What kind of pump do you have? Do you have to spend $250 or more to get a reliable pump? Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[test]

I am looking for a good hand pump also. I would trust your thoughts though and not go cheap when it come to this, it is all about the water. I just asked for reviews on a pump in a thread I just started. It is a modern style pump. I would almost rather have a traditional cast iron. When it comes to this $ is the last concern.

http://www.simplepump.com/hand_pumps.html

 

[Hillbilly77]

I also was looking into this and it really depends on how deep your well is. If you have a shallow well then you do not need the high dollar pump. If you are like me and have a deep well then the answer is yes you have to give up your right arm and left family jewel to get a pump. Most dealers that sell hand pumps can tell you how deep of well their pumps will handle. Good luck hunting.

 

[Guerrilla]

Do not go cheap! My pump and line cost over $2500. Unfortunately, our well is a 300 foot bore hole. Fortunately, we have an inverter capable of running the pump, so it is effectively solar. I would still like a hand backup, but haven't found anything I trust, nor have had the cash to ask my driller his opinion.

Now, my turn for an addition to your question: has anybody effectively found a way to draw up such a deep well by hand or manual power aside from the 2 liter bottle and nylon cord on a spool I used to draw the first sample? My system is at least off grid, but should batteries go kaput, I don't want to hike to the spring every morning. I just Keep putting off the research.

-G

 

[Reality Czech]

How deep do you need to lift the water?
I have one like this at my cabin that's hooked up to a rainwater cistern. It's worked for 15yrs without no problem. I used it today to wash the windows down there.....didn't even need to prime it even after 3 months without using it.:
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...&prev=/images?q=pitcher+pump&gbv=2&hl=en&sa=G

 

[FLsurvivalist]

How deep do you need to lift the water?
I have one like this at my cabin that's hooked up to a rainwater cistern. It's worked for 15yrs without no problem. I used it today to wash the windows down there.....didn't even need to prime it even after 3 months without using it.:
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...&prev=/images?q=pitcher+pump&gbv=2&hl=en&sa=G

The water table here is about 17 feet. Do you think that pump will work for me? You have this exact pump from Harbor Freight?
Do you need any other parts (besides pipe) to make it work? I have seen with some of the high dollar pumps that you need sucker tubes or something like that.

 

[CornFedReb]

The water table here is about 17 feet. Do you think that pump will work for me? You have this exact pump from Harbor Freight?
Do you need any other parts (besides pipe) to make it work? I have seen with some of the high dollar pumps that you need sucker tubes or something like that.

If your water table is 17 ft. (not uncommon in Florida) that pump will work just fine for your. I know 'cause I have a similar pitcher pump and have used it on my well to test fire it.

I would recommend buying spare flaps or having the materials on hand to make your own. A friend of mine stored one of those hand pumps for his well head for a grid down emergency. Hurricane Katrina swept through taking out all the local power. He felt confident in his situation because he had the only hand pump in his neighborhood. When he installed the pump on his well he found that the flap and similar parts had dry rotted. He had to hand make some more before he could pump water.

For the price of that Harbor Freight pump you could buy two. Not much else can go wrong with those things as they are so simple but it would be nice to have a spare of the few moving parts involved.

 

[Reality Czech]

The water table here is about 17 feet. Do you think that pump will work for me? You have this exact pump from Harbor Freight?
Do you need any other parts (besides pipe) to make it work? I have seen with some of the high dollar pumps that you need sucker tubes or something like that.

Yes, I bought it from Harbor Freight and then bought another for back up and parts,.....just sittin in the closet.:
You will need a check valve on the end, but other than that it should work fine at 17'. Go with PVC pipe, and use teflon tape to seal where the threads are.

 

[FLsurvivalist]

AWESOME! Thanks guys! Looks like I will be taking on another small project within the next couple of weeks. I'll take some pics and post my experiences with it. YOU GUYS RULE!

 

[Reality Czech]

One more little tip,....when you first get it, polish the inside cylinder with some OOOO steel wool. When I first got it, there was some paint drips that kept it from holding a water lift for more than a day. After a little polishing, it pumped smoother and holds the lift till it evaporates now.

