HYDRAULIC RAM PUMPS - Atlas Publications: Inexpensive E...

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PUMP WATER FOR FREE Complete Plans for the

High-Efficiency ATLAS RAM PUMP

How to choose a ram pump site.

how to set the pump up, how to keep it running

Revised, Updated and Expanded for E-Book Publication

HOW AND WHERE THEY WORK

HYDRAULIC RAM PUMPS

ALL ABOUT

CLACK VALVE

CHECK VALVE

Delivery Water OUT

Drive water IN

Waste Water OUT

Compressed air volume

CLACK VALVE WEIGHT

All about HYDRAULIC RAM PUMPS D.R. Wilson

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100 year old cabin in Western Carolina...home of the Atlas Ram Pump

Many thanks to the following for their information, insight, and inspiration, as well all the others who helped to make this book possible.

Intermediate Technology Development Group, Silsoe, Bedford, MK45 4DT, UK S.B. Watt; ‘A Manual of Information, Automatic Hydraulic Ram Pump’. Ersal Kindel; ‘A Hydraulic Ram for Village Use’. Rife Hydraulic Engine Manufacturing Co.

Jim Folk, Folk Water Powered Ram Pumps, Inc. Conyers, GA Dave Duffy, editor, BACKWOODS HOME MAGAZINE, Gold Beach, Oregon (backwoodshome.com) Ron Macher, editor The Small Farmers Journal. Eugene, Oregon And the many fine folks who sent me praise, testimonials and new ideas over the years. Thanx again.

About the Atlas Ram Pump….When I first moved to this remote little cabin, there was no power and none available. In order to get water from the spring below, a ram pump was about the only practical option. With the help of many who had gone before me, and many trials and errors, the Atlas Ram was developed. For over 30 years now, Atlas Rams have been pumping water for homes, ponds and gardens all over the world. Many were built using this information. My name is Don Wilson. This booklet and plans are my own creation. The Atlas Ram is one of the most efficient low fall / flow hydraulic ram pumps available today. The design is always being im-proved upon, and I welcome all suggestions. Many of the revisions and design improvements have come from folks calling up with a new idea that worked for them. After testing, I add these to my next revision. This E-book version is far and away easier to update, and faster. The most fre-quently asked questions from the last 20 years or so have been touched upon in this edition. It’s exciting to see the interest in ram pumps growing. More and more people are becoming con-cerned with the environment and searching for a way back to the land. A ram pump can help in a small way. I hope you will have as much enjoyment and satisfaction with the Atlas Ram as I have. There is no equal available today for economy, rugged reliability and simplicity of construction. “The steady thumping of a ram in the woods seems like the heartbeat of the Homestead...

and the mind hearkens back to a simpler time.”


ii

All About Hydraulic Ram Pumps How and Where they Work

WITH:

Complete plans showing how to build, install, and maintain a High-Efficiency Atlas Ram Pump.

1 and 2 inch sizes covered

All Rights Reserved No portion of this booklet may be reproduced by any means without express permission in writing from the

publisher Atlas Publications

First Printing 1993 First Revision 1995

Second Revision 2002 First E-Book Printing 2012

Published in U.S.A by: Atlas Publications

201 Green Cove Circle Murphy, NC 28906-5729

For more info:

www.atlaspub.20m.com/index.htm

E-mail publisher: [email protected]

Copyright 2012 by D. R. Wilson


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1: THE HYDRAULIC RAM PUMP

About the Ram Pump……………….1 The Ram Pump Sequence………….2 The Cistern and Drive Pipe……...….6 How Much Will Atlas Pump?…….…7

Part 2: CONSTRUCTION PLANS

About the Atlas Ram Pump………...8 Parts List……………………………..9 Exploded View…………….……….10 Holder Tool Parts…..………….…..11 Making the Holder Tool and…......…. Check Valve / Tank Mount Unit.....12 Base Unit Assembly……….…..….16 Simple Plan for Base Mold………..17 Form Assembly & Base Pouring….18 Clack Valve Conversion……….…...19 Pressure Tank Assembly…………..21 Final Assembly……….……...……...22

Part 3: SETUP & MAINTENANCE

Setting Up the Atlas Ram…….…….28 Start Up Procedure……………....….29 Troubleshooting……………………...31 Overview…………………………..….32


ATLAS RAM PUMP - - GENERAL INFORMATION

The Atlas Ram Pump is a compact and rugged unit, suitable for single-family domestic use, small gardens, small livestock herds or small ponds of up to 1/8 acre, as well as decorative pools, water wheels and fountains. The Ram Pump’s ability to ‘pump water for free’ allows for the use of flowing surface water that would otherwise flow on downstream and be wasted.

The Atlas Ram Pump design has been simplified to where now nearly anyone can easily

build, install and maintain one. The operation manual has been revised and this new edition as an E-book contains expanded sections as well as many new color photos.

Maintenance is minimal and infrequent; there are only 2 moving parts—commercial brass

in-line check valves, spring actuated and rated at 400 psi. The only part that is ever replaced is the plastic valve guide, made from a 1 inch section of ball point pen case.

The pump is adjustable to enable it to be ‘tuned’ to the situation where it is located. This is

easily done by adding washers as weights to the clack valve coupling nut. The main body of the Atlas Ram is constructed of heavy duty 2” galvanized cast-iron pipe

fittings. The base fittings are molded inside a block of concrete--fiberglass reinforced, if the plans are followed as suggested. This serves to anchor, level and strengthen the unit. The pressure tank (air dome) and clack valve are mounted above this base for easy access. The check valve is located inside the air dome and is accessible as well. The pressure tank is 4” SCH 40 PVC. There is a sealed air volume inside the tank, a scooter inner tube, which removes the need for a balky ‘snifter’ valve, eliminating the possibility of an air or water-logged condition inside the tank. The inner-tube is readily available and easily reached.

1 inch and 2 inch sized Atlas Rams are covered in this edition. The 1 inch size is for limited

water sources of 4 to 10 gallons per minute flow rate. The 2 inch size is for 10 gallons per minute or more flow rate. The only difference between the two models is the size of the clack valve and drive pipe used. The larger pump should pump about twice as much as the smaller where water flow is sufficient.

This New E-book edition has many new photos to more clearly show some of the trickier

parts of the one fabrication required, the check/tank mount. Some reader supplied photos are included from time to time as well as updates.

The Atlas Ram Pump Compact, rugged;

simple to build, install and maintain.

iv Copyright 2012 AtlasPub.20m.com

Early model Late model


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PART 1: THE HYDRAULIC RAM PUMP

The Hydraulic Water Ram Pump is a piece of Americana that is as useful today as ever. Utilizing a simple principle, the hydraulic ram can pump water from a flowing source of water to a point above the source of water with no other power required. How can this be? Moving water contains a small amount of kinetic energy (inertia); this is the energy of water falling downstream under the force of gravity, for our purposes called the FALL. The ram pump utilizes this inertial energy to pump water to a height greater than the source of the water. It runs all the time, requires no fuel, and needs only minor adjustment and cleaning for maintenance after the initial setup. The ram pump uses much more water than it pumps; it uses the energy of a lot of water to move a portion of it, about 10-15%. Because it runs all the time, even a small output really adds up! There are two things needed to operate a ram pump:

(1) Enough water — about 4 gallons per minute, minimum. (2) Enough fall — about 6 feet, minimum.

