Hydraulic Ram Pump

One of the things I've been doing is researching grid-down options.
I find good plans for DIY projects and print them out so I have a hard copy.

One project of the food preservation team is building a large solar dehydrator.
This one relies on radiant heat more than convective heat, and is supposed to be more effective in cooler climates (like Oregon).
We probably have enough random crap laying around that I can mostly build it out of salvaged materials. If I can figure a way to have it do triple duty as a cold frame in early spring, and a thermosyphon hot water heater/food dehydrator in summer, that would be SWEET. The details are still percolating through my subconscious.

I also had the opportunity today to visit Chef at his new diggs, and check out the hydraulic ram pump that supplies his water.


Not much to it. A seep from the hillside fills plastic 50 gal drum, which runs through 1" HDPE pipe to the the ram pump sitting about 15 feet below the drum. The ram pump sounds like a heartbeat, using the power of the water to pump 150 feet vertically to a 1300 gallon poly tank just above the house.

Here's Chef in front of the makeshift dam and the intake barrel;



No electricity required.

Supposedly the pump at Chef's house costs about $180.00. I did some digging around and found this information.



Build it yourself for about $60, not counting the intake/outlet pipe or poly tank.
Some cash found its way to me yesterday, so whenever I can get to town I'm gonna pick up parts for this baby.
Once I win the Powerball jackpot tonight, I'll be able to afford a 1450 gal. poly tank and the 600 feet or so of HDPE pipe to hook this sucker up and pump irrigation water from the Big Creek to the garden.