MOTHER'S HYDRAULIC RAM PUMP

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The search for a "perpetual motion" machine is just about as old as civilization itself. And-though we all know that such a gadget probably doesn't exist?there is a piece of equipment that comes pretty close: the hydraulic ram pump.

The water ram (also known as a trompe) has been around for quite a while and was a widely used means of pumping water before electricity became common in rural areas. Strictly speaking, the ram pump doesn't create its own power, but draws energy from the force of a moving column of water ... usually fed through a pipe from a point more than 18 inches above the trompe.

Although the hydro ram won't operate without a fluid power source, it will work indefinitely when water is present. And, except for an adjustment every few months, the device requires no maintenance whatsoever!

IT'S A BARGAIN AT 1/10 THE PRICE...

Quality hydraulic rams are available commercially for anywhere from $400 to $800, complete ... and these are excellent units, designed to last for many years. However, most folks simply don't have that kind of money to spend, so MOTHER's research team came up with a pump that delivers the same reliable performance as its store-bought cousins but only costs about $60! Better yet, MOTHER's version can be put together in less than an hour ... using off-the-shelf plumbing supplies.

Most of the components of our pump are fabricated from PVC pipe ... the same conduit that's used throughout the country in residential and industrial plumbing systems. Polyvinyl chloride is tough, easy to work with, and readily available. The moving parts of the trompe consist of a standard check valve, a steel rod, a spring, and a rubber bathtub stopper.

NOTE: If you wish, you may substitute Schedule 40 black pipe (of comparable dimensions) for the flexible polyethylene used at the drive and delivery ends of the system.

...AND BUILDING IT'S A SNAP

Begin assembly of your ram pump by either purchasing or scrounging all the plumbing components that are detailed in our materials list (don't forget to buy a can of PVC cement to permanently seal all the joints in the system). Then, find a bolt that measures 1/4" X 14", cut the head off, and thread the "new" upper shank to a depth of about three inches. Threaded rod won't do here, since the shaft must have a 4" (at least) smooth-surfaced midsection.

Next, run two hex nuts from the lower end of the rod to a point about 5" up the shaft, and fasten the bathtub plug to the tip of the stem with nuts and washers as illustrated, With this done, thread the "waste" portion of the pump together (the parts from the 1/4" X 1-1/2" brass nipple down to the 2" PVC to 21 pipe bushing). Then, install the washer and spring on the upper part of the 1/4" rod, and slip this entire waste-valve assembly up into its PVC housing and through the brass nipple at the top. Lock the completed valve in place with the remaining 1/4" nut.