Hydraulic rams have been around for many years, in many differing configurations, falling off in popularity as electric power became more widely available. Many people have never heard of a ram pump, and as a result some sites get an expensive setup. Or else no water at all. The ram pump occupies a narrow niche in the array of water pump systems available today. Because it is somewhat more involved to set up than a powered pump, a ram is generally used only where electricity is too expensive or not available (or too far from the water source). But where it is called for, a ram pump water system is a dependable, economical alternative to a conventional electric or gasoline water pumping system. It will give years of reliable service with very minimal setup and operating costs.

A popular use for a ram pump is the small homestead or remote house site. A spring, creek or river is the water source. Water running downhill provides the power. The water is

pumped to a storage tank above the level of the house or garden.

The clack valve in the Atlas can operate without any spring tension because gravity, and suction from the drive pipe, serve to open it. This is much more reliable than a spring that always needs to be adjusted. In operation, this valve is forced to close by the water rushing out of it from the drive pipe. It closes suddenly, which causes the water hammer effect that opens the check valve. At the same time the closing of the clack valve causes a shock wave to travel up the drive pipe to the intake. When the shock wave hits the intake, pressure is reduced at the clack valve, which suctions the clack valve open for the next ram stroke. This is why the period between strokes is changed by altering the drive pipe LENGTH. And that is the reason for specific drive pipe lengths for any setup. In a nutshell, this is about 80-100 feet for a 1 inch Atlas ram. The clack weight can be adjusted to open the valve just a little sooner and hold it open longer, which gives a better delivery amount. This is not usually needed unless the water supply amount is less than optimum.

atlaspub.20m.com

source supply

cistern drive ram

delivery


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THE RAM PUMP SEQUENCE The water source for the ram pump needs to be flowing; about 4 gallons per minute flow rate is the minimum amount. This water must be able to be collected through a screened intake, and piped from the source down to the ram, through the Drive Pipe, either directly from the source, or from the collection barrel. The FALL, the vertical distance from the source to the ram, is required to be a minimum of 6 feet. The greater the FALL, the larger the DELIVERY-the amount of water pumped uphill to the end-use area. The water delivered is about 10-15% of the amount piped to the ram, the remainder having given up its kinetic energy to pump the delivery water during the Ram Pump Sequence. This ability to pump water above the source is accomplished by utilizing some simple, basic laws of physics... An object resists movement, and an object in motion resists stopping. This applies to water as well. Additionally, most liquids, including water, are incompressible...they act like a solid….as far as physics is concerned, they are solid. Hence it follows that water, moving downhill under the force of gravity, and contained within a pipe, will resist being stopped. This is called inertia, and inertia is a form of (kinetic) energy. If this moving water is stopped suddenly, the weight of the water moving will exert a force, a pressure, much greater than the weight of the water alone...at the point where it is stopped. Within the plumbing trade this is known as 'water hammer'- very destructive to pipes and fittings unless counteracted. We see examples of this every day...think of a hammer. Its weight alone won't drive a nail too far. Swing the hammer; it is moving. It hits the nail head. Pow! the nail goes in. The hammer, moving and then stopped suddenly when it hits the nail, exerts much more force than its weight alone.

The ram pump is constructed to initiate and use this force.

The clack valve (in the Atlas) is a brass check valve with the internal return spring removed. The retaining nut is replaced by a coupling nut. And a faucet washer, for cushioning, is added. The valve, at rest, is open. When water enters through the drive pipe and rushes through this open valve, it forces the valve shut —suddenly. Waste water leaves the pump through the open clack valve and re-enters the creek.

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Outlet to delivery area.

Air volume

One..

The internal check valve is shut by the high pressure in the tank.

Drive Pipe Water Internal Check Valve


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RAM PUMP SEQUENCE continued.…

Two.. As the clack valve closes suddenly, the weight or inertia of the moving water in the Drive Pipe is stopped suddenly, (1) and creates a momentary 'pulse' of high pressure or water hammer against the internal check valve. (2) The check valve acts as a kind of 'relief valve' for this increased

pressure. The water will force itself against this check valve and the pressure in the pressure tank or air dome (3) and end up behind the one-way check valve. That pulse of water will be in the high pressure side of the pump on it’s way to the delivery area.

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The time it takes the shock wave to reach the intake makes the rhythm or period between strokes. Changing the drive pipe length changes this period.

Clack valve closes suddenly. The water cannot go anywhere except against the closed check valve.

(2) Water hammer against the closed check valve. Drive Pipe Water

There is also a shock wave produced when the clack valve shuts.

This wave travels up the drive pipe to the intake. Upon reaching the intake, this shock wave creates a momentary suction, which helps draw the clack valve open, ready for another cycle. This cycle repeats over and over 24 / 7.

(3) Pressure tank or air dome

This is one good reason for different drive pipe lengths for different sites. There is an optimal length, but such exactitude is secondary to the realities of each site. Better to use a length that takes into consideration the situation where you are setting the pump up. Come as close to optimum as possible. The change in efficiency is quite small in varying drive pipe lengths.

I give a formula that puts the answer within a range... L / D = 500 to 1000

Where L is the drive pipe LENGTH in INCHES, D is the drive pipe DIAMETER in INCHES. The result should fall between 500 & 1000. This is the OPTIMUM drive pipe length. Any longer and friction reduces the velocity of the drive water too much, and increases the period between ram pulses. Any shorter and there isn’t enough time for the drive water to get up to it’s full velocity and thus loses power..

(1)


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RAM PUMP SEQUENCE continued...

Three.. 1. A small amount of Drive water is 'rammed' through the check valve or one way valve, into the pressure tank / air dome on the 'high pressure' side of the pump. About 10% to 15% of the drive water is rammed through at each cycle of the ram.

2. There is a sealed air volume inside the pressure tank that acts as a sort of cushion for the incoming pulse of water. The air volume is compressed until the high-pressure pulse of water is expended—when the drive water stops. Then the check valve closes, trapping the water in the high pressure side of the pump. The sealed air volume in the Atlas Ram is a 12” scooter inner tube.

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(1)

(2)

Clack valve is closed

Drive water pushes through

to the pressure tank

Internal check valve open. Drive water enters the pressure tank.

Water not moving

It may not seem as though a lot of water gets through the check valve and is actually pumped up the hill to the storage tank. Because the Ram Pump runs all the time, that water really adds up. The pump has to keep running. Starting one up can be tedious. It won’t be likely to freeze in the winter if it’s run-ning And to keep a big tank full it has to keep running. Fortunately the Atlas ram is quiet. The rubber O-rings in the valves do that as well as sealing the valve when it is closed.

Then the drive water begins to rush out the clack valve again. When its velocity closes the clack valve again, as in step one, the cycle repeats, each cycle taking a second or two - however long it takes the 'shock wave' to travel up the drive pipe to the drive pipe intake. Changing the drive pipe length changes this period of time, the rhythm, of the cycle. There is an optimum period, hence an optimum drive pipe length, which depends on the drive pipe diameter.


