remote cabin - well

[L3650]

Every year at this time I get tired of carrying in water to the hunting shack. Has anyone installed a sand point or other type of well where a hand pump will be used. This is in northern Wisconsin, so freezing is a concern. So is cost and capacity. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[MarkLeininger]

We have friends who live off the grid in a small peace community in a town called Luck in Wisconsin. Pretty close to the twin cities. I know they put in all their own wells themselves. A lot of pounding was involved because they talked about being exhausted. I could ask how they did it if you don't have any other replies.

 

[KennyV]

You can drive a well and use a ‘pitcher pump’ (small hand pump) very common, and handy self priming pump. BUT you must be within 20 feet or less from the water for a sand point well to work.

If your water is deeper then that you will need to case the well and put either a cistern bail type pump, or pump cylinder in the water… like a windmill uses, you could then put a hand pump lever on that. KennyV

 

[slydog]

My uncle lives in Crowder, Ms. He drove his own well using a point and several sections of pipe that screwed together. He did it with a sledge hammer, and said he would drive awhile every afternoon and it took him about a week to hit water. He attached a large old well pump to it. Since then, I noticed that Home Depot carried drive points, as well as the sections of well pipe that you can purchase. Also, I was leaving Harbor Frieght the other day, and noticed thru the window as I was walking to my truck, that they also sell the old style well pumps that stand about 4 feet tall. I looked, but couldn't see the price from where I was outside.

Ken

 

[JJT]

Well points can be driven with a steel fence post driver. Much easier on the body then swinging a sledge hammer while standing on a step ladder.

 

[Egon]

Have you considered using a manually operated post hole diger. You will get down much faster than pounding a well point. Just have to keep adding pipe sections. A tripod with block and tackle would help lift the auger out.

Egon

 

[thcri]

I took an old concrete culvert and layed it open top/bottom. This is buried 6 ft in the ground and that is where I started my sand point. I had to go another 16 feet to hit good water. I also had a top made for the culvert and in the winter I lay leaves over the top and for the most part now the ground temperature keeps the pump and pipes from freezing up. I wished I had pictures for you but I don't. I may be up there this afternoon and could take finished pictures for you.

murph

 

[slydog]

I've have a question, that may be really stupid, but if you dig a well of this type and build a cistern for it, which I am assuming is just some type of inground holding tank, is this water safe to drink without treating it, or do you use it mainly for washing, irrigating, etc..... Just seems to me a brick/concrete lined tank in the ground for holding water is gonna be covered with slime, mold, bugs, slugs etc. I wouldn't want to drink water out of something like this untreated unless I dying of thirst. Whats the scoop on that?

Ken

 

[SPIKER]

KEN:

you can make a cistern using block and then concrete or buy one premade out of poly or concrete: lots of options, and yes you should not drink the ater without treating it... a good filteration and booiling is needed bare minimum...


You can collect rain water in a cistern too which is easier if you PLAN on a cistern, no need to drive the well point, and when you do drive it there is no garentee you will hit water... usually not hard to hit it but getting enough is the key.

markm

 

[thcri]

My grandma's farm had a cistern made out of shale. We drank from it all the time. To me it was always the best tasting water around. As far as slim and other junk, your probably right as we should have not been drinking it. But many years ago that is the way it was done.

Attached is a picture of my well pit made out out of a concrete culvert. This is for my cabin. The pit is about 8 feet deep. As far as freezing I have very little trouble. I usuallly put a electric heater down there on a thermostat. If the pump is used on a daily basis it won't freeze even without the heater.

murph