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View Full Version : Back to Pitcher Pumps...

pintopiaffe
Jun. 24, 2009, 04:10 PM
sooo...

What happens in winter? The water line is below the frost line... But does the pump freeze up? The pipe coming up? Or is there a way to empty the pipe to the water line so it doesn't???

Just still mulling about my options for 'alternatives' when we have power failures. Depending on cause, can be a couple days to a couple weeks up here. I am THE LAST HOUSE on the line.

I can pretty much survive anything as long as I have water. :yes: (now, God, in case You heard that, seriously, no need to TEST me on that statement. It's based on past history, not a brag... :uhoh: :lol: )
greysandbays
Jun. 24, 2009, 06:49 PM
Are you talking about the old-fashioned long-handled hand pump like farms used to have? (I've heard of pitcher pumps but not sure if they are just the little ones "rich" [haha!] folks had in the house or also the outside pumps as well.)

My dad tells of pouring a little warm water over the pump head to thaw the bit of water that doesn't drain out completely. Both of my parents pumped water for the livestock twice a day the old-fashioned way. Don't know if the thawing was an every-time thing or just when the weather was particularly cold.

Unless your water is pretty close to the surface, you might not be able to get enough suction by hand. I have friends who've been hauling water to their horses kept on a pasture property without electricity or facilities of any sort and they thought they'd get ahead of that game by putting in a hand pump. They found water easy enough, but it was just a little bit too far down to draw up by hand. So they've got a nice, rustic-looking pump out front that don't do much...
Tom King
Jun. 24, 2009, 07:15 PM
You can get them for deep wells too. We had one on a 100' deep well a long time ago. It had a long handle and would move an impressive amount of water. Google "hand water pump" and they're not that hard to find...
http://www.bisonpumps.com/

Greysandbays is right. "Pitcher pumps" were the little counter top ones. Big ones are commonly just called "hand pumps".

I'm fine with just having a generator.