# Windmill water pumps



## TXWildcat (Mar 26, 2014)

Is this the sub-forum to discuss this subject? 

I dont have my slice of land yet, but when i do, i wonder if a windmill water pump is a viable option. Could it pump water into a cistern for consumption and irrigation? Can they pump water from a deep well? Say 250feet deep?


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Yes, They have been discussed here before.

Yes they can pump to a cistern/storage tank. That is the most common as they cannot work on a demand basis. If you have a windless season you'll need lots of storage to get you through. Here the summers have less wind than winter so irrigating much more than a small garden is out of the question.

Yes, limiting factor is the size of the windmill. Deeper wells require some huge blades to get much volume.

Besides the standard windmill/pump setup you can checkout airmills. They use wind to turn an air compressor that is used to pump water. I know a few companies were starting to build them a few years ago but can't seem to find any in searches today.

WWW


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

My parents have a windmill that they can use an air compressor to pump should they need.

Where they live wells are deep and a pump pulling truck cant come out during certain times of the year due to road conditions to pull a pump should one need. Its common there to have pump problems because of all the sand in the wells.

So my parents went with a windmill that has no moving parts underground.

They seem very happy with the windmill.


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

I know a guy in WI who has quite a successful business in rebuilding installing the old wind pumpers.
I well imagine that the price tag keeps going up and up as todays folks rediscover that this grand old technology wind pumper really does work.
Had my eye out for a wind pumper for years . . . . .can't find a reasonable one......


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

I have two windmills, one 10 foot and one 12 foot, the 10 footer is 265 feet deep on the short stroke, and the 12 footer, is 280 feet deep on the long stroke, 

the 10 footer also pumps the water aprox. 1/2 mile over land and up another 20 feet, to a storage tank,

both have 1 7/8" cylinders under the mills, with 2" drop pipe, (one can change the leathers with out pulling the pipe), 

under the 12 foot there is an electrical sub pump as well one can use if the other fails,


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## SolarGary (Sep 8, 2005)

Hi,

Some links on windmill pumps here: 
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterPumping/waterpumping.htm#Windmill

Gary


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

farminghandyman said:


> I have two windmills, one 10 foot and one 12 foot, the 10 footer is 265 feet deep on the short stroke, and the 12 footer, is 280 feet deep on the long stroke,
> 
> the 10 footer also pumps the water aprox. 1/2 mile over land and up another 20 feet, to a storage tank,
> 
> ...


6 foot wheels and a few 8 foot wheels is all you see around here, of course we aren't pulling water as deep as you are.


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Jim-mi said:


> I know a guy in WI who has quite a successful business in rebuilding installing the old wind pumpers.
> ..


He's fun to talk to, lots of stories about windmills. Here is his sitehttp://bryceblack.com/lotec/

I see him every year at the worlds biggest renewable energy fairhttps://www.midwestrenew.org/energyfair

I have a 6 foot dia 40 ft tall one sitting in my garage waiting to be put for decoration


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