Letter Re: Well Pumps

Hugh,

Regarding the recent information about well hand pumps on the blog (Simple Pump, Bison Pump), I would like to add that there is another robust and reliable pump that has not gotten the attention of many people outside of the farm & ranch community. It is the Model 11HD (for deeper wells) pump made by Baker Monitor. This pump is heavy duty (cast iron) with a design that has been around for almost a hundred years. This is the same type of pump that has been reliably attached to windmills on farms since its creation and has also been used by the Forest Service at some of their campgrounds (the shallow well model). I researched the Bison and Simple pumps before I learned about the Baker Monitor pump from a local well pump installer, who has installed many of them in our area. The installer was able to add this pump onto my existing well (200 ft) without interfering with the electric pump. The cost of materials plus installation (including optional garden hose adapter) was less than the cost of materials for the Simple pump or the Bison pump. We placed the bottom of the Baker Monitor pump at 84ft (static water lever was 45ft), and we have no problem pumping considerable water in our tests. I like that this pump can be attached to a windmill at some future date, if I desire. The one drawback to the pump is that it is heavy. – K.K.