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RAM PUMP SEQUENCE continued...

four.. 1. When the incoming high-pressure pulse of water is expired, the check valve closes, trapping the pressurized water in the pressure tank.

When the shock wave (mentioned before ) travels up the drive pipe and reaches the intake, it creates a momentary low pressure at the base of the drive pipe inside the ram. This draws the clack valve open.

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Check valve closed

2. The compressed air volume in the

tank forces the water out the

outlet up to the end-use area.

1. Clack valve closed

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Water here is not moving.

The well adjusted ram pump will tirelessly pump water for years, cost next to nothing to operate, require only minimum maintenance. and provide water for all your needs!

2. Then the pressure of the compressed air volume forces the water through the delivery pipe and on up to the end-use area, the only way out of the pressure tank.


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The collection cistern or barrel is not necessary in all cases, but is highly recommended. It prevents air entering the drive pipe, acts as a sediment settling tank, and adds fall when the source is not within the optimum drive pipe length. It also may protect the screened drive pipe intake from rising or rushing water in the creek during rains, and from curious animals. The collection barrel can be any large container or drum...a barrel, plastic 55 gal. drum, plastic garbage can, etc. As large as possible, preferably accessible through the top, and coverable as well. It is placed downstream from the water source, and at the optimum distance (drive pipe length) upstream or above the ram pump. The collection barrel is filled from one or more 'source supply pipes' coming from the water source(s) into the bottom of the barrel. The drive pipe intake leaves the barrel at the bottom. The source supply intake(s) and drive pipe intake MUST be strained.

There may be several supply pipes leading into the barrel - this is a handy way to get enough water when there are several small springs around, none large enough to drive the ram alone. The water level in the barrel tends to stay ay the same level as the water source, thereby overcoming the problem of their being not sufficient fall within the optimum drive pipe length. The collection barrel also serves as a settling tank for fine sand and silt. The drive pipe intake is attached near the bottom of the collection barrel, and must have a strainer securely on it. The drive pipe DIAMETER should be the same as the clack valve, but 1 1/4" is fine for the 1" Atlas ram and 1 1/2" is adequate for the 2" Atlas ram. The drive pipe LENGTH is generally required to be either 7 to 12 times the Fall, or calculated using the formula L/D = 500 to 1000, where L is the drive pipe LENGTH in INCHES, D is the drive pipe DIAMETER in INCHES. The result of 500 to 1000 is what you want; where the L is the OPTIMUM drive pipe length. Any longer than this and friction reduces the velocity of the drive water too much. Any shorter Length and there isn’t enough time between pulses for the velocity to build up to maximum.. The drive pipe actually drives the ram pump. It is the moving weight of the column of water in the drive pipe that is utilized by the ram pump to create a momentary pulse of high pressure greater than the mere static weight of that column of water. This pulse of water gets past the check valve into the high-pressure side of the system, on to the delivery area. It’s that start and stop of the water through the clack valve that pumps the water.

THE CISTERN AND DRIVE PIPE

Supply Pipe

Drive Pipe

Fall

To water tank

Water source Water level in barrel

Collection Barrel


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HOW MUCH WILL A RAM PUMP PUMP ?

There are many factors which affect the amount of water pumped or delivered. The main three are: the fall, lift, and the source amount ( water available at the source.) The fall is the distance the water falls from the source to the ram site. The lift is the vertical distance from the ram to the end use area. All of these factors are interrelated. This makes a general statement of amount pumped impossible. Each site is different. It is easy to see if a ram will work at a given site, and something else to know ahead of time how much it will pump. Here is a formula which will give a close figure if you have measurements for the fall, lift and source volume…

Source Volume in gallons per minute X ( 2 X Fall in feet )

Divide by (4 X Lift in feet) = gallons per minute Then multiply the result by 60 (min. per hr.) then by 24 (hrs. per day) yields the amount delivered

per 24 hr. day.

Using this for an existing Atlas Ram setup:

Source: 4 gal. per min. Fall: 12 feet Lift: 60 feet

2 X Fall (12) = 24 Source (4) X 24 = 96 Lift (60) X 4 = 240 96 ÷ 240 = .40 gal. per min. 40 X 60 = 24 gal. per hr.

24 X 24 = 576 gallons per day.

Note that this is a very small spring! As you can see, the water really adds up.

Ram pump efficiency is affected by some minor factors as well.

Friction slows the water flow. Sharp turns and all connections cause friction. Any leaks in the lines also reduces the delivered water amount greatly. The amount of water available plays a large part as well. The more available, the higher the output of the ram—up to the capacity of the drive pipe. Increasing the diameter of the drive pipe allows the pump to use more water and raises this capacity, adding that much more weight and energy to each ram sequence. Having the Drive Pipe length optimum ( which determines the period between strokes ) can help increase the output as well. The amount of water pumped may seem small. A large water storage tank can make up for the tiniest trickle. Because water is always coming into the tank, and water useage is sporadic, eventually the tank will fill and you will have a large reserve of water.


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ABOUT THE ATLAS RAM PUMP

The Atlas ram pump is easy to build. The parts are all galvanized pipe fittings that should be available at any hardware or plumbing supply store. The 2 valves used in this pump are 1” brass check valves, widely available as well. For a 2” ram, one of these valves is 2”. Best ones are from Simmons Mfg. out of McDonough, GA. Or find at : www. antonline.com. The total cost should be well below $100 (the 2” ram is more, that valve is $70). The finished product will be a tough, durable, portable, high-efficiency ram pump that will require very little upkeep or adjustment other than installation. The valves are rated at 400 psi, the fittings are at least that, the weakest point is the pressure tank, which is 125 psi if pressure and not waste grade PVC is used. This pressure resistance should safely give a potential vertical lift of 230 feet. There is no welding, drilling or tapping involved with the building of this ram. The only unusual material needed is a small quantity of polyurethane (fiberglass) resin. Epoxy can be used as well. Sold where auto-body repair products are found. This design is ‘self-anchoring’. A ram pump can jump around quite a bit with each ram sequence, so it must be secured solidly. This by it’s own weight, or by attaching to a stake or concrete slab. A portion of the Atlas ram, called the base, has a concrete block molded around it. This gives enough weight to anchor the unit in an upright and level position. The concrete should be the fiberglass reinforced kind (Quick-wall or Sure-wall). The mold for this base is plywood and is in the plans, but a shoebox or other enclosure will do. Is the Atlas patented? Short answer, No. The design is unique, and probably patentable. If one applies for such, the expense is huge, and the protection is minimal. It can be copied with the slightest change. Sell a single set of plans and no one can patent it. You or I can make and sell as many as we want. Look over the parts list and exploded view on the next page. This will give an idea of the parts required and their configuration. The Check/tank mount unit is the only real fabrication in the whole construction, and requires the resin. Though fairly simple, it does require special materials and the clearances are tight. In this e-book edition, the fabrication process is covered in detail & with many photos. It’s not a particularly hard part, but I have learned quite a few short cuts and tips about making these units after 20 years or so of making them. I have included all of these in this rewrite of the original book.

