PDA

View Full Version : Water Well Pump People, Q?



tri again
12-23-2012, 11:45 PM
My fingers are freakin' frozen.

Just came inside, power's been out for waay too long.

Does anyone have any good suggestion re:

How to get water out of the ground with no electricity?

Suction pumps (pitcher pumps) only will pull 25 feet.

How's about the guy in Elgin Tx that forced water up with air bubbles?

You tube.

We all need to know this.

Search key that works is "

'ram pump' - Fascinating.
Air powered well pump, elgin Tx guaranteed not to freeze.

People have been trying to get water out of the ground for thousands of years.


Can't be rocket science.

Thanks

signed:
no power, no water just doesn't seem right.

atc007
12-24-2012, 08:06 AM
Man,,,you have the reliability of power we Used too! Going without 4 days through Sandy brought back very real memories! Anyhow,,I'm not so good Macgyvering what you're after. But I would just unwire the leads at the top of the casing and hook up a generator direct. Pump the tub full,and the old,,fill everything we have pitcher and bowl wise. I know you have wood heat ,so you're gtg there. Hang in there and hopefully your power is back on!

just ben
12-24-2012, 08:42 AM
exactly like 007 says.Very simple if your pump is 110 if its 220v you will obviously need a generator with a 220 plug.

beets442
12-25-2012, 08:17 PM
Not sure if one of those pumps used to pull diesel fuel from a pickup truck would work,only uses 12v.

riverrat
12-25-2012, 08:38 PM
It's easier to go to a stream and fill up a 55 gallon plastic drum with water, and then pump it into the house with a utility pump. However, you will contaminate your water system, and then it would need to be treated with bleach, and wait a few days before drinking again. 55 gallons goes a pretty long way actually if you conserve.

If you use a generator, you will need one to match the amp draw of the pump.

You can get from harbor freight, cheap above ground stainless pump, that might draw the water up, and runs off 110.

Or like the old days with a hand pump.

kb0nly
12-26-2012, 01:52 AM
I would get a little genset that you can dedicate to it, not that big of an investment compared to all the other ways you could attempt it. I lived on a farm most of my life before moving to town.

We had a generator that we could just wheel over by the pressure tank and chlorinator out in the one building next to the well, the wiring from the pressure switch didn't go direct into the panel it went to a plug and then there was a 220/240v outlet next to the panel, so you just unplugged the pump from the outlet and plugged it into the generator and away you went til the power came back. Simple and easy.. It wasn't that big of a generator either, 4000w maybe if i recall it was small and fairly lightweight. I'm pretty sure the pump was on a 20a breaker so the generator was actually a little under that with i think 15a twist lock, but it ran it fine many a winter until we got rural water piped in.

tri again
12-27-2012, 04:20 AM
Thanks everyone.

I did manage to get a 5k - 220 generator and changed the hard wire to a 4 prong twist plug.

Was thinking more towards some form of hand pump.

Only need a gallon or 2 of water a day per person for drinking.

The rest can come from the creek.

Was thinking more about like what the guy that pumps air down the well and it pushes water back up.

Can get water from way further than 25 feet and no chance of freezing.

Last time this happened, I put old well tanks around my stove so they are always full and hot.