I know there are lots of info on the web for shallow well hand pumps, but has anyone actually used any of them? How well do they work?
We have a small cabin that we use for hunting and camping. There is no power other than a generator. This year or next we will be digging in a septic tank and are considering installing a cistern when we have the excavator on location. I see them priced from 50 -500 bucks, I'm sure there is a difference.
Does anyone have and use a hand operated shallow well (20 foot) pump?
I have a hand pump in my barn on my back well, it works fine, it's my deeper well and it does not hold its prime for more then maybe ten min, so you have to prime it each time its used at the start, otherwise it works fine, mine is currently seven plus years old and just starting to show wear and tear, it was a 80 dollar cast iron one, I have seen them at the TLC store, I guess I should pick up a backup at some point, for that "just in case".
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Hi Farmgal, I was reading that some pumps are designed to drain so they don't freeze at the surface when its cold. Some of them have a simple leather seal for a check valve. Many places like campgrounds have the draining type of valve for the hand pump for this reason as well. For my cistern in the house i would not require the draining type, but at the cabin it would definitely freeze and break.
I'm simply not at all familiar with the brands and how reliable they are for the price. After all, $50 to several hundred is a big jump in price. A consumer report is quite valuable for items you've never used before, but may need to rely on someday.
Check out the water well helpline
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