On the left you can see the pres-sure tank and outlet tee are eas-ily removed from the concrete base to access the internal check valve. On the right the 2” clack valve is also easily removed for inspec-tion of the pump or clack valve.

ATLAS NOTES


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ATLAS RAM PUMP PARTS LIST

GETTING THE FITTINGS READY Galvanized plumbing fittings are coated with an oil at the factory—especially the threads. You will need to remove all this coating in order for the paints and other materials to properly bond to the fittings. Spray the fittings with spray oven cleaner, which turns the oil into a kind of soap. Use a stiff brush, and an old tooth brush to get the threads. This is caustic stuff ! Use with care ! Follow with hot water and detergent. Rinse the fittings and let dry thoroughly & store in a dry place until needed. They may get a fine layer of rust if left too long.

#8 1” STREET ELL #9 1” CLOSE NIPPLE #11 ( 2 ) 1” Brass CHECK VALVE #14 3/4” CLOSE NIPPLE #23 4” sl X 2” pt PVC BUSH #21 2” sl X 2” PT adapter #20 12” INNER TUBE #24 Coupling nut, faucet washer

#1 2” ‘TEE” (2 required.) #2 2” STREET ELL #3 2” CLOSE NIPPLE #22 2” CLOSE NIPPLE #4 4” X 10”+ PVC PIPE #5 4” PVC CAP (rounded) #6 2” X 1” BUSHING #7 2” X 3/4” BUSHING

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS REQUIRED *Polyurethane resin. Found in auto body repair sections. Acetone for cleanup. *2 sq. ft. of plywood for the mold shown. You may use a shoe box or such for the base mold. *Appx. 5 lbs. Of ‘Quickwall’ or similar fiberglass reinforced concrete mix. Quickcrete may be used but some reinforcement is needed-wire cloth or the like. *Spray can of gloss black paint, preferably OSHA safe. *String level and teflon thread-seal tape or paste. The 2 brass spring check valves need to be the kind secured by a nut. 1” valves are required. For the 2” pump, a 2” valve is needed for the clack valve (these cost about $70.00).

www.antonline sells these valves online.. Please note: These check valves have an arrow stamped on the outside, showing the water flow direction. In this pump the check valve is installed with that arrow pointing UP, INTO the pressure tank. The pressure tank can be longer and the inner tube larger to get more air volume.

11

1

1

2

8 (inside)

3

22

9 6

7

4

5 23

21 20

24

(all parts galvanized unless otherwise indicated)


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ATLAS RAM PUMP PARTS EXPLODED VIEW

# 8

#2 #11 - internal check valve

DRIVE WATER ENTERS HERE

Remove these parts from the check valve:

Retainer nut Washer Spring

Clack weight - a 1/4” bolt, and washers if

needed. Coupling nut - threads

to match the valve stem - usually 1/4”

Faucet washer - for cushioning

Clack Valve Conversion The parts removed from the valve are replaced by these

#22

# 4 —10”-15” cut section of 4” PVC pressure pipe

4” PVC cap

# 5

# 23 4” X 2” bushing / adapter May need a slip to pipe threads adapter inside

#

Check / tank mount unit

# 3 # 9

# 6

#1

# 14

#

‘Outlet Tee’

#1

# 7 #11Clack valve


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Finished holder tool

2” close nip # 9 mounts here Check valve mounts here

HOLDER TOOL AND CHECK MOUNT DIAGRAM

The holder tool is used to align and firmly hold the 1” street ell (# 8) inside the 2” street ell (# 2) and seal the resin on the large end of the 2” street ell until it hardens, The tool is then re-moved. Holder tool slides into the 2” ell and screws into the 1” ell. The washer may have to be trimmed and the inside of the 2” ell ground and wire brushed smooth. Petroleum jelly on the threads will ease removal.

HOLDER TOOL PARTS DIAGRAM

This tool is used to make the check / tank mount unit. It serves the dual function of holding the 1” street ell #8 firmly, and sealing the resin when it is poured. The tool is re-useable.

1” X 3” galvanized nip Short section of

PVC coupling or plastic pipe. Plumbers putty worm Tapered washer

Lock washer step washer

# 8

#2 2” street ell

Resin will fill here

Resin


MAKING THE HOLDER TOOL

The holder tool is used to align and firmly hold the 1” street ell (part #8) inside the 2” street ell. (part #2). This will all end up being the check / tank mount unit. You will need a 1 1/4” drain pipe plastic washer kit (step washer and tapered washer), plumbers putty, a 1” lock washer (used for conduit work) and a 3” X 1” iron close nipple. First, roll some of the putty into a long worm. Wrap this around the step washer as shown (left photo below). Thread the 1” lock washer onto the 1” PT X 3” iron close nip. Then slip the step washer (with the putty worm) onto the close nip, followed by the tapered washer (photo, right). Later, when this is threaded into the 1” street ell inside the 2” street ell, the putty is squeezed be-tween the washers and out the edge, sealing the resin gel on the upper side of the 2” ell. There should be a collar from half a 1” pvc coupling on the 3” pipe to help center the unit when it is later threaded in.

CENTERING THE CHECK MOUNT step 1

The 1” street ell (#8) must fit loosely inside the 2” street ell (#2) with the 1” threads up as shown. Both the fittings will likely need some cleaning and rasping of burrs and rough spots. The 1” ell may need some grinding as well. It has to fit loosely inside so it can be centered perfectly. Proper centering is vital — you only get one chance with resin, so make it count.

Putty worm Lock washer 1” PVC coupling

3” X 1” iron close nip

Tapered washer

step washer

Putty worm

1 1/4” step washer

The 1” (smaller) fitting must fit loosely so it can be centered perfectly.

The holder fits in this end to hold the fit-ting tightly and sealing for the resin pour.

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Next thread in the 2” close nip to the 2” ell (check mount). In order to center the check mount as perfectly as possible, use a check valve with a couple of wraps of duct tape around the body. Thread this valve into the 1” street ell inside the check mount. This should get the valve centered This is tricky but necessary as the clearance is close and resin is unforgiving.

Tighten here when the

check valve is centered

After centering the taped check valve, mount the whole unit to the bench -- I use a roll of masking tape and an angle iron. The purpose is to secure the thing in a level position. Tighten the holder tool carefully--the putty is being squeezed out inside the 2” ell to seal the check mount for the resin pour. Some wooden wedges can be used to center and secure the end of the holder tool when tight; I use half clothes pins. Keep checking the centering and level while tightening down on the mounting screws. After a final check and it’s time to Carefully remove the check valve and 2” close nip.

String level

Clothes pin wedges to center holder

CENTERING THE CHECK MOUNT step 2

First insert the holder tool carefully into the 2” ell. It should be smooth inside and the fit firm but not too tight. Get the threads started into the 1” ell in-side, do not tighten. When tightened later the putty will be squeezed out between the two plas-tic washers and should seal perfectly. The PVC collar on the holder tool should help center the tool as well. The inside of this fitting and the 2” close nip should be ground smooth.

Here you can see the unit ready for the resin pour. Be sure to check the level and especially the centering again using a clean check valve and 2” close nip. Polyester resin (fiberglass) is to be mixed and poured into the gap between the fittings and filled to the first threads on the 2” fitting. Carefully lubricate the threads so no resin can stick to them.


