Today’s big project. Installed a hand pump for our deep well. If electricity goes out, so does our electric well pump. If it is prolonged, like with an ice storm, or worse, we have no other access to running or standing water. This pump reaches the depth of the static water level, 45 feet below ground level, plus about 15 feet extra for a total of 60 feet, to take into account fluctuations in well water level with seasons, drought etc. I still need to install the hand lever which pivots on a 4 foot piece of galvanized pipe, cemented into the ground next to the hand pump. I’ve been researching deep well hand pumps that can be installed alongside an electric deep well pump for a year. I decided on one from https://www.apocalypsewellpumps.com because their design is bulletproof and idiot proof and doesn’t rely on yearly replacement of rubber or leather seals inside the pump mechanism. Yes, I’d recommend them. Compared to alternatives they are reasonably priced and appear very well made with a unique pump design that won’t wear out.
Kinda reminds me of a modified bike pump. How will that hold up in winter. No chance of freeze issue?
No, the designer has a video of using it on his ranch in Montana during the winter with two feet of snow on the ground and a temp of -45•F It’s one of his selling points, that unlike other hand pumps that can freeze or need water for priming, his will not freeze nor does it need primed.
The well is 300 feet deep with a 6” steel well casing that came up and ended below ground level in a 2 foot deep pit. We had it brought up to code and they used pvc for the last 4 feet, with a pitiless adapter 2 feet underground.
Do you have any out of the ground pictures ? I'd really like to see the design of it mainly the actual pump. Good piece of mind with having that on hand.
The guy has a great video on how the pump functions. It’s pretty unique among deep well hand pumps. Watch the mechanism starting at 2:10 into this video: I have no interest in him or his company. I just liked his design concept as it was completely different from other hand pump designs.
I think he means that private wells may mot be approved in his area. Some places restrict or ban private wells. #1.. It competes with the municipal water system. #2.. Many places rely on underground aquifers for water, and there would be no way to control.. err.. monitor usage. Fortunately that is not the case here. Edit.. At least for the time being.
I planned on installing a hand pump on our old well. Then I had a new well drilled and before I knew what was happening the idiots plugged the old well. Ticked me off but once it is done... If I was younger and stronger I would make me a new well just like I did the old one (that was a long time ago).
A former neighbor made me aware of this. He had a hand pump at his place. He tore that place down and built a new place with a drilled well. State (health dept I assume) told him new well is OK but can't keep the old well. Something about it having the risk of being easily contaminated....blah blah blah. He said OK and gee thats too bad. He built a roof over it and still has it to this day! But this is a separate well and not an added pump to the well head of his drilled well. I like the idea of the hand pump added to the well head and may consider it myself.
The long hand lever gives three to one mechanical advantage lifting the water, and you’re pushing down on the lever arm instead of lifting the water column up as with the handle in my first photo above. This pump requires lifting just less than one pound per foot of depth. I’m pumping from 60 feet down, so I’m lifting almost 60 pounds with each upstroke with the old handle. With the long hand lever it requires pushing down instead of lifting up, and with the 3 to 1 mechanical advantage of the lever arm, you’re only pushing down 20 pounds. And you can use your body weight to do that. I looked at the Bison hand pumps ( Well Hand Pump For your 300 Feet Deep water well ) as well as the Simple Pump (Simple Pump | Quality Water Pumps and Well Pumps ) and the Oasis pumps (Pumps ) I decided on this make and model and I think it was the best pump at an economical price.
