Ram Pumps

[DeereHunter]

Hi all, I've been reading some stuff about these
RAM pumps and how you can make water flow
uphill as long as you have enough water flow from
a creek or stream.
Has anyone here ever used one of these and how
would you rate them?
thnx...Shawn

[Mike_Dumond]

To use a ram pump, you must have a source of water situated above the pump. For example, you must have a pond on a hillside so that you can locate the pump below the pond. You run a pipe from the pond to the pump. The pump has a valve that allows water to flow through this pipe and build up speed.

Once the water reaches its maximum speed this valve slams shut.
As it slams shut the flowing water develops a great deal of pressure in the pump because of its inertia.
The pressure forces open a second valve.
High-pressure water flows through the second valve to the delivery pipe (which usually has an air chamber to allow the delivery pipe to capture as much high-pressure water as possible during the impulse).
The pressure in the pump falls. The first valve reopens to allow water to flow and build up momentum again. The second valve closes.
The cycle repeats
The delivery pipe can rise some

[Mike_Dumond]

The biggest drawback, is that it might use 10 gallons of water to pump one gallon. Good trade if you got plenty of water. And it can pump to some pretty spectacular heights. I've seen 100 foot lifts.

[egon]

TBN has a tread on ram pumps from about a year ago or so.
It covered them well and even had information on how to build one.

Egon

[GERARD]

Do a google search - I read the thread on TBN and was curious so I read up some more. Various designs but as indicated all need a flowing water source ie stream. Nice thing about them is even though the volume they pump may not be spectacular, they pump 24/7/365 so if you plumb into a holding tank that's elevated you can gravity feed from the tank.