Gas engine powered water pump help

[latexman]

Do you have compressed air handy?

 

[Sunset]

Are you pumping lots of water, or would an old fashioned hand pump work:

 

[skyking1]

he wants to water a small orchard on a remote off the grid ranch. That's not really in the realm of hand pumping

 

[427Vette]

Rather than reinvent the wheel I think I would start thinking about getting a shallow well pump and a generator. You had mentioned that you could build a box over whatever pump program that you came up with. Couldn’t you just build the box a little bigger and leave the generator out there too? These are all items that are modern and readily available. You could be pumping water this afternoon…

 

[street]

latexman, know compressed air.

Sunset, I have one of those pitch pumps and also a tall one that NW has in his video. That pitch pump can be used but need a gear box to do what I'm after. The handles are just taken off and then it can be used with a motor.

427Vette, I could do a generator and get the electric jet pump. I have the gen and a couple of jet pumps so that would be easy. I like the challenge and should be a fun challenge. The stuff is out there just need to gather it and engineer it. Thanks

jimbee, thanks and that is a start, and that is what I'm talking about. There are different set ups, but all do the same thing. I most likely would pay that much for that unit and in hopes of finding one or lose to that for cheaper. Thanks


NW-Bound, thanks and very interesting! I could watch that video and never get tired of watching it. Pretty amazing how someone designed something like that to be a pump! I do have a hit-miss kick start old gas motor similar to that one in the video. That tall water pump I also have one of them. Thanks and Ii will keep looking.

 

[427Vette]

Now I get it, it’s not really about just pumping water. It’s the challenge and the project to make it work. I am guilty of that too. I find myself enjoying the project more than the completed task sometimes. My ideas keep the local economy afloat too. Good luck!

How do you intend to get the water to the trees? Buckets? Build a trough?

 

[CaptTom]

@NW-Bound, loved that old pump jack. It's amazing the way they made those gears to slow down on the up stroke for more torque. I could watch a machine like that all day!

Near here there is an old farm with a windmill out by the highway, which nowadays holds a sign. But it still turns when there's some wind, and I can't help but wonder whether it still works. I can see the vertical shaft going down the tower, but I can't tell if it's connected to anything at the base, or even if it's moving up and down. Going by at highway speeds, I can't really take my eyes off the road long enough.

 

[arbeadub]

What is the recharge rate of the well? Is it the reason that the hand pump is your choice?

 

[arbeadub]

Another thought on a gearbox would be one from an old agitator washing machine. Some of them have an arm that swings an arc that could be adapted to the movement of the pump handle, It would not be elegant, more Rube Goldberg. Being out of design orientation lubrication might be compromised, but cheap or free and intermittent use it might last until its no longer needed.

 

[street]

Now I get it, it’s not really about just pumping water. It’s the challenge and the project to make it work. I am guilty of that too. I find myself enjoying the project more than the completed task sometimes. My ideas keep the local economy afloat too. Good luck!

How do you intend to get the water to the trees? Buckets? Build a trough?

Bucket or a hose to just lay down on ground to water. Yes, more of the challenge and to rescue some of the past.


arbeadub, It is a sand point shallow well and is a 1 1/4 inch pipe that will supply enough water for 3 underground sprinkler heads running at the same time. I have no pressure tank on my system so great pressure and I won't run out of water. The pipe will rust through before well goes dry.

 

[arbeadub]

Even though I like a good project I think that a simple pump would be the best. Harbor Freight has a 20v/120v transfer pump that has water hose fittings to connect to the water system. Recharge it at home and plug and play in the stream.

 

[B-Guy]

I'm sure it would. I have a trash pump but not looking to try to make one work in this application. .

Have you considered using a food grade IBC Tote Tank? I have two and use them to water my new trees. As long as you have the tanks above the trees you want to water it works great. I use a drip line to each tree that helps with evaporation. I started 150 yards X 4 rows of trees as a wind break as I was building our home.

I know practice the same principals but using a IBC totes and a drip line to the 14 trees I've recently planted along our drive. I have a quick disconnect and fill up the IBC TOTE TANK and take them back on the hill to water the trees.

 

[street]

Thanks for all the great idea and help!

