I’ve been following the discussions
about well pumps here and have two concerns: People’s general unfamiliarity
with hand pumps and the danger of relying on alternative energy to pump water.
The past two generations don’t know
what it’s like to pump water by hand for their daily needs, because they have
probably always had electricity for pumping water. As such, many people today do
not understand how a pump works or the effort required to bring just a small
amount of water to the surface.
Many different types of hand water
pumps are now on the market for folks to choose from. Some pumps can be used
with existing electric well pumps, if the cylinders are small enough (yielding
less water) to fit in the casing with the existing pump. Most of these pumps
are installed as an emergency backup and are not practical for long-term use.
Some can also pressurize a tank for indoor plumbing; however, it takes a lot of
time and effort to pressurize an empty 40-gallon tank to 50 psi with such a
small cylinder.
Consumers should take all the claims
of capacity, gallons per minute, and ease of operation of manual well pumps
with a grain of salt ― unless they have an actual demonstration of a deep-well
application that reveals the static water level, size of cylinder, length of
stroke, and age and fitness of operator.
When considering a sucker rod hand
pump for long-term and heavy use, use metal rigid pipe, not PVC, for the drop
pipe. PVC is too lightweight for a sucker rod pump system. When pumping the
handle, the cylinder will lift first before the piston begins to move up within
the cylinder, causing the drop pipe to compress between the cylinder and
wellhead. This causes the pipe to flex and spiral up within the well casing,
creating friction between the sucker rod and the inside walls of the drop pipe
which reduces the efficiency of the stroke. Eventually, a PVC pipe in the
middle of the drop pipe string will crack at a coupling, causing the pump to
lose its prime. Metal rigid pipe is much heavier and stronger, maintaining a
straighter line between the wellhead and cylinder. Rigid pipe is more
expensive, but one should consider the value of fresh water.
There is a hand pump for nearly
every need. When selecting a hand pump for your home, farm, or community,
consider your average daily use, static water level, size of well casing, water
yield, and whether the pump will be used only in emergencies or everyday use.
You should also consider the effort required and how much time you will spend
pumping for your water needs. The larger the pump cylinder, the better.
My second concern is relying on
technology again (a solar pump system) to pump water needed during a SHTF
scenario. These systems are just as vulnerable as the power grid is. An EMP or
other natural catastrophe can easily disable solar systems. With a disruption
in the supply chain, homeowners will be trying to find manual ways to supply
their water needs.
Writer G.L. said, “If you want a
system you do not have to physically operate on a daily basis or one that will
produce a larger volume of water than you can get from a hand pump, a solar
pumping system is something to consider.” G.L. may not be aware that there is a
hand pump capable of producing high volumes of water. New to the market is the
WaterBuck Pump. It has the power and capacity of electric submersible water
pumps. The WaterBuck is more expensive than regular hand pumps, but it’s comparable
to the cost solar systems. With the right preparation, this pump can also
withstand natural catastrophes by being enclosed in a strong structure.
If homeowners want a high-volume
hand pump and don’t mind pumping a few minutes a day for their needs, they
might want to consider a WaterBuck Pump. – L.G.
From
the Survival Blog
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