On 29/04/2015 22:53, Michael Uplawski wrote:
From the beginnig, I should have mentioned that I want to install the
pump permanently on our well. A hand pump (or just any kid of pump)
means an improvement over the bucket and winch that I am using right
now, but having learned to reduce our energy consumption drastically, I
do not feel like sacrificing first a considerable sum of money for a
motor pump, secondly a lot of petrol each time that I need to water my
plants.

I'd check them out before you spend too much money.

My experience is with much smaller distance to the water. I sail boats,
and there's a saying "The best pump is a frightened man with a bucket".
We have a few small pumps for getting water out of the bottom of boats.
When there's only a few cm a bucket wouldn't work; but they seem to need
a lot of effort for not much water.

There's probably a good reason why village wells seem to have pumps - I
imagine the big ones are better than a bucket and rope.

Andy

Good morning, all.

On Sun, 03 May 2015 21:13:17 +0100,
Vir Campestris wrote:

My experience is with much smaller distance to the water. I sail boats,
and there's a saying "The best pump is a frightened man with a bucket".
We have a few small pumps for getting water out of the bottom of boats.
When there's only a few cm a bucket wouldn't work; but they seem to need
a lot of effort for not much water.

Your uses are probably those that the plastic-pump is meant for. I
phoned the company and the manager instantaneously recommended a rotary
pump. Unfortunately, the remaining ten units that they sell, are rather
rudimentarily equipped and I need advice from a local expert before I
can decide.

In the video on the Unipump web-site, they enlarge on the fact that they
pump up half a liter with each movement, and up to 1.80m. As said, I
should foresee distances between 4 and about 6 meters, with a maximum
depth of 7.4m, in case of a serious drought. Anything lower can be
pumped by submergeable pumps, only.

At those depth I cannot but fear for the plastic leaver... At the price
that the pumps are sold for, I completely understand why there are no
maintenance needs to be expected. You rather buy a new one, directly, in
case of trouble. Also, as the tubes are fitted permanently, it is
probably downright impossible to do whatever passes as “repair-work�
with these pumps.

There's probably a good reason why village wells seem to have pumps - I
imagine the big ones are better than a bucket and rope.

I had to install a new winch twice in two years. This is mostly due to
my own inexperience with that “technology� (the user-interface is
lacking documentation). Being exposed to the weather and after heavy
use, both, the shaft and the old chain were completely worn out, when I
arrived. I have lost a bucket in the well, which I could get out again,
easily, but also some utilities which are still there...

There is another serious problem with open wells. I do not have
children, but there are many in the family... Most probably, my current
installation of a metal sheet and two heavy oak-beams to cover the well,
is completely illegal. Should be, actually.

Michael


Andy


--
Location: Lower Normandy (Orne), France
GnuPG/OpenPGP 4096R/3216CF02 2013-11-15 [expires: 2015-11-15]
sub 4096R/2751C550 2013-11-15 [expires: 2015-11-15]
[Next key will use elliptic-curve algorithm! :-) Get GnuPG!!]

On 04/05/2015 11:25, Martin wrote:
A good village pump can pump a bucket full on each stroke.

That'll be a good reason for having one. I suspected there was a god
reason for them!

Andy

On 03/05/2015 21:24, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 03 May 2015 21:13:17 +0100, Vir Campestris
wrote:

My experience is with much smaller distance to the water. I sail boats,
and there's a saying "The best pump is a frightened man with a bucket".
We have a few small pumps for getting water out of the bottom of boats.
When there's only a few cm a bucket wouldn't work; but they seem to need
a lot of effort for not much water.

With only a few cm, a dustpan can be a more effective baler than a
bucket.



When we lived outside Hastings we had a borehole that we got our water
from, together with rainwater.
It went into a large underground tank under the garage, it was then
pumped up to tanks in the loft either by an electric pump or if there
was trouble with it then with a rotary hand pump like those shown here..
https://www.drain-systems.co.uk/pump...ary-hand-pumps
Easy to use and shifted water quite quickly.
David @ a rainy side of Swansea Bay

On 04/05/2015 11:31, Chris Hogg wrote:
You'd be surprised. But transom flaps and self-balers are probably
more appropriate if the dinghy's full.

Absolutely. But the pumps are in the rescue boats!

Andy