“Does the Simple Pump™ really produce enough water and water pressure to supply my home’s sinks and toilets?”
Yes. The Simple Pump™ is precision engineered to tight tolerances. This, along with the high quality pump seals and computer numerical control (CNC) machining, enables the pump to develop more than enough pressure to fill a residential pressure tank.
“How difficult is it to pump the Simple Pump™?”
It is actually quite easy to pump water from an average depth well with the Simple Pump™. The standard 24″ lever handle used with our pump produces 3.3:1 leverage, decreasing the total effort needed to pump water. The actual force needed depends upon the amount drop pipe used. For example, with 100 feet of drop pipe (pretty standard for the most part) it takes approximately 12 pounds of pressure to pump water. This is so minor a child can easily do it.
If you need 200 feet of drop pipe, we would supply you with a 36″ lever arm. This cuts the effort needed in half, making it still only 12 lbs. At depths deeper than 225 feet, we would be swapping to the 100CA-SS pump cylinder. This decreases the effort per stroke even further, to only 17 lbs at 325 feet static water level.
“If I am using the Simple Pump for irrigation, do I need to use a check valve?”
If you pump water into any pressurized system, you must use a check valve. Even with drip irrigation, pressure is used to push the water through the pipes and out the nozzles. The check valve prevents water pressure from pushing back against the Simple Pump lever when you pull it back up to begin the next pumping stroke. Without the check valve the lever would kick back into your face.
“I have a deep well. How deep will Simple Pump pump water?”
The Simple Pump™ will pump water down to 325 feet of static water level. The motorized version works down to 225 feet. Please keep in mind this is measured to ground level and to ambient air pressure. These depths will change if you are also pumping into your home’s pressurized water tank or uphill. (See details.)
“Will the Simple Pump™ produce enough water for my basic needs?”
Simple Pump™ delivers up to 5 gallons per minute when used normally and with full strokes of the lever. Ultimately, how much water you get depends upon how quickly you pump the lever and the length of each stroke.
“Can I use the Simple Pump™ in freezing temperatures?”
Simple Pump™ was engineered with freezing in mind and our pumps are installed throughout North America. Most of the installed Simple Pumps™ are outside with no pump house or other shelter for protection. In fact there are many Simple Pumps™ operating in Alaska, with one Alaskan client writing the manufacturer about pumping water when the outside temperature was -45°F. There are Simple Pumps™ installed in the coldest states in the lower 48, including 9,000 feet up in the Colorado Rockies as well as in Northern Canada.
We can freeze proof your Simple Pump™ using one of two methods.
1. With a drilled weep hole
2. Using our customized Pitless Adapter
1. Weep Hole
We drill a 1/16″ weep hole into the top drop pipe. This allows any residual water in the pump head to drain out below the frost line. But you must allow air into the pump head in order for the weep hole to work properly. You can either remove or loosen the check-valve-with-gauge (CV-1) to allow air into the pump head. Or you can use a regular hose ‘Y’ adapter with the check valve on one side and nothing on the other side to let air in after pumping.
In areas of the country where you get a hard freeze – defined as frost more than four feet deep – a custom height weep hole must be drilled in your top drop pipe. We will provide one at no additional cost.
2. Pitless Adapter
You can avoid the freezing issue entirely by installing the Simple Pump™ in combination with our custom manufactured pitless adapter, then merging the Simple Pump™ with your existing underground water line running to the house. Because this involves digging down to below the frost level, professional installation is usually required for the Simple Pump™ pitless adapter installation, adding cost and complication to the system. Most people go the above-ground route for their backup pump.
In either case, you should leave the handle pointed up to the sky after use so the stainless steel pump rod is protected inside the pump head.
In very rare circumstances, the pump may need a little lubrication. In a quick, hard freeze water in a small capillary gap inside the Simple Pump™ head can freeze. If this is the case, a dab of corn oil applied to the stainless steel pump rod while pumping, can prevent freezing. Other oils should not be used because they do not behave like corn oil when frozen.
Under no circumstances should TEFLON sprays, lubricating oils or WD40 (to name just a few) be used because they are not safe for human consumption and/or they may adversely flavor the water.