Pitcher Pump Maintenance

Pitcher Pump

Maintenance

Pitcher pumps are a great alternative to electric or gas powered pumps, depending on the depth of the well and at what depth the water is available.  This type of pump is still being manufactured, so you can still buy them new or you can find them at antique stores, garage/yard sales, auctions and second hand stores.  The pump featured was purchased at a yard sale for $20.00 in July of 2012.  I do not know the manufacturer or age of the pump, as there are no markings on the pump.

Leather parts were ordered online from Lehmans's Hardware of Kidron Ohio.  The stainless steel machine screw, nut and washer were purchased locally.

Disassembly of the pump begins by loosening the bolt holding the pump-arm mounting assembly.  See the arrow at the top of the photo below.  Pull up on the bracket, holding the handle securely as you pull up.

Then loosen the two bolts at the bottom of the main housing, where it connects to the base.  See the lower arrow in the photo below.  Now lift up on the main housing.

The photograph below represents what you will see after loosening the bolts mentioned in the previous text.

In the picture above, the base is on the left, the valve is next on the right, then there are two bolt/nut sets, then the main housing and finally the plunger assembly attached to the handle and support bracket.  We will next look at some of the items individually.

Here's an up-close view of the valve with weight and screw.  The machine screw, nut and washer were replaced with stainless steel versions during the rebuild.  The weight is black iron and has been painted with rust reformer and enamel paint.  It is shown here with new leather.

Below is a picture of what the plunger cage parts look like.

The part to the left is the weight, the middle is the cage and on the right is the nut.

Notice the cage and nut are threaded.  These parts are made of either aluminum or pot metal and should be handled with care.  I tried several methods to separate the nut from the cage.  I soaked it in vinegar for two days, in mineral spirits for two days.  Then I boiled it and plunged it into ice water, used a torch to heat them up, and in between used a vice and pipe wrench combination to try to unscrew them, all without success.  I was careful not to apply too much force during any of the above attempts.

In desperation, I soaked them in Muratic acid twice for five minutes at a time, rinsing them with water in between.  Finally, I was able to unscrew them.

The picture below shows them reassembled with a new leather cup.

The picture below shows a a view of the plunger a assembly attached to the rod, handle and handle-mounting bracket.

The arrow on the right shows the cotter pin, which you could pull to remove the plunger rod from the arm.  The arrows on the left show where the plunger cage is screwed onto the plunger rod.  

Assembly is the reverse of tear-down.  

See the picture below for proper valve placement.

When attaching the main housing to the base, be sure to tighten the two bolts evenly and a little at a time, so as to squeeze the gasket portion of the valve evenly.  Failure to do so could result in leakage at that point.

See the picture below and note the orientation of the flat spot on the base to the spout.  The flat spot allows a bucket or other container to be located directly under the pump spout.

When installing this pump on a well, you'll have to remember to include a check-valve, (some people call it a foot valve) on the end of the pipe, which goes into the well.  The check-valve keeps water in the pipe.  Check valves have a tendency to leak.  You'll have to prime the pump for the first use, and possibly on subsequent uses if the check valve leaks.  Many users of this type of pump keep a bucket full of water next to the pump for priming purposes.  After each pumping session, the bucket is refilled an left for the next user.

Welcome and introduction

Welcome to the Organic Practical Nostalgia blog.  This Blog is dedicated to discussing technical aspects of rebuilding, restoring, refurbishing products for everyday use.  It is a service of Paint Creek Services, in Bainbridge, Ohio.  You can visit our website at www.paintcreekservices.com  You can reach us at info@paintcreekservices.com

I picked the name for specific reasons.  Organic Practical Nostalgia because it implies “buying local”, reusing and refurbishing products that are old and antique.

I have been rebuilding mechanical devices for over 25 years.  From pitcher pumps to, vehicles and  RV/Campers, to antique Mimeographs, I have spent many hours tinkering and tweaking to return items to “as new” status, or even better performance.   I have formal training as an aviation mechanic and have also worked on Diesel engines as a hobby.

For many years I’ve been an advocate for rebuilding rather than buying a new replacement.  I’ve been a do-it-yourselfer for most of my adult life.  I believe in buying quality for a lifetime of use rather than cheaply for the near term use.  Buying local was a concept I learned early in my business career.  That means buying US manufactured where possible to support the local worker, because we’re in this together.  I do buy online from time to time, but for the most part, if I can drive right down the street to one of the local hardware stores, where I get expert advice, I’d rather do that.

I believe in self-sufficiency and sustainability, because when the system fails it is up to each one of us to do what we can with what we have.  My plans are to provide services to my local community with the goal of teaching local consumers various skills to be self-sufficient individuals.

I like the comfort and use of modern luxuries, and believe that technology is great, when it works, but I also believe in hanging on to the knowledge of how things used to work.  Technology that doesn’t work has been a pet peeve of mine for years.  When technology fails, and it always does, it is nice to know what the backup is and how to make it work.

Please make your comments.  I invite constructive criticism, but will not put up with the chattering of one who just wants to blow their own horn.