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USING FIBERGLASS RESIN TO FILL THE GAP AND SECURE THE FITTING

Working with fiberglass resin is tricky. There are two parts...resin, and hardener (or catalyst). To mix up this pouring I usually use about 8 tablespoons of resin and about 15 drops of catalyst. This will do about half of the fitting. This is done at room tempera-ture...Hotter: use less catalyst; cooler: use more. Read the directions and test some before trying with this fitting as there is no second chance. A small heat lamp helps too. A steady hand is needed for pouring into the small gap between the fittings, Be sure to grease the threads (and only the threads!) with petroleum jelly or similar so any drips can be removed easily. After hardening make up a second mix to top it off at the last or bottommost thread on the 1” fitting. Resin is carefully poured into this gap

The second pouring will seal any small gaps that may have formed from the resin pulling away from the inside of the fitting. This rarely happens, generally only when the resin gets too hot. Bring the level up to the bottom thread of the 1” fitting. We no longer rely on a gasket seal where the check valve seats on the resin. We rely on the tapered threads of the fittings to seal the check valve to the mount.

Check the threads for resin and clean them up with acetone and paintbrush. After about 24 hours and the resin does not feel sticky, the holder can be removed. The two washers and putty come out next. Scrape out the rest of the putty and get ready to wire brush the inside where some resin may have leaked out and to smooth and clean the surface for resin coating inside.

After resin pour


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FINISHING THE CHECK MOUNT UNIT

Use a stiff circular wire brush on a drill to really clean out the putty and resin debris inside the 2” ell. This will also shape the resin into a smooth angle into the 1” ell inside. Wipe the inside well with acetone for the next step...coating with resin. Use a small artist brush for this.

Mix a small amount of resin, about a tablespoon. Paint the inside of the level and upright 2” ell, stroking from the bottom up. The purpose is to make the inside as smooth as possi-ble to reduce friction. During operation of the pump, this is where the water is rammed through the 1” ell and the inter-nal check valve into the high pressure side of the pump. Be sure to get the inside of the

1” ell in the same way, from both sides. Watch those threads! When cured, a shot of gloss black spray paint inside the 2” and 1” ells will hide most any visible defect and help prevent the threads from rusting as well. Really only cosmetic. Below, note that the fitting may appear to be off center (left). You can test this with a check valve and the 2” close nip to be sure.

Finished Check / Tank Mount Unit Check valve top view

Here you can see how this unit fits into the other fittings to form the base. Left, the unit screws into the 2” tee. Middle, the bushing for the clack valve screws into the top

of the 2” tee. Right, the 2” close nip screws into the top of the check mount unit.

You can see how close the clearance is be-tween the check valve and the 2” close nip.

clearance 2” elbo 2” close nip Check valve


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# 6 2” X 1” Bushing

# 9 1” Close nip-

Check / Tank Mount unit

When the check mount unit is fully cured, it can assembled into the Base Unit Begin by wrapping several layers of teflon thread seal tape on the threads of the check mount. Screw this into the 2” tee as shown. It must end up vertical as shown. Thread seal the bushing # 6 and screw into the top of the tee as shown. Do the same with the 1” close nip # 9 and screw into the bushing. This is where the clack valve goes.

BASE UNIT ASSEMBLY

#1 2” Tee

This bushing and nipple is replaced with a 2” close nip if building a 2” ram. 2” close nip # 3

‘Outlet tee’ mounts here

This base unit fits into a plywood form to be filled with concrete. 1/2” plywood works well...next page is a simple plan for a form. There should be some kind of oil or waterproofing on the inside of the form. Spray ‘Pam’ works good. This helps prevent the concrete bonding to the plywood. Use fiberglass reinforced concrete; ‘Surewall’ and ‘Quickwall’ are some brand names. Otherwise the concrete can crack and chip. A 2” diameter foam plug is attached to one end of the form to hold and seal the open end of the 2” tee. A faucet washer is glued as shown to level the unit in-side the form. This is all in order to have a heavy base to anchor the ram while it is operating.

Faucet washer

Foam plug


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5”

9”

5”

9”

SIDE PIECE 2 REQ.

BOTTOM PIECE

10”

8”

8”

4”

END PIECE—2 REQ.

SCREW HOLES

FOAM PLUG

PLANS FOR A SIMPLE 1/2” PLYWOOD FORM

SIDE PIECE

DOTTED LINES SHOW PLACEMENT OF SIDE PIECES. A trial fit with the base unit will de-termine this exact position.

Around. 1 1/4”

#1 - 2” Tee


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FORM ASSEMBLY AND CONCRETE BASE POURING

Assemble the simple form and put the base unit inside as shown. You can use anything you want to make this form or concrete mold. As long as the 2” open end is covered as well as any other openings, and is filled to the lip of the 2” fittings. The open end of the 2” tee fits onto the foam plug. The plug supports that end of the base assembly and also seals out the concrete from the inside of the unit. The fit should be tight enough to hold the unit firmly, The spacer holds the other end of the unit level. If regular non-reinforced concrete is used, a reinforcing mat, 1/4” hard-ware cloth or such, is placed beneath the unit. The spacer would go beneath the mat, and another at each corner to raise the mat above the bottom of the form. Regular concrete (Not recom-mended) will chip badly without this mat.

Reinforcing mesh if needed

Foam plug

Concrete fill level

Base assembly

spacer

Plywood form or Concrete mold

Make sure the unit is secure and level front to back and side to side. Cover all open holes. Mix the concrete smooth and carefully pour into the form. Tap the form lightly to settle the mix into any voids. Bring the level up to the lip of the 2” fittings. Leave the whole thing alone for at least 24 hours. When you are sure the mud is hard, remove the screws and pop the form apart. It should come loose easily enough. Carefully remove the concrete block - it’s still fragile - and place it somewhere it can be sprayed with water. Keep the block damp (and undisturbed) for a few days. The longer you spray the block, the harder the finished and cured concrete will be.

Here you see the base unit setting inside the plywood form for the concrete base. The check valve is in place to show it’s position. It should not be there for the pour; all openings should be covered. The unit must be level front to back and side to side.

Clack valve mounts here Check / tank mount unit Plywood form

Check / Tank Mount unit

CUTAWAY VIEW OF THE BASE UNIT INSIDE THE CONCRETE MOLD


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The clack valve is the most obvious of the two moving parts in any ram pump. In the Atlas Ram, a common 1” brass in-line spring operated check valve is used for both the clack valve and the internal check valve. The valve needed is the kind secured with a nut inside. In a 2 inch Atlas, a 2” check valve is used for the clack valve. Simmons mfg. out of Georgia makes a good valve, as well as Clayton-Mark out of Arkansas. Imported valves work, too. The valve must be spring operated with a valve and stem similar to an automotive valve. Most have a rubber O-ring for a sure seal, and quiet operation. Most valves of this type have a Teflon bushing for the valve stem. This can eventually wear out, but it can be replaced with a short section of ball-point pen case. These just happen to be the right size. Having been simplified over time, the conversion of an off-the-shelf check valve into a clack valve for an Atlas ram is very simple. The check valve is taken apart - I use an 11mm and a 10mm socket for each end of the valve. The retainer nut is locked to prevent it from coming loose, so be careful when loosening this nut. Simply remove the nut, washer and return spring...and replace with the faucet washer and coupling nut. The coupling nut is just a long nut, same threads as the valve stem. The clack weight is a short bolt, same threads as the coupling nut, with washers added to make the desired weight. This weight will increase or decrease the water delivery amount, but is rarely needed or used except in cases of low water flow. The clack weight opens the clack valve sooner. The faucet washer is a cushion for the falling weight.

