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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Water to cabin from dug well??
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medic149
Member
# Posted: 8 Feb 2021 19:24
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We just purchased a totally off-grid cabin. There is a dug well with a hand pump on it that has good water and tested as potable. While I probably won't drink this water until it is filtered, I would like to get some water into the cabin.

Is there any way to tap into the dug well to get water into a holding tank for use in the cabin as non-potable??

I'm sure I could hand-pump water into a barrel and pump it from there to the cabin, but I prefer not to hand-pump.

Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 8 Feb 2021 19:51
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You are so lucky, potable water c/w a hand pump! That means the water isnt too deep (iirc those pumps only work to about a max of 20' down to water static level?). You may be able to find a 12vdc pump to hook up to a portable battery or even your vehicle and power pump the water to the holding tank.
What dia. is the well casing the pump sits on.
Fwiw, We have done off grid and dry cabins for the better part of 40yrs now. The water use per person for house living have always been waayyy over the top for what we use in a cabin. We only use 2 gal/person/day on the average. If we had your well one 5 gal bucket full pumped per day would serve us nicely. A pour through water filter pitcher to 'clean it up' would be all we'd need.
IF we want a shower we have found we can do two decent gravity showers from 2 gal. of water.
Of course, if you have a big family or a bunch of friends that multiplies up.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 8 Feb 2021 20:17
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I may look into driving a new well right through the kitchen floor depending on geography. It's very nice not to have to leave the warm cabin on cold mornings to make breakfast and a cup of coffee.

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 9 Feb 2021 10:43
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Brett, with your 11' ceiling in the kitchen you might be able to drive a point but it could be iffy. You have to start with lengths of pipe high to drive in. And drive with what? Then what/how to pull the pump with if you have to.
One place I looked at had a hatch in the roof over the well casing. It looked like they built the place over a driven well then had issues; the hatch looked like an afterthought and leaked.
I grew up in a far different era. When I was a child the original 1848 family homestead farm had a windmill and the running water was when ya run out ya run to get some more. My G-gma's place was the same and stayed that way into the 1990's. Her son, my uncle who farmed (dairy) the place all his life, brought her fresh water every day for house use and dumped the 'pots'.
His tiny cottage sized house had inside water, a hand pump on the kitchen counter/sink.
I dont mind living that way 'recreationally'. At home I do love my n-gas finger controlled furnace, plumbing and Long, Hot showers but I can live the simple way for a good long time.
Some of my friends cant, I guess they are too 'civilized'.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 9 Feb 2021 11:11
Reply 


GC your confusing my full time residence with our other property. A driven well is one that is pounded in and usualy a hand pump is connected.

My full time home has a normal 6in well. Its actualy in the basement. It's under the stairs in our bilco door.

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