Old pitcher pump, restore and use

[Mike(NEOhio)]

We had to drill a new well due to silt in the old one. It's in the area of the wife's flower beds and she wants to use it for watering and yard decor. It's a Deming, I think #2 and easy to get parts for. The well level is about 13 feet down so 20 feet of pipe will be plenty. The pump base is 1-1/4 NPT female. So, a few questions. Does it need a foot valve or will it hold prime without one? It will sit on top of the 6-inch casing so I'll need some kind of adapter ring. Does anybody have them or will I have to make one? Plastic or iron pipe? How to protect it from freezing? I could take it out for the cold weather months.

 

[Janicholson]

Foot valve is only needed if she wants to pump water nearly as soon as she begins to move the handle. if 10 to 20 pump handle strokes before water is OK good enough without. Do remember that a foot valve can allow the pump to freeze!!! Pulling it out in the late fall is a good idea in all cases. Jim

 

[cleddy]

We had to drill a new well due to silt in the old one. It's in the area of the wife's flower beds and she wants to use it for watering and yard decor. It's a Deming, I think #2 and easy to get parts for. The well level is about 13 feet down so 20 feet of pipe will be plenty. The pump base is 1-1/4 NPT female. So, a few questions. Does it need a foot valve or will it hold prime without one? It will sit on top of the 6-inch casing so I'll need some kind of adapter ring. Does anybody have them or will I have to make one? Plastic or iron pipe? How to protect it from freezing? I could take it out for the cold weather months.

I have a very old hand pump on a cistern about 20 feet deep. I polished the pump sleeve and replaced the parts so it pumps good and it has a foot valve. I noticed a small hole(1/8") drilled in the side of the pump tube about 4 feet down. It always has a prime but when you stop pumping the water slowly drains down below freezing point. Those Old timers had some good solutions for year round use??

 

[Russ from MN]

We have some mineral exploration bore holes on our property, there is one in a convenient location that is about 400 feet deep. I built a cylinder pump, that's down about 20 feet, and I put a small hole in the side of the pipe about 8 feet down. I can pump water out of it when it's below zero, and just walk away it doesn't freeze, a good idea from the past!

 

[cleddy]

We have some mineral exploration bore holes on our property, there is one in a convenient location that is about 400 feet deep. I built a cylinder pump, that's down about 20 feet, and I put a small hole in the side of the pipe about 8 feet down. I can pump water out of it when it's below zero, and just walk away it doesn't freeze, a good idea from the past!

What your frost or freezing depth where you are? We are maybe 48" in Nebraska but don't think it happened in recent mild years??

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I have a very old hand pump on a cistern about 20 feet deep. I polished the pump sleeve and replaced the parts so it pumps good and it has a foot valve. I noticed a small hole(1/8") drilled in the side of the pump tube about 4 feet down. It always has a prime but when you stop pumping the water slowly drains down below freezing point. Those Old timers had some good solutions for year round use??

I've seen a diagram showing that drain hole but it was on a pump with the cylinder at the bottom of the casing.

What your frost or freezing depth where you are? We are maybe 48" in Nebraska but don't think it happened in recent mild years??

Always heard 36 inches around here but I'm in a low area surrounded by trees so only get a few inches of frost and that's pretty rare. I'd probably just pull it out for the winter. The sleeve is pretty well pitted and I was going to hone it smooth. Should I oil the new leathers or put them in as is?

 

[cleddy]

I've seen a diagram showing that drain hole but it was on a pump with the cylinder at the bottom of the casing.

Always heard 36 inches around here but I'm in a low area surrounded by trees so only get a few inches of frost and that's pretty rare. I'd probably just pull it out for the winter. The sleeve is pretty well pitted and I was going to hone it smooth. Should I oil the new leathers or put them in as is?

Vasoline is good- If you drink the water it won't hurt you. Minimum amount is also good so stuff doesn't gummy and sticky.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Vasoline is good- If you drink the water it won't hurt you. Minimum amount is also good so stuff doesn't gummy and sticky.

It's just for watering the landscape plants.

 

[Russ from MN]

What your frost or freezing depth where you are? We are maybe 48" in Nebraska but don't think it happened in recent mild years??

In N MN it's recommended to put water lines down at least 8 feet, especially under an area where you might drive or snowplow. But you're right about recent years, not very cold, and very little snow last year.

 

[cleddy]

I've seen a diagram showing that drain hole but it was on a pump with the cylinder at the bottom of the casing.

Always heard 36 inches around here but I'm in a low area surrounded by trees so only get a few inches of frost and that's pretty rare. I'd probably just pull it out for the winter. The sleeve is pretty well pitted and I was going to hone it smooth. Should I oil the new leathers or put them in as is?

Sounds like you have it figured out. Pitcher pump on top would cause problems with draining the way I mentioned but most foot valves will leak down eventually(maybe -Maybe not).You should try to figure some other way to drain it for cold weather. I found pulling a 20 foot deep pump out is not easy even with a tractor loader that goes up high. Supporting a 20 foot pump straight up in the air almost requires a well pulling rig. I change my lower pipe to PVC just to make the whole assembly lighter. All steel is very heavy????

 

[rustred]

I have a very old hand pump on a cistern about 20 feet deep. I polished the pump sleeve and replaced the parts so it pumps good and it has a foot valve. I noticed a small hole(1/8") drilled in the side of the pump tube about 4 feet down. It always has a prime but when you stop pumping the water slowly drains down below freezing point. Those Old timers had some good solutions for year round use??

Yes I have the same deal here , 1/8”
Hole in the pipe below frost level.

 

[cleddy]

I've seen a diagram showing that drain hole but it was on a pump with the cylinder at the bottom of the casing.

Always heard 36 inches around here but I'm in a low area surrounded by trees so only get a few inches of frost and that's pretty rare. I'd probably just pull it out for the winter. The sleeve is pretty well pitted and I was going to hone it smooth. Should I oil the new leathers or put them in as is?

Actually the more I think about it a small hole somewhere in the pipe down in the hole probably would work because that pump can pump a lot more water than air can go through that small hole. Keep it small or drill just under the water level. Not as fast to start but would save the labor of pulling the pump&putting back it back in the spring..

 

[buickanddeere]

In N MN it's recommended to put water lines down at least 8 feet, especially under an area where you might drive or snowplow. But you're right about recent years, not very cold, and very little snow last year.

Someday winter will return with a vengeance