Hand Pump for Deep Well Water aka Human Powered.

[dmccarty]

I saw the add for this pump in Grit magazine.

Bison Deep Well Hand Water Pumps

The pump will work for wells up to 200 feet deep. It is not cheap, the above ground "pump" is $790. The cylinder in the well is another $438. Eight foot sections connecting the two are $52 each.

It sure ain't cheap.

They have manual pumps for shallower wells.

The pump is supposed to work on wells along side existing powered pumps. I watched a few videos they have for the installation of the pump on You Tube and the pump seems very well made and easy to install. I read some "reviews" that said it was easy to install, takes two people and about 90 minutes depending on depth.

The pump is expensive especially since we have not lost power for more than 4-6 hours so we did not have to worry about water. After 6 hours I think the pump might have started to be more reasonable in its worth. If we get hit by a Fran like hurricane, we would likely be without power for two weeks and the pump would be priceless. :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[Kays Supply]

You could buy a pretty good genset for that, and have lights an TV in the deal.

 

[dmccarty]

You could buy a pretty good genset for that, and have lights an TV in the deal.

Yes you could but running a genset for two weeks is an expensive PITA. We do not needs light and TV but we do need water.

Later,
Dan

 

[flusher]

Yes you could but running a genset for two weeks is an expensive PITA. We do not needs light and TV but we do need water.

Later,
Dan

Sure, if you're running the genset 24/7 it's expensive. But for pumping water for human consumption, I can't see running more than an hour/day tops. The static water level in my well is about 90 ft deep and the pump is a 1.5 hp/220V unit. I could run it off my Coleman genset or get a pto-driven generator and run it off one of my tractors for a lot less bucks than that gold-plated hand pump.

 

[dmccarty]

Sure, if you're running the genset 24/7 it's expensive. But for pumping water for human consumption, I can't see running more than an hour/day tops. The static water level in my well is about 90 ft deep and the pump is a 1.5 hp/220V unit. I could run it off my Coleman genset or get a pto-driven generator and run it off one of my tractors for a lot less bucks than that gold-plated hand pump.

My first post mentioned being out of power for two weeks. When Fran hit this area where I live now was out of of power for at least two weeks. After a week I do not think we will be worrying with the freezer since we will have eaten the food or tossed it. The fridge we might be able to keep cool but the big issue is water. Running the genset for two weeks is going to be problematic.

Getting water without needed gas would be a good thing.

This pump does not make money sense unless we were out of power for a week or more so I don't think we will be buying it anytime soon. :laughing:

Our static water level is 23 feet so we would not have to go very deep but the pipe lengths and rod is not what is expensive with their product.

There are other threads running about getting water and this is an option.

Later,
Dan

 

[Kays Supply]

If you are only talking 23ft, this would fill your bill for cheap.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Campbell-PP2-Pitcher-Pump/dp/B000UETG8S]Amazon.com: Campbell Pitcher Pump (PP2): Home Improvement[/ame]
You are crowding the depth limit, but if you pumped it for a little each time it could work.

 

[speedbump]

I don't know where they said you can put that in the well with you existing pump, but you did mention they had a 3" cylinder. If you have a 4" well, the casing is 4" ID. The cylinder is 3.5" OD, your droppipe is at least 1" ID which is 1-1/4" OD. The cylinder would have to be much smaller than 3" and even if it were small enough, it would be sliding down off center of your droppipe which has wires taped to it that can easily have the insulation shaved off by such a maneuver. So unless they make a 1" cylinder and have at least a 6" well. I would forget the whole thing.

Get a bigger tank, a generator large enough to start your 1.5hp pump and run the generator long enough to fill the tank up to max pressure and use the water sparringly until the power comes back on. That's what I did during the four Hurricanes we had back in 2004/05.

 

[Egon]

There are other companies that make and sell all the equipment nessessary for a hand operated water pump.

Ever think about a windmill operated system?

 

[dmccarty]

If you are only talking 23ft, this would fill your bill for cheap.
Amazon.com: Campbell Pitcher Pump (PP2): Home Improvement
You are crowding the depth limit, but if you pumped it for a little each time it could work.

The company also has pumps the would work at 25 feet. Maybe.

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

I don't know where they said you can put that in the well with you existing pump, but you did mention they had a 3" cylinder. If you have a 4" well, the casing is 4" ID. The cylinder is 3.5" OD, your droppipe is at least 1" ID which is 1-1/4" OD. The cylinder would have to be much smaller than 3" and even if it were small enough, it would be sliding down off center of your droppipe which has wires taped to it that can easily have the insulation shaved off by such a maneuver. So unless they make a 1" cylinder and have at least a 6" well. I would forget the whole thing.

Get a bigger tank, a generator large enough to start your 1.5hp pump and run the generator long enough to fill the tank up to max pressure and use the water sparringly until the power comes back on. That's what I did during the four Hurricanes we had back in 2004/05.

The videos they have showed them installing on a 6 inch well which is what is most common in my area. I do not know if they have smaller cylinders but they might be able to make them.

Later,
Dan