Great video. You were not kidding about that bottom piece on the cup assembly. I cut the rubber seal out and sprayed it with PB blaster but so far I have not been able to get that thing to come loose. hopefully it will work itself loose after soaking in PB Blaster in the sun for a while. If that doesn't work, I'm pretty much out of ideas. Thank you again for the great video.
@@TigerCreekFarm After heating it up with a propane torch for several minutes, I was finally able to get it loose. I figure that I burnt off all of the PB Blaster with the torch so I just put it back on the pump. It has a good flow now but the pump is kind of stiff to operate right now. I am assuming that it will loosen up over time. Thank you again for the fantastic video.
Was wondering if you could recommend a particular pitcher pump. I've been looking to find one made in the USA but can't find one. Also, if I get an antique, are the innards universal?
I soaked new gaskets in clean water. I soaked the plunger assembly with gasket remains on in vinegar for 15 minutes. 2 pipe wrenches and off it came. soaked all parts in vinegar to clean up. reassemble with new gaskets. thanks for the video.
Thank you, I had the replacement gaskets but wasn’t sure exactly how to put them in the pump housing because the old gaskets were destroyed from sitting. I inherited the pump from a property being put up for sale so they gave me the pump for my own well should the hydro ever go down, your video walk through of replacing the gaskets was perfect. Thanks again. .
@@TigerCreekFarm : I actually wound up having an issue reassembling. I soaked the cup gasket in water for an hour before reassembling and when I tried to slide it all back into the housing it was way too tight to go in. I tried to force it a little to no avail and ended up struggling to get it back apart. Although the gasket kit says it is universal I cannot see how it will fit. I’m very mechanically inclined having been a small engine mechanic and a bodyman prior to retirement. I’m at a loss at this point with respect to how to remedy this issue. Perhaps it simply requires a different gasket than the one in the universal kit I purchased. I was curious if there is a supplier where you get your gaskets that you wouldn’t mind sharing with me. I was only able to find the gaskets at the local home hardware store and they only had the one left in stock. Any ideas or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Am I suppose to trim the cupped gasket to fit the housing size or something? .
@@ATinyPillow there can be different sized gaskets but they are usually obvious from the beginning. I don’t have anywhere special that I get them - like you I usually use a local hardware store. Here is a thought, let the cup gasket dry out enough so that it can be installed - then soak again. You want it tight for good suction and retention.
Thanks for helping me understand the inner workings of a hand pump. You made a very nice video with clear instructions. I was thinking I'd like to use one of these pitcher pumps as an outflow water feature for my stock tank pool. I'd hook up the outflow hose from the pool pump to the bottom of the pitcher pump and have the water that pushes through the hose via the pool pump cascade the water into the pool (rather than cut a hole in the pool for the hose as is standard). Do you think this is possible?
What would you say the life expectancy is for the leather parts? My mom has one of these on her pier and it gets exposed to the elements pretty hard. Would you recommend taking off the entire unit and storing it inside for the winter? Very helpful video. I have been looking for something like this for awhile.
If you keep the leather wet it will last for a very long time. What deteriorates it quickly is being allowed to run dry, reabsorbing water , running dry, etc. That destroys the fibers and leads to early failure.
Thanks for sharing that was awesome very clear instructions. I saw another video and they mentioned you want the flat part of the base to be on the spout side this way your water bucket sits closer to the pump. Whats your thoughts?
Thank you for sharing your wisdom sir, and no disrespect but at 4:49 you stated the weighted end generally goes towards the spout, but when you reassembled it, you had it backwards I believe. Nice job sir and Thank you for sharing.
John Johnson you are absolutely right. That’s what comes from running your mouth and not paying attention 😉. I get in a lot of trouble that way with many of my other videos. I always appreciate people setting me straight. It will work either way but I wanted to mention the way they are assembled in case someone got to that point and wondered “which way does this go?”.
@@TigerCreekFarm Yes sir and we appreciate you very much sir and as I was saying I meant no disrespect. Have a Blessed weekend sir and I look forward to seeing more of your awesome videos. From here in Inverness Florida, we salute you sir!!!
@@TigerCreekFarm May the Lord bless both of you. I was following each step and thought I had misunderstood. Watched again so I thought I would check the comments first before I asked. It is truly good to see brothers in Christ sharing kind words. Because of Christ.