CHECK VALVE TO CLACK VALVE CONVERSION

When making a 2 inch Atlas Ram, the only real difference is the clack valve is a 2” sized valve. Note that this size valve is about $70. Actually, any size check valve can be used to make a clack valve, from 1”. 1 1 /4”. 1 1/2” and 2”. Each size requires a drive pipe diameter sized the same or 1 size larger, as well as the bushing and close nipple. No bushing for the 2”. And of course the coupling nut may be different with the different check valve sizes and manufacturers.. The 1” check valve, used as the internal check valve, is not altered at all when used in the Atlas ram, and is always 1”. There is an arrow stamped onto the outside of these check valves, as a reminder of the water flow through the valve. It is installed with the arrow facing UP, INTO the pressure tank.

The clack weight can be adjusted to open the valve just a little sooner and hold it open longer, which gives a better delivery amount. This is not usually needed unless the water supply amount is less than opti-mum. In operation, this valve is forced to close by the water rushing out of it from the drive pipe. It closes suddenly, which causes the water hammer, which is where the power comes from. The water hammer forces open the check valve and allows a pulse of water to push into the high pres-sure side of the pump. The clack valve can operate without a spring because gravity and suction from the drive pipe open it.

This weight opened clack valve is far more reliable than a spring that always needs to be adjusted

Remove all these parts from the check valve:

Retainer nut Washer Spring

Replace with these:

Coupling nut

Clack weight

Faucet washer

Check valve Side view cutaway


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Cross section diagram of a Brass CHECK VALVE converted to a CLACK VALVE

Clack weight. This is only a short hex-bolt with threads matching those on the coupling nut.. Washers can be added as clack weights if needed. If used, this bolt and lock nut must be well tightened against the coupling nut or it will loosen after the many jolts it will take.

Coupling nut. This is really just a long nut, but it is sold as a coupling nut, in the specialty section of any hardware store. It replaces the retainer nut removed in the disassem-bly of the check valve.

Shaft threads. The threaded end of the brass valve shaft. The original retainer nut, washer and return spring are removed from here, and replaced by the coupling nut. Note: The retainer nut is locked on this shaft by a slight buggering of the threads. Remove this nut very carefully and slowly-do not force!

Flat faucet washer. The hole may have to be enlarged to get this on the valve shaft. It functions as a cushion for the falling valve shaft and coupling nut.

Teflon shaft bushing. This acts as a friction and wear re-ducer for the valve shaft. It will last a very long time if the pump is kept level, which makes the clack valve vertical.

O-ring seal takes a very long time to wear out, and can be replaced at the same specialty section of the hardware store where you found the coupling nut. This rubber O-ring also serves to make the operation of the valve quieter, thereby making the Ram Pump quiet as well.

Shaft grip. This is where the socket goes to hold the valve shaft while the original retainer nut is loosened and removed, along with the washer and return spring.

Left, the valve. Middle, sockets used to remove the nut from the valve shaft. Right, brass valve shaft with O-ring, spring, washer and nut - removed.


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PRESSURE TANK ASSEMBLY

The pressure tank, sometimes called the air dome, is made of 4” diameter PVC pressure pipe, 10” to 15” in length, # 4 on the exploded view pg. 10. It is capped on one end (# 5) and bushed to 2” pipe threads on the other end (# 23). Sometimes the bushing has a slip end and needs a 2” slip to pipe threads bushing/adapter. The 2” close nip, #22, should be threaded into this bushing. The open-ing is a little smaller this way, but it is safer for the threads on the PVC bushing, as the tank will need to be removed occasionally. This tank, when assembled, is a single unit. It is glued together and cannot be un-glued. I mention this as these parts are not cheap, and, like resin, with PVC glue there is only one chance. I would sug-gest the whole recommended routine, following the product directions, of cleaning with the special PVC cleaner, followed by the primer, and then the glue. Pay close attention to burrs on the cut piece of pipe. Later the sealed air volume, a 12” scooter inner tube, is put inside this tank, with the air fill nozzle pointing out the 2” close nip. This is for filling up the tube to a firm point, and for the occasional replenish-ing of air in the tube. People often ask the psi of the tube. I just have to say “firm”. The tube serves as a ‘cushion’ for the incoming pulse of water from the check valve. It also prevents a waterlogged’ and ‘air logged’ condition inside the tank, both of which can damage the pump. The ‘outlet tee’ is simply the other 2” tee, # 1, with a 2” X 3/4” bushing # 7. It threads onto the check/tank mount unit on the base. The 2” close nip from the tank threads into the ‘top’.

The 3/4” close nip #14, is where the delivery pipe and valves are attached, and where the delivery water exits the pump. This bushing and close nip can be 1/2” if you want 1/2” delivery pipe. Use plenty of seal tape or putty for all of the threads when assembling.

4” X 2” Bushing adapter May need a slip to pipe threads adapter inside

# 4 -10”-15” cut section of 4” PVC pressure pipe There are many ways to make an air dome; this is one. Others have used air tanks from electric pumps, used a plug for a cap, even a longer pipe section in order to use a larger inner tube for higher lifts and larger clack valves.

4” PVC cap

# 5

# 23

# 1

#14

‘Outlet Tee’

#22

This end threads onto the check / tank mount unit

2” close nip

# 7


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FINAL ASSEMBLY

This is where all the various pieces are put together. All attach to the base block. The pieces may need to come apart at some point, so not too tight. Thread seal all the threads. First the clack valve bushing goes into the 2” opening in the base. Later, the clack valve goes on the close nip of the bushing - Coupling nut UP. The 2” close nip (#3) is threaded into the check mount next. Be sure to check for burrs or a seam inside this fitting. Grind it smooth if need be. Test the fit of the 2” close nip and the check valve together first before using the sealer. The clearance is close, so you may have to try the valve first, and the 2” close nip next

The internal check valve is next. Be sure the nut side is down and flow arrow is pointing up. . Thread seal on the threads inside of the valve. Careful about getting it started ..the brass threads are weaker than the steel. The valve must seal on the threads of the check mount….it seals the high pressure side of the pump.

