Some pump information and background

One of my potential customers wrote with several questions about depth of well, PVC contamination, longevity, working capacity and related topics. I got done with my letter back to him and realized that there were some good points that would be helpful to anybody. My goals are both personal and altruistic(sp?). I AM worried about the survival of future generations, especially because we do not teach basic principles of the mechanical world around us and, by and large, don't care. Availability of potable water is one of the big underlying crises that will significantly affect quality of life in the future...it may even have bigger implications than a dramatic reduction in fossil fuels.

If I was independently wealthy I would be giving the pump design away, I'm not even close to that. I haven't worked for a steady paycheck in a year and thanks to my wife we've made it with a bit of room to spare. My lectures pay, my writing is beginning to pay, even the farm is beginning to pay us back, but there is a lot of infrastructure in our intentional community that sales of the pump plans and pump kits will provide.

Again, it is for us, but to have working examples of self-sustaining technologies (permaculture, renewable energy, etc.) for our greatter area is a significant goal for us. The "it is too bad I didn't listen to my grandfather when he was making this or fixing that" or "how come they didn't write down how to do that?" mentality is our greatest problem.

I have the sketches and math figured out for the design of the wind mill that could be attached to my pump design. It can be fabricated out of locally available sprockets, chains. metal, and wood and bearings. This would be of great benefit where more than an individual family needed the water from a hand operated pump; for example livestock. Time and funds are my two biggest enemies. Please keep your questions coming! The plans are on schedule...sending some cash or checks my way would greatly encourage me! My contact information is in previous postings. Thanks, -Jim-

Dear !@#$;

I'm not sure as to the maximum depth that the pump will pull from, but it should easily pump from 200'.
The real problem is the static depth of water in a well...you could have a 500' deep well, and have no problem
pumping from it if the static depth was only 50'. The weight of the water in the column 'pushes' the water
from the bottom of the pump to the static level.

The second feature that I'm including in the plans is a simple diameter of draw pipe to weight of water per
foot of pipe chart. We (my students and I) experimented with a variety of draw pipe diameters from 1 1/2"
all the way down to 1/2" (I don't recommend 1/2"). There is a slight difference
between the volume pumped per stroke between the diameters, but less than we suspected. The cylinder/piston
in the lower works pumps about the same volume of water per stroke regardless of the draw pipe diameter, however
friction inside smaller diameter pipes is greater and slows the velocity of the rising water. This drag would make the
work of pushing the pump handle down harder with smaller diameter pipes and increase the velocity of the water
coming up the draw pipe. An expansion chamber might be necessary to stop the water from squirting out of the top
of the pump. This would consist of a few feet of 1 1/4" diameter pipe connected from the narrow draw pipe to
the base of the pump.

I agree that there may be a problem with PVC pipe and contamination of the water...but think the problem of dehydration
might be greater. I highly recommend a filter that can remove contaminants before consuming the water from the well
anyway. I'm recommending a cover over the top of the pump to stop airborn contaminants from entering the well when the
pump isn't in use. It isn't perfect, yet, but I'm trying to get this device to the masses at a reasonable price and make the
technology understandable. I tell my college students(I teach adult ed. courses on renewable energy topics at the
local community college) that if, at the end of my class, they say "that's all there is to that?" then
I did my job. I don't think there are many people out ther that understand how the water they are using every day gets to
the tap they drew it from.

I mentioned on my website that there is a stainless steel and brass version of the pump. This was actually the first one I
prototyped. Because the parts were so much more costly I chose to put my efforts into the less expensive version
first. The stainless steel and brass version uses a brass foot valve, an 18" piece of 2" diameter stainless steel pipe
and all stainless fittings. I'd recommend a galvanized water pipe for the draw pipe in this case. The piston is made
by turning the diameter of a 1 1/4" brass check valve down to a 'running and sliding' fit inside the 2" stainless pipe.
The prototype needed no o-rings and will last a really long time...I'm guessing years of daily use before it wears
out significantly.

I hope this clears things up. Have a great day! -Jim-