water/well pump questions

[mdj696]

Hears a tried and true method. My aunt pumping water out of a well during despreeion in rural Georgia. Notice the nickers.

[Wingwiper]

Keep a bottle or two of CLOROX and use it for purifying water. A gallon of CLOROX will
purify many many gallons of water.

[GlennM]

I haven't seen 110v and 220v pump heads talked about yet. If the well is a 75 footer, it's possible you have a 220 volt motor on the pump to accommodate the lift necessary from that far down. I have a small 2500 peak watt little Coleman generator sitting in my barn that doesn't have a 220v outlet on it, but it works fine for minor chores around the place where I don't feel like dragging extension cords out to. But it couldn't power my well head, which is 220v, without some fancy rewiring that's well beyond my ability. I'd probably end up burning down my barn if I tried it.

It's not very high tech, but water stored in new 33 gallon trash cans, treated with a few teaspoons of bleach, will keep water safe for a year as long as you seal the lid airtight with duct tape. I used that many years ago, and during an ice storm that caused a power outage for over 6 days in 1978 on a small ranch I owned at the time, it was nice having those trash cans full. I have to admit it tasted a bit off-flavor because of the bleach and plastic, but it was pure and had been stored about 10 months before the ice storm. The moral of THAT story was: Rotate my backup supply more frequently.

[TXplt]

Originally Posted by Amarksman

yeah, not that kind of well. would be easier if it was. I will try to elaborate a little more on the well deal. From what I can figure, the well is about 50-75 ft deep, and water comes from a pump submersed in the well, and gos to a pressure tank in my house from there. I wonder if I could some up with some kind of DC pump to put in line in my house somewhere and just switch to it in the event of power loss. Now as far as storage, that is something that i need to look into. Right now it basically is an on demand type system besides my hot water tank, which holds about eighty gallons. You guys know of anything out there that is made for inside storage? Or should I look at something as far as outside storage gos. I saw in a thread on here somewhere about bladders, but I think I would be looking at some other alternative.

I don't think the DC pump thing will work. Unless it's in a bucket, it's not possible to lift water more than about 30 feet (due to atmospheric pressure).

You'll need either a submersible pump down near the bottom of the well to push the water uphill, or some type of jet pump setup (which shoots water down to the bottom of the well then through a jet/venturi setup using the venturi effect at the bottom of the well to take more water up with it).

A standby generator to power your house and the submersible might be easier (and cheaper).

[Girlgun]

the thing about the Leheman's hand pump is that it is really for a fairly shallow well, like 20 or 30 feet. I had one here. Worked real well. But nothing like the old ones we used to have in Texas, the really old ones. Does anybody know if anyone even makes those anymore?

[mdj696]

Wife tells me one drop of clorox per gallon of water will kill all bacteria,making it safe to drink.

[Wingwiper]

Originally Posted by mdj696

Wife tells me one drop of clorox per gallon of water will kill all bacteria,making it safe to drink.

I was thinking more of a Cap Full.

We had Chlorine Tablets we would drop in our water supply and you may taste it, but it is safe to drink. Unless it is really contaminated, then it would need to be filtered and then Chlorinated.

[SwedeSteve]

As I know nothing about wells or pumps, I was going to ask, what would the cost be to install a new/seperate handpump like jimkim suggested?

[Amarksman]

Thats a good question, and something I really need to look into. It would deffinately be convenient to have one!

[jimkim]

Look at this sight Simple Pump Company -- Industrial/Environmental -- Hand Lever Pumps, Small Motorized Pumps, Solar Powered Pumps -- Hand Pumps -- Water Pumps check out the industrial environmental model. They also have electric models but I didn't look at them.
Dang now that I've looked at them I might get an electric one that will work of an Idling truck. I'm glad I found this. Thanks for making me look.

[SwedeSteve]

You just gotta love this site!

[mitch_mckee]

Originally Posted by mdj696

Wife tells me one drop of clorox per gallon of water will kill all bacteria,making it safe to drink.

Clorox Bleach for Emergency Water Purification

How to use Clorox Bleach for:

Emergency Water Purification

The following is the text from a full page ad by Clorox .
Boiling Is Best

Short of using a very high-quality water filter, this is the most reliable method for killing microbes and parasites. Bring water to a rolling boil and keep it simmering for at least several minutes. Add one minute of boiling to the initial 10 minutes for every 1,000 feet above sea level. Cover the pot to shorten boiling time and conserve fuel.

Liquid Clorox Bleach

In an emergency, think of this (one gallon of Regular Clorox Bleach) as 3,800 gallons of drinking water.
When the tap water stops flowing, Regular Clorox Bleach isn't just a laundry-aid, it's a lifesaver. Use it to purify water, and you'll have something to drink.
It's the same in any natural disaster. As the shock wears off and the days wear on, the biggest demand is for drinking water. Time after time, relief crews hand out free Clorox Bleach with simple instructions: use it to kill bacteria in your water and you'll have purified water to drink. Here's how: (Store these directions with your emergency bottle of Clorox Bleach.)
First let water stand until particles settle. Pour the clear water into an uncontaminated container and add Regular Clorox Bleach per the chart.* Mix well. Wait 30 min. Water should have a slight bleach odor. If not, repeat dose. Wait 15 min. Sniff again. Keep an eyedropper taped to your emergency bottle of Clorox Bleach, since purifying small amounts of water requires only a few drops. See chart* suggestions for storage bottle replacement.
Don't pour purified water into contaminated containers. To sanitize water jugs first, see instructions** at right.
Without water and electricity, even everyday tasks are tough. In lieu of steaming hot water, sanitize dishes with a little Clorox Bleach. Just follow the directions below to keep dishes clean.
Whether you use Clorox Bleach in an emergency or for everyday chores, it's always an environmentally sound choice. After its work is done, Clorox Bleach breaks down to little more than salt and water, which is good news anytime.
*Ratio of Clorox Bleach to Water for Purification
2 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per quart of water
8 drops of Regular Clorox Bleach per gallon of water
1/2 teaspoon Regular Clorox Bleach per five gallons of water
If water is cloudy, double the recommended dosages of Clorox Bleach.
(Only use Regular Clorox Bleach (not Fresh Scent or Lemon Fresh). To insure that Clorox Bleach is at its full strength, replace your storage bottle every three months.)
**(Clorox Bleach Sanitizing Solution)
Mix 1 tablespoon Regular Clorox Bleach with one gallon of water. Always wash and rinse items first, then let each item soak in Clorox Bleach Sanitizing Solution for 2 minutes. Drain and air dry.

[Sargeyork]

If you have a hand pump on a well how do you keep it from freezing up in the winter other than building a house around it?

[Deersniper]

If kept clean water is ageless. You would have to put a two man mechanical pump at the point where the water enters the pump. Try to keep your prime. Down at the fish camp we use water collection barrels hooked to the rain gutters and a float switch then fills up a 1000 gal chlorinated collection tank . We use that water for the shower, toilet. Bottle water still applies for drinking. We are looking at solar and wind, at least the river is 50 ft away. You can also use thermal heating for water and heat. Get a big inverter, and a bank of batteries, A generator, fuel, and Berky water filtration unit.