Crazy idea regarding a deep well

donsgal · #61 11/15/06, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rambler

Think about what you are saying here. It is 'impossible' for you to carry a few buckets of water up a hill for your water supply.--->Paul

Well, not impossible in the literal sense. But the hill is a good 1000 feet straight down. So steep that you have to hold on to trees as you climb down (and up) or else you would certainly go rolling/sliding down until something stopped you. I traversed it ONCE and when returning uphill I had to stop every 15 feet or so to catch my breath (admittedly, I'm out of shape, as DH could go considerably farther without having to rest for a spell). When I did finally make it to the top I was totally exhausted and soaked with sweat. It took me approximately 45 minutes to get from the bottom to the top. (Again, I'm not in Lance Armstrong shape!)

So it is not literally impossible but it might as well be.

Donsgal

donsgal · #62 11/15/06, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozarkguy

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"electric pump silly!"

Her desire is to be as non-dependant on gas or electric as possible. That's why we've mostly been leaning towards solar or wind power.

But I'm thinking

oh, oh - you DO live in the ozarks - how about taking that four wheeler down to the lake or stream with a couple food grade water barrels and a hand crank pump. (Don't get caught.

)

Treat it: How to Purify Drinking Water

You could manually bring back 110 gallons at a time which would last awhile if frugal and continue to collect rain water also. Couple barrels snuck from the lake and a couple barrels rain water would sure beat the $$$ of a well!

gotta love those hills.....

Ozarkguy

Well, this might work once I get a mule to do my hauling. I don't do 4-wheelers. I expect a big strong mule could bring back 100 gallons and traverse the difficult terrain ok. It's worth thinking about anyway.

donsgal

donsgal · #63 11/15/06, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MELOC

i was kinda serious about animal power. i cannot find the links to the devices i have seen, but if a pump can be powered by a windmill, it can be powered by a donkey...or whatever.

Of course! Great idea. Pump the water UP using donkey-power into a holding tank! I LIKE IT! I LIKE IT!

donsgal

Ozarkguy · #64 11/15/06, 02:27 PM

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"But the hill is a good 1000 feet straight down."

Ya mean the Ozarks is hilly? Go figure.

Donkey or llama might be the trick. Either would work to pump the well, both make good guard dogs a.k.a. livestock guardians. And either would also work in a pinch if you did have to go downhill and fetch it back up by hand. Might be onto something here. Back to the good 'ol fashioned "critter power" I guess.

gotta love those (sometimes very steep) hills.....

Ozarkguy

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fantasymaker · #65 11/15/06, 02:42 PM

Ozark guy that was to CN in reference to how to get water for the steam engine

triana1326 · #66 11/15/06, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donsgal

I am a real control freak when it comes to my space. I don't like to have to rely on ANYBODY for anything. That having been said, I am having a REAL problem dealing with the well that we are going to put in at the homestead.

The driller estimates 600 feet (ah, the Ozarks, gotta love 'em), which precludes most any type of alternative pumping system such as a windmill. Dh and I are really, really hoping to go off-grid one day, so the idea of an electric pump is not attractive to me at all. Yes, I know there are generators (which isn't much better than electric IMHO, since you still have to rely on "the man" for gas/diesel/propane to operate it and there is solar, which of course, requires BATTERIES and periodic maintenance and replacement of parts.

Now, I know you may think I am crazy, but *if* you had a small enough container and *if* you had a long enough rope and *if* you didn't mind taking 1/2 hour to bring up a coffee can full of water (stopping to rest every few minutes, cause your arm is hurting like a son-of-a-gun), couldn't you just haul it up manually? Surely there has to be a way that I can be self-sufficient in an situation where I can't count on ANYBODY.

What are your thoughts. You guys have more experience than I do.

donsgal

Cisterns are the way to go. I think there were plans to make a big concrete one in either Backwoods Home or Countryside a few months back...Have the well pump connect to the cistern so that you'll have a large source of backup water if needed.

triana1326 · #67 11/15/06, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donsgal

1.9 gallons?????? whew - that's 15.2 pounds (plus 4 pounds for the bucket)!!! I'll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in no time at all! (I wonder how long it would take for *me* to pull 19.2 pounds straight up 600 feet) egad, Mildred!

donsgal

Why not have the rope hooked up to a pulley, z-drag, or hand crank. Saves your shoulders from pulling it up hand-over-hand. If you do a pulley or z-drag, you could even hook the rope to an animal and have them pull it out. If you have the "horse"power, use it!!!

Ozarkguy · #68 11/15/06, 02:54 PM

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"that was to CN in reference to how to get water for the steam engine"

Hey gang, how about hubby just ties a rope around donsgal's waist and lowers her down that steep hill with a water bucket in hand.

Other end of rope tied to the donkey to pull her back up!

Ozarkguy

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Ozarkguy · #69 11/15/06, 05:43 PM

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Ah HA! Got it!

Critter drawn rig to pull water from ANY depth well!

I LIKE this one. Might do it myself!

Ozarkguy

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MELOC · #70 11/15/06, 06:16 PM

i envision a capstan of sorts with a gear drive on the bottom near the well head. or perhaps a "turntable" on the bottom contacts a tire that turns a shaft that drives the pump.

Jenn · #71 11/15/06, 06:24 PM

Why not cistern with solar powered pump but no battery? If it's overcast so long it won't pump you should've had some rain....

comfortablynumb · #72 11/15/06, 07:26 PM

does it rain regularly in the ozarks?
lol
if it falls from the sky mostly clean why pump it from 600 ft down?