# Yard well hand pump for emergencies



## coyotech (Dec 26, 2012)

We have a house well and a yard well, and of course both are run with electric pumps. When the power goes out we run out of water in a short amount of time. I have some water stored, but am concerned about our water supply if we didn't have power permanently or even for several days. 

The house well is about 200' deep and the cost of hand pumps for that is very expensive, if it would even work. However, the yard well is only 20' deep and a hand pump would be practical there. Does anybody have experience and recommendations on that? How hard is it to have both an electric pump and a hand pump for a yard well? Can you do that with a Y and valves? Is there some other solution for the house well that I might be missing?


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

> Can you do that with a Y and valves?


Yes. But the hand pump pretty much has to be at the well.


> Is there some other solution for the house well that I might be missing?


Not really.


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## coyotech (Dec 26, 2012)

Thanks, that makes sense about the hand pump being at the well. That wouldn't be a problem. I suppose the hand pump should be installed after the anti-backflow valve.


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## libprepper (Aug 8, 2013)

Any thought of doing a below ground cistern and a pitcher pump ? Keep the cistern topped off with electric pump. When powers out the pitcher pump can pull what you need out of the cistern.


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## coyotech (Dec 26, 2012)

libprepper said:


> Any thought of doing a below ground cistern and a pitcher pump ? Keep the cistern topped off with electric pump. When powers out the pitcher pump can pull what you need out of the cistern.


I hadn't thought about that at all. It sounds worth looking into. I couldn't afford to buy a tank or to form one with concrete. I wonder if a hand dug block lined cistern would work. Our soil is alkalai: sand & clay with caliche and a little gravel in layers. Water percolates down quickly, but the top water table starts at about 8 feet. A 3' x 4' x 4' deep cistern would hold 359 gallons. Pretty amazing to store that much water in a fairly small hole.


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

What about a solar pump?


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

> What about a solar pump?


I think he wants a frugal installation.
Here is the simple hand pump............
http://www.fleetfarm.com/detail/wat...earch&gslfah&gclid=CKrP4urt8rgCFYN_QgodZ30AWg

Here is the simple installation..................................


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

There are a few hand pumps capable of going 200-300 ft down without serious modification of your existing well. Im not sure what the financials look like, hope this helps.

http://www.survivalunlimited.com/deepwellpump.htm

http://bisonpumps.com/deep-well-hand-pump/

http://www.simplepump.com/OUR-PUMPS/Hand-Operated.html

http://waterbuckpump.com/


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## stanb999 (Nov 14, 2011)

coyotech said:


> We have a house well and a yard well, and of course both are run with electric pumps. When the power goes out we run out of water in a short amount of time. I have some water stored, but am concerned about our water supply if we didn't have power permanently or even for several days.
> 
> The house well is about 200' deep and the cost of hand pumps for that is very expensive, if it would even work. However, the yard well is only 20' deep and a hand pump would be practical there. Does anybody have experience and recommendations on that? How hard is it to have both an electric pump and a hand pump for a yard well? Can you do that with a Y and valves? Is there some other solution for the house well that I might be missing?


here is a link to a post of the cheap well pump I made from pvc parts easily available. The pump has been in service for more than 3 years without any issues. I have been told by a fellow on a different forum that used the same design that it pumps good from 50' as well.

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f20/water-well-hand-pump-8105/index2.html#post96088


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