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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Anyone know where to get a new pump cylinder for an old hand pump. I've been googling and I only come up with some india company for what I want.

I have an old pitcher style hand pump, but he pump cylinder is down inside a concrete pit, not in the the pump itself. After sitting for years, the cylinder has rusted in two and no longer usable. I am torn, do I buy a new cheap short style pitcher pump or try to replace this cylinder. I want to try to get this old shallow well working in case of need in the near future.

Here is similar to my cylinder I need and set up.

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My pump is very similar to this one, mounted above concrete pit where cylinder is located below ground. Was nice in the winter, it never froze up

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You use "pitcher pump" differently than what I was brought up with. Pitcher pumps used suction and were limited to very shallow wells. Your diagram is a deep well pump. It can go down very far. I have seen deep well pump plans(Mother Earth News?) where they can be made from standard plumbing pieces. The piston was the only part that took some customizing. Let us know how it goes. Good Luck, Rick

To make it easier use plastic parts.

Here is the MEN article but, its missing the diagrams. http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/pvc-manual-well-pump-zmaz00jjzgoe.aspx
 

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Discussion Starter · #3 ·
Thnaks. I guess I used the middle diagram to show the design of the cylinder, but mine is not down in the well. Whoever built this dug a round pit about 4' in diameter, maybe 5' deep then pour it all in concrete with a concrete top and access hole. The pump is mounted above of course. The pump cylinder is mounted inside the pit above ground so it's a suction type system the way it's setup. If I remember right, dad dropped a weight/string down the pipe, it was only maybe 20 or 22' deep and pipe maybe 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" diameter.

I first need to make sure I can get old housing off of the ground pipe, screwed on on rusted up pretty bad. I can remember dad taking it apart and replacing the leathers inside the cylinder. After years of sitting idle and top of pump open, I guess water got inside the cyl and rusted the bottom out.

Then I need see how deep it is and if there is any water still in it.

When they drilled the deep well in '89, dad stopped using this one although it was the best tasting water ever!

I have found a couplesites on line that maybe able to provide me a cyl, but man, $300-400 for one. I will go buy a cheapo pitcher pump and rig it up for as shallow as this well is.

I have also looked into making my own PVC pump cylinder, a lot of videos on the "tube". Bad part with 99% of those is that the cylinder has to be down inside the water to work. Depending on the diameter of my pipe may limit how I can build the pump, it would be pretty small, but if that's what it takes.
 

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Discussion Starter · #5 ·
Well, climbed down in the pit Sat, pulled the lower lever out of the housing and decided to do a string/nut drop down into the pipe.

Not so good news :boo_hoo:

I only got a 13' drop before it bottomed out and only about 18" of water. My dad did the same thing year ago, I remember it was at least 22' and static water at about 11' from the top of pipe which puts water level at about 15' deep since pit is about 4' deep. I don't know if something fell down in it plugging it or lower pipe has rusted apart and it caved in. Obviously there is water down there.

I am torn about what to do now. Do I try to punch down in existing pipe or just get me a well point and some pipe and start driving right next to it. If I drive, I would like to do it next to this one and keep my pit as I can set it up so it doesn't freeze in the winter, but the concrete ceiling makes it hard to do much unless I somehow core drill another large hole. Decisions.

I am also on waiting list for a new deep well drill, but that maybe Oct or Nov since I am #15 on his list.
 

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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Can you make a tapered end on a 21' section of 1 1/12" (or 1") pipe and drive it in the existing pipe?
Make it something you can unscrew if you need to so you don't lose the pipe.
I would have to most likely go with 1" since I think the pipe in there is only 1 1/4 or 1 1/2. I had thought about that, but not knowing what below, if it's full of sand and gravel ( which is our base down to about 30') it will be hard to displace that if it's inside the old pipe.

I figured I maybe better off just buying a hardened well point and drive a new one next to it or in the general area.

My uncle witched it many years ago, he followed it up through the field and across the property, skinny vein, not very wide. Probably why that water tasted so good when it worked, under ground stream or the likes.
 

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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
Here's my pit and what I am working with. I think if I can get the old bottom half of cylinder off the old pipe, I will have enough room to drive a new well point w/1 1/4" pipe right next to it and still be able to use hole on top to mount a new pump too. Got prices tonight, not sure if I want to spend the $200 or so for a maybe. I know there is water there so, decisions. Would be nice for the animals so I don't have to haul it all the time. Also a pic of the old well pump, sure wished I could incorporate it back in there somehow and use it, but pretty rusted and I don't have the pump cylinder which was in pit, that's extra $$

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Discussion Starter · #11 ·
I've looked at Lehman's. They have the cylinder I need, but for he price, I think the brass is layered in gold :wallbanging:

If I can drive a new well point, I can possiblly make me a pusher pump out of PVC that will slide down inside the 1 1/4. I can always just do a pitcher pump up top too so that provides me options. I may add a T in the line right before it goes into the ground and connect my little 12 Volt pump to it and run off my tractor if needed.... It's just that driving of a new pipe :(
 
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