How to Build a Hydraulic Ram Pump

Have no electricity? Need water from a lower point to a higher point? And you just happen to have all of this PVC and varies materials laying around...well we have the solution! This is called a Hydraulic Ram Pump. A Hydraulic Ram Pump transports water from a lower point to a higher point without using electricity, just air pressure and gravity.

Above it depicts how the pump works the blue represents the water, the red represents the pressure spike, and the green represents the the lower pressure spike.

• 1 1/4" tee (buy two of these)
• 1 1/4" ball valve
• 1 1/4" union
• 1 1/4" brass swing check valve
• 1 1/4" spring check valve
• 3/4" tee
• 3/4" valve
• 3/4" union
• 1 1/4" x 3/4" bushing
• 1/4" pipe cock
• 100 psi gauge
• 3/4" x 6" PVC
• 1 1/4" x 2" bushing
• 4" coupling reducer
• 4" x 24" PVC pipe
• 4" PVC glue cap
• 4 foot section of 1 1/4" PVC pipe
• Bicycle Inner tube
• 1 1/4 pipe to thread fitting
• 3/4" to 1/4" bushing
• PVC primer and cement

• Charlotte Pipe 3/4" PVC Adapter Fitting

Tools you will need

• Sharpie/Marker
• Ruler
• Hack saw/ Band saw

Costs

• 1 1/4" valve approx. $5 (x2)
• 1 1/4" tee approx. $1
• 1 1/4" union approx. $5
• 1 1/4" brass swing check valve approx. $9
• 1 1/4" spring check valve approx. $9
• 3/4" tee approx. $5
• 3/4" valve approx. $8
• 3/4" union approx. $4
• 1 1/4" x 3/4" bushing approx. $1
• 1/4" pipe cock approx. $10
• 100 psi gauge approx. $20
• 3/4" x 6" PVC approx. $3
• 4" x 1 1/4" bushing approx. $2
• 4" coupling reducer approx. $3
• 4" x 24" PVC pipe approx. $4
• 4" PVC glue cap approx. $7
• 4 foot section of 1 1/4" PVC pipe approx. $8
• Bicycle Inner tube approx. $7
• PVC primer and cement set approx. $6
• 1 1/4" pipe to thread bushing approx. $6
• 3/4" to 1/4" bushing approx. $9

• Charlotte Pipe 3/4" PVC Adapter Fitting approx. $1

Approximated total for all materials is $138

1. Cut 5, 3" pieces of the 1 1/4" PVC and 1, 6" piece of 1 1/4" PVC. You can do this with a hack saw or a band saw.
2. Cut 4, 3" pieces of the 3/4" PVC, you can also use a hack saw or a band saw.
3. Take the Teflon tape and carefully rap it around the threaded pieces.
   1. 1 1/4" pipe to threaded fitting.
   2. 3/4" to 1/4" threaded bushing.
   3. PSI gauge.

Approximated Time

This will take you approximately less than a week to put together and test. It takes about three days to put together; about an hour or two each day. Testing it will take about two hours to find the right environment and getting set up. In all it should be done within four days.

1. Take the 1 1/4" union and a 1 1/4" x 3" PVC. Take out the PVC primer and carefully apply it the outer edge of the PVC pipe then put the cement on over it and put cement on the inside of one of the sides of the union. Insert the PVC into the union and twist.
2. Put primer and cement on the other end of the PVC pipe and cement on the inside of one of the sides of the 1 1/4" ball valve. Put the ball valve onto the PVC and twist.
3. Take another 1 1/4" PVC and prime and cement the outside edge. Then cement the inside of the other end of the ball valve. Put the pieces together and twist.
4. Prime and cement the other end of the PVC and put cement on the inside of one of the side openings in the 1 1/4" tee. Connect then twist.
5. Take out another 1 1/4" x 3" PVC and prime and cement one side of it. Then cement the inside of the top opening of the tee. Connect and twist.
6. Prime and cement the other end of the PVC and cement the inside of the non-threaded side of the 1 1/4" pipe to thread fitting. Put together and twist.
7. Take out the brass swing check valve and attach it to the threaded side of the 1 1/4" pipe to thread fitting, making sure to make the arrow point down (if needed use a wrench to tighten.)
8. Take another 1 1/4" x 3" PVC and prime and cement one end. Then cement the inside of the last tee opening. Connect and twist.

