Well Hand Pump Kits: Best Emergency Device Money Can Buy

By Just In Case Jack |
Last Updated: July 13, 2021

Today we’re going over the best emergency water well hand pump kits and why you need one.

Here are the exact hand well pump topics I’ll be covering today:

What Is A Hand Well Pump & How They Work
Benefits & Features Of A Hand Operated Well Pump
4 Types Of Manual Well Pumps
How To Size An Emergency Well Pump
5 Best Well Hand Pump Kits On The Market Today
How To Install A Hand Well Pump
DIY Deep Well Hand Pump

**Note: If you just want to know our top brands, feel free to SKIP AHEAD HERE.

What Is A Hand Well Pump & How They Work

A hand well pump is a device for manually pumping water from a well.

A lever is attached to a connecting rod that pivots and plunges water when operated.

When you raise the lever, a piston gets lowered, creating suction. And when the lever is lowered a washer cuts off the flow of water so it builds up in the pump.

As you continue to pump the water level increases until it flows out of the outlet valve.

Now, where do you need an emergency well pump?

Off-grid cabin
Bug out location
Homestead
Farm
Backup to an existing electric pump

We’ve all experienced times when the power goes out and you’re left in the dark. It sucks but is usually only short-term.

But what if it wasn’t? What are you going to do if there’s a large-scale catastrophe or major disruption to the energy grid? A Nuclear Attack or an EMP?

Well, that’s why you need a surefire way to get water for your long-term survival.

Benefits & Features Of A Hand Operated Well Pump

Now, you’re here at Skilled Survival because you want to learn how to thrive in an emergency situation. You want to become resilient to a worst-case scenario.

And that means figuring out your survival plans, including:

Water is the elixir of life and without it, you’re done.

Whether at home or your cabin in the woods, you need to have a constant supply of drinking water. And if you aren’t on a municipal water system, you get your water from a well.

Water wells are a great, independent source of H2O but most of the time, we still rely on power to operate a pump.

But what if the grid goes down and there’s no electricity? Or the sun is behind clouds and your solar water pump is down as well? You need a backup plan to get your water to the surface.

Beyond the obvious reasons, there are also many other benefits to investing in a hand well pump.

Cheap and Durable

A well hand pump doesn’t use electricity. Instead, it gets its power from YOU.

You don’t pay for power when you use it, you just use your muscles.

They also have very few moving parts to break so maintenance is minimal.

Versatile and Efficient

An emergency well pump works in many applications including gardening, construction, and homesteading.

You can operate them at different heights from deep wells to shallow wells. Heck, they even work in water drums.

And the only limits to pumping capacity are your own brute strength and persistence.

This gives you great efficiency for all your needs in a survival situation.

They operate quietly and are safe for all family members to use.

Easy Installation

With demand comes innovation.

A well hand pump kit is very easy to install and gets you up and running fast.

First, you need to determine the total depth of your existing well. That way, you can connect the necessary amount of pipe to extend your well hand pump below the waterline.

Most models are compact and will connect fast so you are good to go.

4 Types Of Manual Well Pumps

Gone are the days of digging a well and using a bucket and rope to scoop up the water.

Depending on the depth of your well, there are several types of water well hand pumps to choose from.

1. Suction Pumps

These are for rural farms or homesteads where you need to access water from a well where no power is available.

They are low-cost pumps for shallow wells with a lift capacity of around 20 feet.

You need to pump steadily to get the water flow going.

2. Piston Pumps

This type of emergency non-electric well pump works for slightly deeper water levels.

These wells are over 25 feet deep and use a piston to displace the water upward.

You draw water up and trap it above a valve check valve. So wh pumping the handle down forces the water out of the spout.

3. Deep Well Pumps

Deep well hand water pumps are necessary when lifting water beyond 35 feet.

They use a mechanical system like a flywheel and are more heavy-duty and stronger.

There’s virtually no limit to the depth they can operate. The only limit is the elbow grease of the person operating it.

4. Lift Pumps

Lift pumps give access to water over 100 feet deep. These depths are often necessary in poor or developing areas of the world.

It includes cylinders to scoop the water and bring it upward with chain looping when you operate it.

It is an old hand-pumping technology but works great without much effort.

How To Size An Emergency Well Pump

Before shopping for a hand-powered water well pump you must figure out the proper size.

That means you have to determine your water static level first.

This is the distance from the top of the well at ground level down to the top of the water level in the well.

You have crushed rock of all sizes from gravel to sand.

Where the water level starts you’ll find saturated crushed rock. And this is where your well is dug past to access the water.

Often your electric pump will sit at the bottom. So you only need to reach around 10 feet below the water level to successfully operate your well hand pump.

Perform a depth test with a weighted line.

Use a non-lead weight and a bobber so it will reach the water. Once the bobber floats on the water take up the slack and mark the line.

Then you can pull it back up and measure the distance to get your depth.

The depth of the water level will determine the right type of emergency manual well water pump.

5 Best Well Hand Pump Kits On The Market Today

You could scour the internet, trying to find and compare the best water well hand pump for your set up.

But here at Skilled Survival, we’ve done all that heavy lifting for you.

Here are our recommendations for the best well hand pumps on the market today.

1. Emergency Manual Well Pump from Legacy

If you want a simple off-grid deep well hand pump you can’t go wrong with this one from Legacy.

You can only store so much water ahead of a future emergency. So it’s essential you have a lightweight manual pump you can pull out in an emergency.

Take it out of the box and you’re ready to go.

There’s no assembly with Legacy’s emergency hand well pump. Because once you open it up it goes right into your well.

Adjust the pipe length and you are good to go.

It’s also easy to pump so your kids can get in on the action.

With a simple setup and great portability, this pump is exactly what you need in an emergency.

