Vintage Windpump

tod · Oct 23, 2014

In one of the fields there is structure which I believe is the remains of an old windpump. Inside the brick surround, the bottom end of the pump is all still there and hasn't seized up, it can be worked by pulling the rod up and down..

My question is...

Does anyone have any info on these old style windpumps? What sort of depth will the well be and what do each of the pipes do..?

Iv got a mad idea in my head at the moment of resurrecting this old windpump, and using it to supply a water trough for the cows.. To save them poaching up the burn.

I'd like to hear people's thoughts on whether or not I'm opening a can if worms! Or if anyone has a working windpump it'd be great to see some pics!

Cheers!

Skimmer · Oct 23, 2014

Would it not easier to take a water pipe across the field(assuming that's your farm in the background).

Exfarmer · Oct 23, 2014

The well can be any depth to reach the water? It will be a 4 inch bore.
It works by a rod and flap valves.
You can replace it with an electric motor to drive a connecting rod to drive the pump.
Or put a submersible down the bore

Kidds · Oct 23, 2014

You can still buy new ones in UK.
Out in Australia they are still very much in use and quite common.

When I am rich and famous I am going to have one, always have wanted one.

Pennine Ploughing · Oct 23, 2014

Exfarmer said:
The well can be any depth to reach the water? It will be a 4 inch bore.
It works by a rod and flap valves.
You can replace it with an electric motor to drive a connecting rod to drive the pump.
Or put a submersible down the bore

yes but if it was wind powered it would cost nothing to run, electric wont be cheap

tod · Oct 23, 2014

That's the neighbours farm in that photo, must be a good half mile from our mains water supply. Would still be an option I suppose..

Kinda wanting to satisfy my own engineering interests by doing this, although it might not be the cheapest option!

KennyO · Oct 23, 2014

Google "homemade windmill water pump"

this is one I read about a few years ago http://www.icestuff.com/~energy21/savonius2.htm

Y Fan Wen · Oct 23, 2014

Very big in parts of Patagonia. I saw one obviously new one and one in construction.

http://www.windpumps.co.uk/

I wonder what the planning dept would have to say?

Y Fan Wen · Oct 23, 2014

KennyO said:
Google "homemade windmill water pump"

this is one I read about a few years ago http://www.icestuff.com/~energy21/savonius2.htm

I like the link but I would use cranks and levers to drive the pump you already have.

tod · Oct 23, 2014

Thanks for the replies. Thinking I will try to dismantle the pump over the weekend to see what sort of condition it's like from the inside. Will keep you all updated

Also been doing a bit of digging online tonight and found that it's actually listed as some sort of historical site as the farm windpump. Very interesting! Hopefully shouldn't make planning an issue if there's been a windpump there before

Landy Nick · Oct 23, 2014

Be nice to see the pump going again.

I was only looking down a friends well the other day after he spent several years digging it out after the previous owners filled the well in.
The brickwork is 6ft across down to about 45ft, then this narrows down to 4ft diameter. The water table is 58ft

PostHarvest · Oct 24, 2014

There is a development agency based near to Rugby that has developed an updated design of wind-pump for 3rd world countries. I understand that you can get them in this country from GB Windpumps of Axminster, Devon. Phone 01297 631672. Email [email protected]

Mursal · Oct 24, 2014

Would the pipes be from the well (in) and to the trough (out)? Seem to remember some of those pumps, pump the water back down to take more up, so it just mightn't be that simple? Old McDonald over on FWi would be the man to ask.

Well worth getting it up and running again, if it doesn't cast an arm and a leg. The linear up down motion could be obtained from a wind mill using a crank off a pulley (like the old finger bars). The size of the the blades might be harder to work out, do you have much wind to harvest?

Be gentle with those bolts, battery operated grinder might be handy or even a bit of WD40/waste oil

renewablejohn · Oct 24, 2014

The Americans still manufacture crank water pumps whereas the South Africans have a drive shaft and a screw pump the advantage of which is the pump can be disconnected and a generator or PTO shaft attached at the base of the pump. Dont get excited you wont break any records for the amount of electric generated.

penntor · Oct 24, 2014

There is still one of these standing at Brentor near Tavistock although the vanes look a bit wonky. I was interested in one of these a few years ago to pump water from a well in a field

http://www.windmills.biz/

Was cheaper to buy and import from NZ rather than buy one in the UK, even with import duty and VAT. The idea is stil in the background, will activate it one day.

penntor

Skimmer · Oct 24, 2014

In oldern days it must have being a bit of a bummer to dig a 60' well line it with bricks & find no water

joe soapy · Oct 26, 2014

penntor said:
There is still one of these standing at Brentor near Tavistock although the vanes look a bit wonky. I was interested in one of these a few years ago to pump water from a well in a field

There were several round there, 1 by brentor inn and another at chipshop still standing

http://www.windmills.biz/

Skimmer said:

In oldern days it must have being a bit of a bummer to dig a 60' well line it with bricks & find no water

Click to expand...

They dident just dig anywhere on spec,, chap with a couple of hazel sticks or a watch would say where and how deep with great accuracy

roscoe erf · Oct 26, 2014

tod said:
That's the neighbours farm in that photo, must be a good half mile from our mains water supply. Would still be an option I suppose..

Kinda wanting to satisfy my own engineering interests by doing this, although it might not be the cheapest option!

go for it id love to have a project like that sod the cost

joe soapy · Oct 26, 2014

Skimmer said:
In oldern days it must have being a bit of a bummer to dig a 60' well line it with bricks & find no water

They dident just dig and hope,, chap with a couple of hazel twigs would come and say dig here and how deep to go. some can do it with a ring on a string over a map

MrNoo · Oct 28, 2014

We had 2 on our farm here, long gone now though although next door still have one, falling into rack and ruin now, the mast and head were still there though last time I saw it. I am sure it would be very easy to make a mast/head and blade set-up if you knew the specs they were made to. Are there any others about up your way to copy?

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