 

[melody]

Cheap solution that might work for you if you have a shallow well. Get a solar panel that will charge a car battery. ($50) Connect the car battery to a small pump that is used for boats (Cost of car battery, Less than $50 for boat pump at harbor freight). (If it can throw water 30 feet in the air, then it will pull water out of a well.) Get some water safe hoses and pipe for the the hand dug well. Then get some way to store your water.

A large water tank that can be connected to your house or several water safe barrels. (Sometimes you can get water storage containers at auctions for very cheap.) Or you can be prepared to start the system up and fill up lots of small water containers.

I would suggest getting non-electrical toys for your daughter. Kids still love block/playdough/dolls/ dress up/etc. Find a few toys on sale and keep them hidden so that they are special unplayed with toys when and if stressful times come.

 

[FLsurvivalist]

Cheap solution that might work for you if you have a shallow well. Get a solar panel that will charge a car battery. ($50) Connect the car battery to a small pump that is used for boats (Cost of car battery, Less than $50 for boat pump at harbor freight). (If it can throw water 30 feet in the air, then it will pull water out of a well.) Get some water safe hoses and pipe for the the hand dug well. Then get some way to store your water.

A large water tank that can be connected to your house or several water safe barrels. (Sometimes you can get water storage containers at auctions for very cheap.) Or you can be prepared to start the system up and fill up lots of small water containers.

This is a possible idea. Thanks!
Do you think this 12 volt pump would do the trick? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=9576

 

[Thedishdoc]

Be careful of contamination when dealing with hand dug wells especially when the water table is so close to the surface. I'm in Florida also and when you open up access to bring water up, bad things can also go down and contaminate the entire aquifer.

 

[Swamp Shuck]

Cheap solution that might work for you if you have a shallow well. Get a solar panel that will charge a car battery. ($50) Connect the car battery to a small pump that is used for boats (Cost of car battery, Less than $50 for boat pump at harbor freight). (If it can throw water 30 feet in the air, then it will pull water out of a well.) Get some water safe hoses and pipe for the the hand dug well. Then get some way to store your water.

A large water tank that can be connected to your house or several water safe barrels. (Sometimes you can get water storage containers at auctions for very cheap.) Or you can be prepared to start the system up and fill up lots of small water containers.
QUOTE]

Wind power actually works better than solar for a water pump. I have a couple cheap windmills on my cheap well heads on my cheap drive point wells that are scattered around the farm. If you have the right soil and the right water table you can sink wells all over for around 3 to 5 hundred dollars. We have hidden wells like this all over the valley. That way if we are forced from our houses for some reason we have safe water all around the area.

BLT

 

[Crutch]

Yes, I bought it from Harbor Freight and then bought another for back up and parts,.....just sittin in the closet.:
You will need a check valve on the end, but other than that it should work fine at 17'. Go with PVC pipe, and use teflon tape to seal where the threads are.

What is the PVC pipe for? I have done plumbing for years before leaving the field, and I have seen what happens when people use pvc for well pipe. Its more expensive to go with real well tubing, however, it wont shatter like pvc.

Czech, your advice here is gold, just trying to add to it. PVC is bad. BAD bad.

 

[Reality Czech]

What is the PVC pipe for? I have done plumbing for years before leaving the field, and I have seen what happens when people use pvc for well pipe. Its more expensive to go with real well tubing, however, it wont shatter like pvc.

Czech, your advice here is gold, just trying to add to it. PVC is bad. BAD bad.

I should have stated that using PVC should only be done in freeze free zones.
The reason I went to PVC was originally I plumbed it with some used water well pipe. I was getting alot of rust stain water when it sat unused.
The hand pump is threaded for 1 1/4" so I switched it out with schedule 40/80 PVC which I had on hand. No more rust and it has survived a few hard freezes.
Any other reason why PVC is bad for shallow wells?

 

[FLsurvivalist]

What is the PVC pipe for? I have done plumbing for years before leaving the field, and I have seen what happens when people use pvc for well pipe. Its more expensive to go with real well tubing, however, it wont shatter like pvc.

Czech, your advice here is gold, just trying to add to it. PVC is bad. BAD bad.

My current irrigation well uses pvc and it has been there for years. The ground doesn't freeze here.