Hydraulic Rams

[dtucker]

Anyone with experience setting up and using hydraulic rams? It looks like the only way I can affordably get water to a high pasture. Any suggestions or advice? Thanks, DT in Vermont.

[Darren]

If you have a creek a sling pump will pump more water higher. If a ram is your only choice you can build them out of PVC using plans on the internet.

[Harry Chickpea]

The plans for the home made one don't work worth a hoot. BTDT. Rams work, but the noise can be annoying and you REALLY need to get one that was made professionally. They do cost a lot unless you luck out in getting an old one. One of my uncles had one. You also need to protect the pump and screen the intake from debris, and be ready to mess around with settings periodically.

[simi-steading]

Originally Posted by Darren

If you have a creek a sling pump will pump more water higher. If a ram is your only choice you can build them out of PVC using plans on the internet.

I've been thinking fo something similar to water the garden once we get it put in..

I think I'm going to try something like this... Where the creek crosses the road, it's deep enough, just not sure if I have enough flow.. I know I don't want to mess with a ram pump..

[Darren]

That's an interesting contraption. If you had a bigger wheel, you'd get more pressure during peak runoff periods. The creek flows enough here to use a sling pump. One version will raise water over 80'.

[Gravytrain]

My homemade ram pump easily fills two 1100 gallon polytanks about 30' above the water supply allowing me to gravity feed all of my pastures. I made the whole pump out of galvanized except for the pressure tank and the supply line, which are both pvc. My supply flow is usually 12-15 gpm. I utilize about a 8' head and 20' supply, although this would be easily tweaked if just added more supply pipe. It takes about 6-8 hours to fill one 1100 gallon tank, which beats my calculated yield. Adjusting your outlet valve, as well as scaling your input line will determine whether you have more pressure (elevation) or volume.

Use .6 x I x S/D = F where I is the flow rate of your Input supply, S is the elevation drop from the Supply to the ram pump, D is the elevation from the ram pump to the top of the Delivery line and F is the flow rate of your delivery line.

It's pretty easy...just don't skimp on materials, especially your swing and spring check valves. I found that it is easier to manage with a slow, steady flow, than one that is heavy and erratic. Give me a holler if you need any more specific help. Also, I used this engineering algorithm to help construct mine.

http://www.borstengineeringconstruct...alculator.html

Also, Harry is right about the noise...a constant loud clicking noise...but the only thing that can normally hear mine is my cows, and they don't mind.

[KMA1]

Engineer775 has a very good series of instructional videos on youtube for figuring pipe sizes, and all the other variables for pumping water using a ram pump as well as a video on actually putting together a home made ram, complete with parts list and installing and starting it pumping.

Good luck.