The outlet tee goes onto the 2” close nip atop the check mount unit. Have the out-let tee bushing finish pointing in the gen-eral direction of the end use area, as long as you don’t over tighten to get it right on . The pressure tank should have the inner tube inside and filled up firmly, valve stem pointing out the 2” opening. It will need to be refilled occasionally, so this piece has to be removed. This tube is usually a 12”

scooter inner tube, although larger wheelbarrow tubes have been used with longer tanks. The 2” close nip #22 should be in the bushing/adapter at the bottom of the tank and not the outlet tee. This will help prevent stripping or cross threading the plastic pipe threads. The 2” drive pipe inlet will need various fittings to mate it to the drive pipe, a valve is helpful, and some kind of union that will allow the pump to be easily attached and removed at the site. The delivery or outlet side will need similar fittings to mate the 3/4” or 1/2” close nip (#14) outlet to the delivery pipe.

Base unit shown without the concrete block


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SETTING UP THE ATLAS RAM PUMP

Fitting the Drive Pipe to the pump requires a few fittings. These can be whatever is needed at any particular site. Shown below is a general sort of group for a 1” drive pipe. All the pieces can be scaled up to 2” except for the 2” bushing which would be replaced with a 2” close nipple.

A strainer of some kind is needed for the drive pipe intake. The drive pipe itself is black plastic pipe; diameter the same as the clack valve or one size larger. The length is calculated using the general formula of Drive Pipe Length in inches divided by the Diameter in inches must equal be-tween 500 to 1000. This gives a range of drive pipe lengths, and a wide range of options for set-ting up the ram. Once again the setup situation and fine tuning will determine the closer figures. The gate valve can be any kind of on / off type valve, often times PVC but I prefer brass. When the pump is running, the drive pipe puts a lot of strain on every joining. PVC would be a weak point. The galvanized iron union allows a simple way to attach and detach the ram from the drive pipe. Many kinds are available. One part attaches to the ram, the other to the gate valve. You can see the drive pipe can be closed off without draining the whole system. Very handy.

A scan from the original print book. Made on an Atari ST in 1983

STRAINER DRIVE PIPE App. 100 ft.

HOSE CLAMP

ADAPTER GATE VALVE

UNION PIECES

2” BUSHING

water flow

Another scan from the original print book 1983

The delivery pipe is 1/2” or 3/4” black plastic pipe, and runs from the pump to where you want the water to go, usually a storage tank, large as possible. Using fittings similar to the drive pipe, the delivery pipe attaches to the outlet tee bushing with a valve, union and adapters. A hose valve can be used to replace the union & valve and needs only a hose thread to pipe thread adapter extra. Like the drive pipe, this all allows the delivery pipe to be removed easily without draining the pipe of water. This valve can also aid in the initial starting of the Atlas Ram as well. When the Drive and Delivery pipes have been laid in their places at the site, the respective gate valves and union halves can be attached and clamped securely. Use plenty of petroleum jelly on the union threads! Sometime they may need to be detached. The ram can be set at the selected site and easily connected up to the pipes using these quick connec-tions. The Atlas should be set up as level as possible. This will reduce the rubbing friction in both the clack valve and check valve bushings. The bushings can then last indefinitely...a very long time usually. They can be replaced with a piece of ball point pen casing.

Delivery pipe or outlet pipe goes to the

end use area above the

pump.

hose valve Outlet tee

Drive pipe goes here


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STARTING THE RAM When the drive and delivery pipes are laid and the drive pipe is connected to the cistern / barrel through a screened intake, then the ram can be hooked up and started. Unfortunately there isn’t any way to test the ram without all the pipes and the complete setup, really. The delivery pipe has to be in place to provide the needed back pressure. The drive pipe has to be laid out with minimal bends, cistern barrel has to be full. To know if a ram will work in a given situation is easy. Water running downhill. How much water you can pump is something else, not so easy. There are formulas to calculate these amounts, but they are not very accurate. First the air must be flushed out of the drive pipe and filled with water. This is easily done by holding the clack valve open by pushing down on the coupling nut, and allowing water to flow freely until no more air is seen in the outflow. When you release the valve, it will close suddenly and remain shut. Push it open and hold, then release again. Continue this. Each time the clack valve slams shut, some water is forced into the pressure tank. Inside the pressure tank is the sealed air volume, a 12” scooter inner tube. This absorbs and cushions the pulse of water and then expands and forces some water into the delivery pipe. Eventually this will pressurize the tank enough to give the required back pressure for the ram to run You may feel the clack valve get easier to push down after a few strokes. Soon it will open on it’s own, but keep helping it along at its own rhythm. Eventually the clack valve will open and shut of it’s own. Water will gush from the top, and stop, and go again, a stroke taking about a second or two. . When the pump begins to run by itself, pressure will build in the pressure tank. If you have an outlet or delivery valve, either gate or hose, then it can be opened slightly and water allowed to bleed into the delivery pipe. If you have decided not to have a valve here, then you will likely have to push open the clack valve for some longer time to fill the delivery pipe enough for this back pressure, Having a valve here allows one to seal off the pressure tank in order to fill it up without filling the delivery pipe. A valve & union on the outlet makes maintenance or removal of the pump much easier, as the delivery pipe won’t drain. Pumping up the tire tube (about every 6 months) is one of the chores greatly simplified by having this combination of valve & union. A brass hose valve with some adapters is by far the easiest and cheapest way if the lift is under 100 feet. A smaller diameter 1/2” delivery pipe works best, as it fills up faster and is of course cheaper and easier to handle. The use of a larger diameter pipe here gains little or any in efficiency, as the volume and velocity of the delivery water is small. The water delivery is continuous, 24 hours a day, so it can fill up even the largest storage tank. And with the storage tank, bigger is better. When the water begins to come out the end of the delivery pipe, then one needs to keep an eye on the water level in the collection barrel. If the pump is using more water than is being supplied and the water level drops, then some weight must be removed from the clack valve coupling nut. If you have no clack weights, and no more supply water is available, then the clack stroke must be lessened as a last resort. This by taking apart the clack valve and adding a spacer (a washer of some kind) under the faucet washer. The valve doesn’t drop as far down, so the stroke is lessened. This is rarely necessary except in very low water conditions. Far better to seek some more source water. Over time the pump may begin to deliver less and less. Not to worry! This is almost always due to loss of air in the tire tube. The remedy is a simple matter of removing the pressure tank (close the delivery valve first) and pumping up the tube. Hopefully the tube was installed with the valve pointing out the 2” opening for this job.


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Air Intrusion A common problem is air getting into the drive pipe. It happens when the water level in the collec-tion barrel or source intake falls to the level of the drive pipe intake and air gets in. This is usually indicated by a rapid chatter of the clack valve and then the clack valve freezes shut. When trying to restart the ram after this type of event, the clack valve will be more difficult to press open. When the collection barrel is full, press and hold open the clack valve. You will recognize air in the flow of water easily enough. When the air is flushed out, let the clack valve close and await the re-filling of the barrel, which can be used up in this step. Then start up the ram. If your water source varies seasonally, keep an eye on the water level in the barrel during times of less water flow. If the level drops, that means the ram is using more water than is available. Adjust the ram accord-ingly by removing some clack weights. This will lower the output somewhat. It is far better to lower the output of the ram than to allow the ram to stop and have to be restarted.

Blockage All intakes to the pump and the collection barrel must be screened for debris and the active intru-sion of crayfish and water snakes. This has happened! If there is a mishap the clack valve will most probably be stuck open. The clack valve is easily removed for cleaning.

