Category: Water Storage & Filters

HJL, Hi, this article sounds good, but I have a couple of questions about construction of the well pump described. Is the mentioned diagram available for the design of the 1&1/4″ assembly above the well cap? Also, I’m surprised there isn’t a seal or check valve on the bottom of the piston. Is this to simplify design, by sacrificing efficiency? Would the gpm and maximum pumping depth increase if these were included in the design? The idea fills a need for many preppers. We just need more info. – J.J. HJL Responds: We sent the request on to the author, …

HJL, Can you please help me understand what you mean about locking up a well pump to prevent sabotage? Even if my well pump is locked, a saboteur intent on destroying my well could still dump poison down the air vent or take a k-saw or sledge hammer to the exposed portions of the pump. Unless you are erecting an impenetrable concrete and steel structure around your pump, I don’t understand what you are protecting by putting a lock on a manual well pump. Preventing an uninvited neighbor from cycling your well pump does not protect your well from damage. …

HJL, I agree with GL, the Grundfos SQF line of off-grid well pumps are superior products. My well is using the 11-SQF-2 pump. The correct operating voltage range is 30-300 VDC or 90-240 VAC @ 50/60 Hz. Maximum current draw of this set of pump products is 8.4 amps, regardless of input voltage. The pump contains an MPPT power controller. Oh, these are NOT inexpensive pumps. Note, if you are supplying less than 120 volts, the GPM of the pump must be down-rated. This is important when running from solar panels but even more so when running from batteries. See …

Hugh, 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 …

Hand pumps are not the only alternative to grid-powered electric well pumps. When we were researching the available options, hand pumps with a solar option was our first choice. The problem was that they would not produce the volume of water required. We needed a system that would be capable of pumping enough water to satisfy the requirements of all the livestock plus supply domestic water, if needed. (This was approximately 1500 gallons per day as a design parameter.) Consultations with the folks at Simple Pump indicated their pump could not produce enough water. That left a solar submersible pump …

I have first hand experience with the Storm Pump, made in Sagle, Idaho in the American Redoubt. This is a hand pump that attaches to your well head and sits next to your submersible pump. It costs about the same as the Simple Pump. I actually took a second job to save up for it, but the peace of mind was well worth the effort. They are manufactured by Terry Deal in Sagle, and he will also install them for a reasonable price. I have had the pump for about a year and a half now, and I am very …

HJL, I have seen some of the recent discussions pertaining to manual hand pumps for wells. I have wanted to add one to our preps for a while but have held back because it seemed as though they all cost around $1500. Our well is around 50′-60′ deep. I recently came across another pump option called a Handy Well Pump (model HWP-L) for considerably less. I am interested whether any other readers have experience and can offer insight on this pump option? Thanks in advance – Tired-n-Dusty HJL responds: Just looking at the build of the unit, it appears that …

HJL, I also have a Bison pump. It is installed right into my well along side the submersible pump. My static water level is about 31 feet. My pump is about 15 ft from my house (a pressure system). I am not very savvy on this stuff, so maybe you can EDUCATE ME. How are you getting your bison to pump in your water? I doubt your well is in your basement. HJL Responds: Unfortunately, you will probably not be able to reproduce the results of those readers who have their pumps mounted indoors. Very few people have their wells …

Hello, I’m also one who has a Bison Pump in my basement. My well surface level is low enough that I can pump water into my basement, if needed. Like the other author said, all I have to do is turn two valves. I’m in the process of selling my house, so I have a document written up for the new buyer explaining our water system. I’m attaching a word document detailing the Bison Pump side of it. A few months after we moved in– seven years ago– a massive wind storm took down trees and power lines in our …

I have some trepidations about water wells and altering those wells. After reading the comments about Water Issues, I wanted to provide some additional thoughts. A pitless adapter in a well is used to support the submersible pump and allow for the top of the well casing to be terminated below the surface of the ground. The pitless is not just a plumbing fitting but an engineered piece of well hardware that is fitted to the well casing. Altering the well head by installing new well casing above, or over, the original casing will require that the well head be …

Hello Hugh, In a recent letter, the writer noted he did not know the static water depth of his well. This is easy to determine using a recording device and some free audio software. 1. Remove the cap from the well casing. 2. Clap your hands above the open hole, and listen for the repeated echos. 3. Use an audio recorder of some type to record the echos. Most phones can be loaded with audio recording apps. 4. Transfer the audio snippet to a PC, and use a free program, such as Audacity, to measure the time between two echos, …

HJL, Another option the author might consider is a well bucket. I bought mine from Lehman’s as a short-term solution to possible electrical power failure until I have my PV system fully up-to-speed. I think it was around $70, plus shipping, and it provides me an affordable alternative water source. -BPF HJL responds: This is a viable alternative as long as you realize that your submersible pump will have to be pulled in order to effectively use this setup. For those who are uncomfortable with working on your own well, beware that this option may not work for you. o …

M, Consider connecting your hand pump to the well pipes where they enter your basement or house. I did this with my Bison pump. Having the pump indoors offers obvious advantages for issues such as weather, security, and using during night hours. Mine sits on a countertop over a tub adjacent to my pressure tank. I get the extra benefit of being able to generate enough psi so that the water supply flows in my barn 100 yards away. To engage, all I have to do is flip three valves. Good luck. – Pete