I text a rancher about what I was looking for and he said he has one he uses all summer long. He said he was doing back in there today if I wanted to meet him, we would go back in the pasture, and he would show me his setup. Rough long winding trail in there but he had exactly what I was looking for. As a kid this was a common setup for stock tanks for cattle and for people to get water. My grandparents never had running water, and this is what they used to bring water to the surface. They had the long handle on them to pump than used this contraption with an electric or gas. Here is a few pictures of this gear box and I'm sure some of you old codgers have seen this before. This one is still used today for stock tank for watering livestock. You can see the pulley that a belt will attach that to a small pulley on gas engine. Then it will make watah!!

 

[street]

I found one of the gear boxes but don't have the wood pitman arms that drive the gear and that is attached to the hand pump. I will have a lot of work to do to get it all setup to pump water but slowly get it to a useable.

Has anyone been around one of these or something similar that is used in conjunction with a hand pump jack.

 

[arbeadub]

Good for you finding the gearbox, I think it would be a rare find around here. The way the pictures show the unit, the pump handle is removed and the pitman arms are connected to a walking beam at the top of the sucker rod. The pitman arms were made of wood because its easy to work with back in the day. If your pump is single action the up stroke is where the higher load is.

 

[street]

Good for you finding the gearbox, I think it would be a rare find around here. The way the pictures show the unit, the pump handle is removed and the pitman arms are connected to a walking beam at the top of the sucker rod. The pitman arms were made of wood because its easy to work with back in the day. If your pump is single action the up stroke is where the higher load is.

Yes, you got it figured out. Still a lot of them used in the west at remote places where there is no power. They work very well and I seen many gallons of water pumped through them through the years.

 

[arbeadub]

Do you have the gearbox yet? Have you been able to see what it needs as far as repairs? I would guess it is old with wear on the gear teeth and shafts. Shim stock would be good for getting shaft tolerances acceptable, poured babbit bearings would be a repair that is beyond my ability. Luckily tolerances can be fairly loose and still keep the grease where it belongs.

 

[street]

Do you have the gearbox yet? Have you been able to see what it needs as far as repairs? I would guess it is old with wear on the gear teeth and shafts. Shim stock would be good for getting shaft tolerances acceptable, poured babbit bearings would be a repair that is beyond my ability. Luckily tolerances can be fairly loose and still keep the grease where it belongs.

Got it! It is rusty but seems solid and doesn't seem to have any play in gear meshing etc.. I just have to make the wood pitman arms and I will get a set from a guy and copycat the design and configuration.
The gear box needs a flushing but other than some oil and some wd-40 to get that motor mount bracket free I think is ready to make water. I want to water some horses or livestock and trees in this remote area so it is a very hand piece of equipment.
Here it is.

 

[arbeadub]

Now that piece of equipment looks stout enough to get the job done.

 

[street]

Things made back in the day were built to last. Lol You got that right it is heavy and built for war.

 

[arbeadub]

Hey street have you any updates on getting the pump going? I know you are always busy with your ranch and your volunteering.

 

[street]

Hey street have you any updates on getting the pump going? I know you are always busy with your ranch and your volunteering.

Still plugging away at it arbeadub. I have most of the things I need except the leather for installing on the pump jack piston. I tore the motor off of the old snow blower on Saturday. This morning I drove back into a remote cattle tank and picked up a 20 foot piece of pipe and hauled it out hung off the side of the truck and 15 miles to my well site. All dirt roads never seen anyone or a vehicle so just putzed down the road. Lol

I got one side of arms glued and clamped tonight to other one is done. Holes need to be drilled in them at correct locations on the arms. Pump jack is in pieces will need some advice on the work I need to do with the suction piston. I checked the water in well and there is a lot of water about 14 to 15 feet down. It should make a good well.

Going to be a process that is for sure and will keep me out of trouble. Lol

 

[Rambler]

It isn’t gas, but I had one of these on my well, when I lived in CA. You can use it manually, or attach a solar powered motors to pump.

Simplepump.com

 

[street]

It isn’t gas, but I had one of these on my well, when I lived in CA. You can use it manually, or attach a solar powered motors to pump.

Simplepump.com

Interesting! Solar powered motor that is something I haven't heard about. That be a great way to go and there are easier ways to do pump water than how I'm doing it. I have the material so I won't have much money any it except for a few items like a check valve and a coupler.

Thanks for that interesting option and will explore that product some more.

 

[Retired Expat]

That is what we did. Changed the jet pump with limited suck to a submersible with good head. Also never a question of losing the prime or problems with the foot valve. Ideal if drawing from a pond or lake as we are..