@@TigerCreekFarm I just can't see a reason for the orientation to make a difference. Inside the cylinder and base, it is all just round and the hardware and valve and water has no idea where the spout is at that point in it's journey. Am I missing something? I never paid attention to orientation, and my leaks traced to rust and pitting... do some pumps designs have internal features my pump doesn't?
The leathers or gaskets/seals are a couple of different universal sizes. Measure what you have and do a search for pitcher pump replacement parts. If you are looking to replace metal parts you may be out of luck because it is a guessing game on whether one manufacturer's parts with fit on another. Good luck.
You can. Or prior to winter if you won't be using it. The idea is to keep the leather from drying out. If your pump is used regularly and stays wet it is not necessary.
Our pitcher pump is on a 200' well (we've been told) - rusted to the point it's not moving (not used for many years). Anything we should watch for as we disassemble it and try a repair per this video?
If you have a 200’ foot well your particular pump doesn’t function like the pump in the video. These shallow well pumps pull the water to the surface and max out at about 25’. Your pump would push the water to the surface using a cylinder at the bottom of your well connected to a long rod that in turn connects to your pump handle.
Thanks for the video...if water is leaking out from where cylinder and base meet unto counter does that mean I need a new flapper? Or it needs to be tightened more? Or something else?
If it is leaking at the bottom something isn't sealed or tight. Could be both - but generally the cylinder doesn't just loosen up - but it wouldn't hurt to check. The flapper and cylinder seal are on the same gasket. They are inexpensive and pretty easy to change. I would change that gasket out and be finished with it.
The flapper is both the valve and the gasket for the cylinder. If the cylinder is bolted tight and it still leaks, look for pitted valve seat (the surface on the base where the leather is compressed when bolting down the cylinder) and look at the cylinder end itself. Both need to be smooth enough. Also, once disassembling, I don't count on the old hardened valve leather to seal again, it has molded itself and hardened and the new position when reassembled might not compress well, especially if the pump is old and pitted from rusting. So, if leaking or not holding prime, AND the cylinder bolts were still tight, just replace the flapper (and be sure pitting and rust is clear of the sealing surfaces).
A week or so ago I had my well guy install a pitcher pump, with backflow preventer, teed off the pipe running to the well house where the pump is. I'm here in Florida and, unless that pump is covered somehow, all kinds of insects, frogs and oak tree debris is going to fall or crawl into the chamber where the piston rod moves up and down. The well guy didn't have too much of an opinion other than to note that, if covered, the cast iron would likely rust more. Any thoughts on whether it's necessary to cover the chamber and block the spout with a plastic bag between pumping it weekly to keep the seals wet?
@@billwilson5341 I wound up wrapping the whole pump with a large piece of fiberglass insect screen. Every few days we pump a few pumps of water right through the screen to keep the leather wet.
Are there shafts that go down the well pipe, or is it just suction that brings the water up? I have one that needs restoring. So, I'm wondering if there is something else I need to do or know. Thanks. I won't be doing anything for a while, as it is still rather cold here.
With these pumps its all based on suction. There are other versions that utilize a dropped, sealed pipe into the water that creates water pressure and forces the water up.
Just do a search for pitcher pump leather kit. www.ruralking.com/leather-valve-kit-for-pitcher-pump?gclid=CjwKCAjwkun1BRAIEiwA2mJRWSVVqZN6uC-ajRWD_HMteDKgsDl2ihy8v7Xm3Eps46Xd4d0y5l972xoCrggQAvD_BwE
@@TigerCreekFarm I saw your comment about pitting. I'm restoring a very old and rusty pump. I'm guessing it hasn't been used since the 1950s. It is very solid, but is pitted. I can clean it up and paint it, but I'm wondering about the pitting on the inside where the plunger leather goes up and down. Is yours a smooth surface here without any pitting? Is it painted? I'm debating if I should smooth this inner surface out by filling any pits with bondo and then painting. Any suggestions? thanks
CCP a bit of pitting should not be a huge problem but if it is enough to make you lose prime I would carefully fill with bondo or liquid steel like you were considering.
Too bad no one's figured out to make those from the same modern plastics much more powerful diaphragm pumps like Big Guzzler use. Cast iron (especially the modern stuff which uses less nickel than antique iron) corrodes easily. I replace all the bolts on my pitcher pumps with stainless and anti-seize the threads so I can always field strip the pump easily.
