The most common hand operated pump or manual water pump is the hand bilge pump. It is usually made of lightweight and durable PVC plastic, actually a PVC cylinder about 4 to 6 inches in diameter and 18 to 24 inches of length. The water inlet is located at the bottom while the handle that is used to pump it is on top. The flexible hose water outlet is also located on top about 36 inches long. The principle behind is very similar to a hand operated air pump used to inflate pneumatic tires and basketball, comprising of a long piston pump and a check valve. It operates by pushing the push rod back and forth which is attached to a piston with built-in check valve. Standard size hand bilge pump can bump a gallon of water in six strokes. They are ideal companion in small boats like inflatable boat and kayaks, used to pump water accumulated at the bottom of the boat to avoid it from sinking. It is also used by most aquarium lover in removing and filing the aquarium tank with water while cleaning. It can also be use to drain stagnant water from clogged kitchen sink, rain waters left from open containers, transferring of liquid from a barrel or a drum and more. Another good example of a hand operated water pump is the hand crank pump. It is actually a rotary water pump but instead of turning it by an electric motor you need to turn it manually using a lever arm. It also uses a hose both for the inlet and water outlet. Some models have the option to attach it to a portable electric drill (electric drill adapter set already included in the package) for a much faster and effortless water transfer.
Other type includes a hand press pump used in bottled drinking water, so instead of purchasing a separate expensive water dispenser a hand press pump is installed. Unlike water dispenser which uses gravity to extract water from the 4 gallon bottle, you need to press the large button on top of it to pump water. It is very similar to the hot water thermos wherein you need to press the top part of it to extract hot water. These type of hand operated pumps are the cheapest, you can have them for less than $10.00 and it is very durable usually last for a year or more.
The oldest type of hand operated pump and considered to be vintage or antique is the pitcher pump. It is called a pitcher pump because it resembles a pitcher with a handle and along mouth. Some people call them as Industrial pumps. These pumps are extra heavy duty and uses cast iron body which is very heavy but super strong. It is one of the easiest if not the easiest pump to extract large volume of water in a single stroke manually. It can actually fill a four gallon container in approximately less than 20 seconds. It also has a long lever arm which makes it almost effortless to operate. Some people are now collecting them as antique for museum display especially the one with bronze body.
Below are some of the hand powered pumps that are available in the market today, if you want to know more about the product details and pricing don’t hesitate to follow the links. When you click it, it will take you to a much secure site so you can buy them if you are really interested.
