In a Survival or SHTF situation, you need to prioritize. Sometimes you need to get out of town, quick, and other times it’s time to hunker down for the long haul. But no matter what the situation is, the fact remains that you need to have fresh drinking water available. And since you can’t depend on having electricity, that’s where the manual water pump comes into the picture.
One of the most crucial parts of living off the grid or being in a survival situation is tracking down a reliable source of water. Wells have been utilized by folks in remote places for centuries. Whenever you have a well, however, you actually need to draw up water and put it to use. That is when water pumps become an integral factor.
What is a Manual Water Pump or Hand Pump?
A hand pump is a manually operated device that draws water from surface water sources, ground water sources, reservoirs, or pumps water into a distribution system (for personal use, a nozzle or a bottle). They are relatively easy to install, easy to operate and capable of lifting the required amount of water to sustain small group of people from a depth of up to 80 meters. They are widely used in places with limited access to energy sources, where financial investments are limited and where the demand for domestic water is not very high. There are many different pump models available, including inexpensive ones and adapted to most local conditions. However, operation does require maintenance, especially if the pump is heavily used.
How Does a Hand Pump Actually Work?
During the operation of the hand pump, the handle performs the main function. Without the movement of the handle, the pump will not be able to suck in or pump out water from the ground. First, humans manipulated the handle by moving it up and down to suck in and out water (or any other liquid) from the depths of the earth. This handle connects to the pump piston via a connecting rod. This piston moves with the handle. As the handle moves up, the connecting rod transfers its motion to the piston, and the piston also begins to move upward. When the piston moves up, the outlet valve inside the pump closes and the inlet valve opens. From the piston, the water pressure inside the pump cylinder begins to decrease relative to the water pressure outside, so a vacuum begins to form inside the cylinder. When a vacuum is formed in the pump cylinder, water begins to flow into the cylinder. When the internal water pressure is equal to the external water pressure, the inlet valve will close so that the liquid in the cylinder cannot escape. When the handle starts to move down, the piston also starts to move down. During this downward movement, the inlet valve remains closed and the outlet valve opens. This downward movement of the piston draws water through the outlet valve. When the handle is lifted again, the whole process is repeated. The operation of a manual water pump is very similar to your child’s Super Soaker squirt gun. The principle is exactly the same.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Water Hand Pump
The primary advantage of manual water hand pumps is that they are one of the economical and least demanding solutions for communal water supply in country regions and rural areas, and they also help to eliminate the risks that people, especially children, can get into open well. They also improve the sanitary conditions in which water is withdrawn by eliminating the use of unreliable washing buckets, thereby limiting illnesses associated with contaminated water.
The main disadvantages are maintenance requirements, high physical effort for pumping and possible difficulties in obtaining spare parts if something on the pump were to fail. Maintenance and repairs can be relatively expensive, which should be kept in mind when choosing what to buy.
Water Hand Pump Maintenance
It has been learned through experience that it is harder to keep a water hand pump running smoothly than installing one. Use the advice below when buying your water hand pump:
Get one made from areas where it is not difficult to get extra parts. It ought to likewise be not difficult to get a certified professional if there should arise an occurrence of an issue.
The water hand pump system ought to be simple, light enough to make it relatively easy to lift or move around, and contain tough components in order to withstand sand or destructive weather.
Are Water Hand Pumps a Solid Investment?
A high quality water hand pump doesn’t come affordable. Your choice to buy one ought to be approached in a serious way. You ought to pick the right water hand pump since the activity and upkeep of the water hand pump may have a substantial cost for you later on the off chance that you picked a model not suited to your needs.
Some of the critical things to see when purchasing your water hand pump include:
Technical complexity, cost, usability, and maintenance. While lots of pumps look great on paper, purchasing one requires investigation. The specialized parts of the water hand pump and cost should be thought of. Your budget ought to likewise be considered since getting parts or help will be difficult.
The other pivotal factor is the user. The water hand pump ought to be easy to use.
The absolute most pivotal factors to take into account when purchasing a water hand pump include:
-Utilization, regardless of whether family, business, or for serious use.
-Existence of a well or body of water.
-Desired pump stream rate.
Water hand pumps are a great investment, but they require research. Are you going nomad and all you need if a pump to fill up your water bottles while you travel? Or are you “getting out of Dodge” and setting up a new off-grid home? Have you found a well, or are you drawing water from a stream or a river? There are many things to consider before taking the plunge and making a purchase.