Need help from the older folks on this site. Doubt if anyone younger than around 40 or city slickers would even know what I am talking about.
Way back when I was a kid I remember seeing a water pump that would build pressure without an engine or electricilty. The best I can describe it is reverse hydraulices, a big piston driving a small piston. Have seen the same thing with compressed air. The days before nitrogen bottles became common. Shop air of around 100 psi could be pumped to about 1500 psi. Again, big piston driving a small one. Does anyone remember these? What are they called? Any suggestions as to where I could buy one to pump water? Or does anybody have the plans or a schematic for one so that I can build my own. Need it to pump a small volume of water up a hill without electricity 24 hours a day. I can't remember how the valving worked on these pumps or how much water flow or head was needed to activate the large cylinder.
Any help would be really appreciated.

 

Mexstan, the first thought I had when I read your post was something called an "inertia pump". I don't think that is exactly what you are looking for, but it may be a start. If you are not familiar, it is basically just a foot valve being cycled up and down. Will pump quite a bit of water in a short time, but it is not automatic. Could you use this idea and power it with a solar/battery setup?

Still thinking,
Ed

 

"Hydraulic Ram Pump", go to http://www.google.com and search with hydrulic ram pump, lots of results.

 

sherod, you are close. I am trying to stay away from using any electricity for this application, but in the future may have another use for pumping some water that has a zero head and on that may be able to use solar power and a battery. Just as long as it is cheap. If it is cheap enough it may be also used for others around me that at the moment have no nearby water and have to fetch it daily by the bucket. So have to do further research on this as well. If you come across more info please let me know about it.
BoldtsWagon, (sounds dutch) you gave me the lead I needed. Did a quick search and as you said, there is lots of info there.
Thanks guys. Wonder what percentage of people of this site have any clue what we are talking about? Less than 1%?

 

Interesting.

Mexstan, I don't know if you found this page from the Google search or not, it gives some pipe size and fall info for designing a ram pump:

http://www.lifewater.org/wfw/rws4/rws4d5.htm

 

[quote author=Mexstan link=board=10;threadid=18506;start=0#msg173637 date=1061156831]
Wonder what percentage of people of this site have any clue what we are talking about? Less than 1%?
[/quote]

Come on now some of us young pups know this stuff too. I’m 31 . Ram pumps designs (though antiquated) were used a ton for gold mining hills side back in the days of the Gold Rush. Miners more worried about pressure just used a steady decrease in pipe size after the Ram to achieve the desired water pressure. I’ve only had the privilege to see a few at mining museums, but it was a really neat idea for back in the day before water wheel pumps were used in higher flow volume rivers.

Sounds like an awesome solution for what you’re trying to accomplish, especially for those around you that have to bucket their water. Good luck, you make a good neighbor!

Kyle

 

jfpointer, no I have not tripped over that one yet. Found some that are similar. Going out to the site on Wednesday to take some height measurements so that I can do my calculations.
snowman, OK you are the exception then. Good for you. It is intersting to read about the manufactures of these pumps and took note of their claims that their pumps have been operating since the 1800's AND they still stock spare parts. Now that is impressive! Wonder if I can still buy a part for my CTD 50 years from now from the dealer?

 

Mexstan, It is always neat to see systems withstand the test of time. I’m really glad you brought this topic up. It has given me an awesome Idea to save some money on the electrical pump irrigation system. I had forgotten all about the Ram pump. Heck it would be fun just to build one and try it out for crop irrigation purposes. Thanks, Sir!

KickingthecobwebsoutofthebrainKyle

 

snowman, seeing as I gave you the idea I am going to claim 10% of your savings. For the next 10 years only.
Yes, some of this old stuff is truly amazing. Many years ago my father told me that during the war due to the shortage of gas they ran their vehicles on 100% charcoal. So we built a unit and installed it on a Toyota pickup truck. It worked great. OK, some power loss, but cruising on the highway there was no noticable difference. Also as a kid I built a gas generator and ran a single cylinder engine on the gas produced from cow manure. Interesting experiment.

 

Mother Earth News and some of the same type magazines had plans for the pumps. Used pvc pipe and some other easily obtained material. I'll do some checking.

 

SR, thanks. I would love to subscribe to Mother Earth News because I know they have some great info, but unfortunately they are one of the few magazines that refuse to deliver out of the US. I own about 8 1/2 fantastic acres out in the middle of nowhere, up in the mountains that I would like to be able to make money from plus soon build my house there. So am looking for all the ideas I can find. At the very least I want to be as self sufficient as possible.