PROS

Excellent portability / Lightweight
No Assembly (just adjust pipe length)
Affordable (vs other options)

CONS

Materials used are not as durable as metal
Not designed as a permanent installation

2. Simple Pump Deep Well Hand Pump

If you have a deep well you want to access manually, Simple Pump is here for you.

They reach almost all deep wells up to 325 feet and can fit right next to your submersible pump.

It’s made to fit many handle sizes.

Also, you can convert it from a hand pump to a motorized pump with a solar-powered Simple Pump motor.

There are only a few parts so maintenance is simple and it works well in freezing conditions.

They use aerospace-grade stainless steel. Steel that’s computer machined for exacting precision. So it’s well made and long-lasting.

You can even pump directly into your pressure tank to get water inside your house.

You have 24/7 access to your well water regardless of whether the power grid is operating.

Simple Pump is a high-quality off-grid deep well hand pump that won’t let you down.

PROS

Very high-quality materials used
The precision design and parts
Made to be installed and used anytime to save on power or emergency

CONS

Very Expensive

3. Bison Deep Well Hand Pump

Bison is another manufacturer of great well hand pumps and they are best sellers in the category.

A Bison Pump is made from 304 stainless steel on the body, handle, lift rod, and accompanying hardware.

All component welds are professional and have a durable hand-polished finish.

With stainless, there is no chance of rust. So your drinking water is safe and secure, without contamination.

You don’t have to prime the pump and there is little maintenance.

It’s also an all-weather pump. One you can use all year round without worrying about freezing. And there’s a tamper-proof security option you can add on as well.

Once you take 4-5 strokes you will get a water flow of about 20 ounces per stroke.

Bison offers a lifetime warranty on this deep-well hand pump. And they stand behind their products because they’re THAT good.

PROS

The all-weather pump can handle winter temps
Low maintenance system
Can upgrade to a tamper-proof security option

CONS

Probably very expensive (have to call to get a quote)

4. FloJak Plus Hand Well Pump

FloJak Plus is another great well hand pump system you can get up and running for any off-grid well.

It comes in a 50, 100, and 150-foot option, depending on your well depth. And it’s a narrow design that fits into an existing well beside an electric pump.

Determine the depth of the static water level so you can adjust your length of PVC pipe.

Make sure to connect the pipes with primer and PVC cement for a tight, sealed bond.

Feeding it down the well may take a few people. Because you must position the rigid pipe slowly down beyond the water level.

Most of the upper, above-ground components are made of sanitary-grade stainless steel. Thus, are very rugged to last a lifetime.

The pumping action pushes water up the rod and out the handle. This design gives a smooth flow of pressurized water that can feed into your house’s plumbing system.

Thus allowing you to flush toilets, shower, and run water in the sink.

PROS

Narrow design work alongside an existing electric pump
Uses sanitary grade stainless steel (last a lifetime)

CONS

More susceptible to freezing cold temps

5. Apocalypse Well Pump

For wells that have static water from 40-200 feet, the Apocalypse AR and SJ models can do the pumping for you.

They’re designed with a pump and cable. This delivers water from your well with the upstroke pulling the cable. And moving water up while weights and gravity produce the downstroke.

The AR model pumps up to 3.5 GPM while the SJ model pumps 1.5 GPM. The difference in models is the size of the piston and the length of the stainless steel cable.

This cable design is more cost-effective than pump rods. So they can lift water effectively from deeper wells.

They also use Teflon seals and unlike rubber seals that may last up to 10 years, Teflon is indefinite. They claim they may even outlast the well.

All components are rustproof with PVC, Teflon, and stainless steel. And the installation is quick, clocking in at around 2 hours.

PROS

Uses Teflon Seals to prevent rusting, corrosion, or freezing
Maintenance-free and reliable
100% Satisfaction Gaurentee

CONS

Assembly Is More Complex Than Other Options
Price Is Higher Than Other Options

How To Install A Hand Well Pump

Installation of your new well-hand pump can range from fairly easy to complex.

Of course, follow ALL the instructions that come with any new well hand pump kit.

Depending on the style you will either have a flexible plastic hose or a semi-rigid PVC pipe. You’ll feed either of these down your existing well or a new well.

Feed it in slowly so you don’t damage any electrical wiring from the existing pump or the pump itself.

Usually, existing wells will have an electric pump sitting on the bottom of the dug well. And your hand pump will be submerged around 10 feet past the static waterline.

With the piping in place, you can secure the pump mechanism at the top and attach all components.

DIY Deep Well Hand Pump

If you don’t want to spend money on a well hand pump kit you can always make your own.

You are going to need some basic tools and equipment but if you are handy it will work.

You can put together your own hand well pump with PVC pipe from your local building store.

Make sure to buy the right length for your deep well depth. Start by constructing the foot valve assembly.

This will let water into the pipe cylinder without letting it back out.

Next, you build the plunger mechanics so it seals the cylinder and creates suction.

It also has a second valve to force water into the upper pipe.

First, determine the length of pipe required to go beyond the water static level. Then you can assemble and put the piping down the well.

Build the pump head assembly and attach it to the piping so water flows out of a spout with a lever arm and handle.

It is a fairly straightforward installation. But you can get help online to properly construct each component.

Here’s a video on one way you can build a DIY deep well hand pump:

Final Thoughts

Having access to water without worrying about the electrical grid is vital.

Get your water well hand pump kit today and use your muscles to provide the power.

You’ll never be thirsty again.

“Just In Case” Jack

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There are a lot of natural nuclear shelters in the US that are absolutely free. And one of them is near your home.

Click here to see the Closest Natural Nuclear Bunker to Your Home?

Click on the image above to find out where you need to take shelter.

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