1. Take out the 3/4" union and a 3/4" x 3" PVC pipe. Apply primer and cement to one end of the PVC and cement to the inside of one of the openings in the union. Connect and twist.
2. Apply primer and cement to the other end of the PVC. Then cement the inside of one of the openings of the 3/4" ball valve. Connect and twist.
3. Take out another 3/4" x 3" PVC, and prime and cement one end. Then cement the other opening to the ball valve. Connect and twist.
4. Prime and cement the other end of the PVC and cement the inside of one of the side openings of the 3/4" tee. Connect and twist (again.)
5. Take out another 3/4" x 3" PVC and prime and cement the edge of it. Then cement the inside of the top opening of the tee. Connect and twist.
6. Prime and cement the other end of the PVC pipe, then cement the inside of the Charlotte Pipe 3/4" adapter fitting on the non-threaded side. You know what to do...
7. Take out the 3/4" to 1/4" threaded bushing and twist it into the Charlotte pipe. Then attach the pipe cock which has the PSI gauge already attached to it.
8. Now take out another 3/4" x 1 1/4" PVC pipe and prime and cement one end. Then cement the inside of the last opening of the tee. Connect and twist.
9. Prime and cement the other end of the PVC and cement the inside of the 1 1/4" x 3/4" bushing (cement the inside that is 3/4") Connect and twist.
10. Prime and cement the outside of the other end of the 1 1/4" x 3/4" bushing. Then cement the inside of the other 1 1/4" tee.
11. Take the 1 1/4" x 6" PVC and prime and cement the one end of the PVC. Then cement the top opening of the tee. Connect and twist.
12. Take out the last 1 1/4" x 3" PVC and prime and cement one end, then cement the inside of the last opening of the tee. Connect and twist.

1. Take the side with the PSI gauge and exposed 1 1/4" x 3" PVC and prime and cement the other end of the PVC. Then cement the inside of the spring check valve on the side that has the arrow pointing left or to the 3/4" union. Connect and twist.
2. Do the same to the other exposed PVC piece with swing check valve. Connect and twist.

1. Prime and cement one side of the 4" x 24" PVC air chamber and cement the inside of the 4" PVC glue cap. Then connect it and twist.
2. Next prime and cement the other end of the 4" x 24" PVC air chamber and cement the inside of the 4" coupling reducer. Connect and twist.
3. Next stuff the bicycle inner tube into the opening of the 4" coupling reducer, making sure to leave the valve to the bicycle pump partially out of the coupling reducer opening.
4. Take a bicycle pump and attach it to the bicycle valve and partially blow it up to the point where it is squishy. Then stuff the valve back into the air chamber.

1. Now take the 1 1/4" x 6" PVC that is connected to the tee on the side of the PSI gauge. Prime and cement the 1 1/4" x 6" end and cement the inside of the 1 1/4" x 2" bushing on the side of the 1 1/4" opening. Connect and twist.
2. Then prime and cement the other side of the 1 1/4" x 2" bushing on the outside and cement the inside of the 4" coupling reducer. Connect and twist.
3. Now you have finished connecting all the pieces.

The video above shows the pump in action, follow the directions, the ones listed below are a summary of what to do, but more detailed descriptions are in the video.Take a hose that doesn't use a thread and attach it to the pump on the 3/4" union side using a hose clamp. If possible get the hose diameter to be as close to 3/4" as possible to provide a snug fit.

1. Place pump into a moving stream if one is near by if not, you can use a hose as long as it is big enough to provide a snug fit as well and not leak.
2. Before you start it turn the smaller ball valve off and leave the bigger one all the way open.
3. When water enters the pump it will go up to the swing check valve or the "waste valve" and start to spurt out. If it is working properly it will be coming out at a high level.
4. After a while it the pressure will be enough to push the latch up and block water from coming up anymore. But because there is still air pressure in there you will need to hold it open with a stick until it starts to come out of the waste valve in intervals like a pump.
5. When this happens you will now it is working properly. You can also check on the PSI meter to see how much pressure has built up.
6. Now you can open the smaller ball valve, but just a little.
7. You can now go to your output and see the water that has traveled uphill because of your pump!

If we could make any improvements or changes, we would put threaded unions on the ends to make it easier to attach to a hose/tube. We would also use a swing check valve instead of a spring check valve just for the purposes of seeing if the water would pass through easier.