Knocking Indicates a ‘water logged’ condition inside the pressure tank. This happens occasionally when the inner tube goes flat, and it usually need only be pumped up again. Close the delivery pipe valve and remove the pressure tank. There may be a puncture in the tube, so see if the tube stays in-flated before reassembly. Pump up the tube until firm.

Winter Freezing Winter freezing can be a big problem in some areas. If the pump stays running and is sheltered and insulated, the risk is minimized. Just a simple box lined with insulation can make a big differ-ence. In severe prolonged cold, the unit may have to be stopped and drained. It is far better to Drain than to have to Thaw later. Generally the pressure tank will freeze and crack first. If you suspect the pump has been frozen, which is usually obvious, all the components are accessible for repair or replacement.

Water Source Spring heads are one of the best sources of water for home use. Creeks, streams, all work well. Even over or through a pond dam. If the water is flowing, probably an Atlas can pump some of that water somewhere. 4 or 5 gallons a minute flow rate is about the minimum amount required to run the 1” Atlas where you can expect to have a useful amount of water at the end of the system. 10 gallons per minute is the minimum flow rate to supply the 2” Atlas.

Source Supply Pipes

Small spring heads sometimes form in groups that, combined, can run a small ram. A source sup-ply pipe of 1/2” plastic can connect each little spring head to the cistern barrel. Each supply pipe intake must have a sturdy screen to keep out debris and varmints. Combine all the pipes into one and then run the one pipe to the bottom of the barrel. This will fill the barrel to the level of the source water and you get all that fall without the friction.

OPERATION OVERVIEW


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OPERATION OVERVIEW 2

The Cistern Barrel The cistern is merely a barrel or drum placed at the intake of the drive pipe, as close to the opti-mum drive pipe length as practical. Usually this is around 80 to 100 feet. A plastic 55 gallon drum seems the best choice for this. The ram feeds from the bottom of the drum through a stout screen an inch or so above the bottom. The drum is fed from the supply pipes and is kept filled to the same level as the water source. This drum is helpful in other ways. Several small water sources can be combined to fill the drum. It serves as a settling tank for fine sand and silt, which collects at the bottom. Watching the water level in the drum can indicate problems with the flow rate.

The Drive Pipe The drive pipe actually drives the pump. It is the moving weight of the drive pipe full of water that is utilized by the ram pump. The start and stop action of the clack valve is how this is done. The water in the drive pipe is like a battering ram. The faster it goes, the more power it will have to ‘ram’ some of itself through the internal check valve into the pressure tank. The periodic stopping of this column of water by the clack valve causes a momentary pulse of high pressure much greater than the mere weight of that column of water. The ideal length for the drive pipe can be found using the formula Length of drive pipe in inches divided by the Diameter of the drive pipe in inches gives a number between 500 & 1000. If this pipe is too long it slows the period between pulses and slows the water up with friction. Too short a drive pipe gives a too fast period and the water can’t build up to it’s maximum speed. The drive pipe should be the same diameter as the clack valve or one size larger. Attaching and detaching the drive pipe to the pump is much easier if there is a gate valve on the pipe as well as a galvanized union.

The Fall The vertical distance the water falls from the source to the ram pump is the Fall. It may be the most important factor in the ram pump system. The greater the fall, the more speed and power the drive pipe water will achieve. The Atlas needs a minimum of 5 feet of fall. Any less and friction takes just about all the useful energy. Over 30 feet of fall may be damaging to the unit without any large gain in delivery. The amount of fall can be increased by moving the pump, drive pipe and cistern farther down-stream from the water source, keeping the drive pipe length the same. Add some length to the source supply pipes. The drum may need to be raised on blocks if the water overflows the top. So if the drum is then 5 feet lower than the source, the water will rise and fill the drum to 5 feet. This adds 5 feet to the fall from the drum to the ram.

The Ram Pump The ram pump utilizes some simple laws of physics to pump water. The water in the drive pipe is like a battering ram. Moving, it has more kinetic energy than the simple weight of the water. The weight of this water at rest exerts a force or pressure that is basically the weight of it. But if that water is moving - flowing through the pipe, downhill, and is stopped suddenly - the pressure there where it is stopped is many times greater than the pressure (or weight) of the water at rest. Just for a moment, a second. This event is known as water hammer in the plumbing trade. The high surge of pressure forces some, a small amount, of water through the one way internal check valve into the pressure tank against the pressure within the tank. The water, once in, is trapped by the one way action of the check valve, which closes. The only way out is the delivery pipe. Each pulse of water pushes a little more water into the tank, and on out the outlet to the delivery pipe and on up to the end use area. Over and over, never stopping. The ram pump initiates the water hammer with the clack valve. In the Atlas Ram the clack valve is a common brass check valve altered slightly to operate this way. Water rushes through the clack valve from the drive pipe and forces the clack valve closed. When the water stops moving, gravity and a little suction reopen the clack valve and the cycle repeats.


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OPERATION OVERVIEW 3

The Delivery Pipe The actual amount of water pumped or delivered to the end use area (usually a plastic water stor-age tank) Is determined by several factors, the major being Fall and Lift. Lift is the vertical distance from the pump site to the storage tank. The horizontal distance counts little, only as a foot of lift for every 100 feet of pipe run. At 2.3 psi for every foot of lift, 100 psi at the pump should give a theoretical lift of 230 feet. Of course that means no delivery, the water would only just get there. The Simmons USA made brass valves have a rating of 400 psi. The galvanized parts may be more than that. So you can see the pressure tank is the weak point here. The Atlas was designed for under around 100 feet of lift to give a useful delivery amount with under 10 feet of fall. Developed in the Smoky Mountains, low fall, lift, and source amounts are what is most commonly found there. The formula for calculating the delivered amount in a given situation gives at best a close approximation. That is the nature of the Ram Pump...one can easily tell whether a ram will work or not in a given situation. You can not be sure exactly how much water will be pumped. So we have a generic formula for all ram pumps. The Atlas does seem to get better results then the formula gives, especially with low fall conditions. Below is a chart with the delivery amounts for some lift and fall combinations. It is not very accu-rate but it allows one to get a ballpark idea of what to expect. It is calculated for a 1” Atlas Ram with 4 to 5 gallons per minute of source water and 100 feet of 1” drive pipe. A 2” Atlas with 80 feet of 2” drive pipe will push about twice as much water in the same situation as a 1” ram, with over 10 GPM source volume. About being the key word here. So many things affect the output of the ram. Besides the fall and lift, there are bends and joints in the pipes, too little air in the air volume, restrictions of any kind, horizontal lengths. Probably a few more.

FALL GALLONS PER HOUR

LIFT 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 5 30 20 15 12 10 8.5 8 6.5 X 6 41 27 20.5 16 14 11.5 10 9 8.5 7 X 7 53 35 26.5 21 17.5 15 13 11.5 11 9.5 9 8 6.5 8 66 44 33 26.5 22 18.5 17 14.5 13 12 11 9.5 8.5 9 81 54 41 32.5 27 23.5 20.5 18 16 15 14 11.5 10 10 120 65 48.5 39 32.5 27.5 24.5 21.5 20 18 16 14 12

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