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How to Make Your Own Water Pump
No. 1 in the Izindaba Zokudla
Make Your Own
Series of DIY Technology Guides.
Developed by Werner C. Jacobsz, 2014.
Angus D. Campbell & Dr. Naudé Malan, 2015
University of Johannesburg
http://www.designsocietydevelopment.org/project/izindaba-zokudla
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
International License.
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To make this pump you will need only a handful of components and materials.
Everything you need can be obtained from a hardware store. You can show this
guide to any plumber and she or he will be able to help you in building a pump like
this. The store assistant or owner will also be able to help you in building one of
these and in selecting the right components. Make sure everything fits before you
walk out of the shop.
You do not need to use exactly the same materials and components as shown here.
Anything that gets the job done will work. For this pump, you will need the following:
Image
Description
Cost
1x 50mm PVC PIPE.
Standard length 2 meters
cut 2 x 1000mm, then cut
each into 1 x 600mm, 1 x
200mm and 2 x 100mm.
R40 (Builders
Warehouse -
BW). R20 for one
pump since you
only use half.
20mm PVC CONDUIT. 1m
offcut (from tunnel)
For 4m Cost
R12.80 (BW)
1x PVC 50mm T-
JUNCTION (also called a
waste junction)
R15 (BW)
2x 50mmx11/2 (40mm
thread) PVC WASTE
ADAPTORS (FEMALE).
These fit the PVC pipe and
have threaded ends so the
NYLON BUSH can screw
in.
R20 x2 = R40
(BW)
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2x EMJAY 40x15mm POLY
REDUCING BUSHES.
These fit the white PVC
WASTE ADAPTORS and
allow nylon NIPPLES to be
screwed in.
R23 x 2 = R46
(BW)
4x EMJAY 15mm BARREL
NIPPLES to connect the
BUSHES to the NON-
RETURN VALVES, and
after that to the
HOSEPIPE.
R6 x 4 = R24
(BW)
2x 15mm NON-RETURN
VALVES (also called ONE-
DIRECTIONAL or UNI-
DIRECTIONAL or SPRING
TYPE CHECK-VALVES).
Cost R63 x 2 =
R126 (BW), they
are also available
at R42.25 for one
from Monarch
Building Supplies,
so shop around
since this is the
most expensive
component.
2X WIRE HOSE CLAMPS
23/25mm for the hosepipe
and NIPPLES.
Cost R24 for 4,
for 2 = R12 (BW)
Instead of wire
hose clamps
binding wire can
be used. Cost for
250g of 2mm wire
R23 (BW)
1X THREADED
GALVANISED STEEL ROD
10mm or 12mm length 1m.
For 12mm R40
(BW)
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4 x 10mm or 12mm
LOCKING NUTS.
R21 for 12mm
pack of 5, for 4 =
R16,80 (BW)
2 x FLAT WASHERS
45mm, 1.5mm thickness
with 10mm or 12mm hole
depending on threaded rod
thickness (make sure these
are 45mm!).
R79 for pack of
30, for 2 = R5.30
(BW)
4 x FLAT WASHERS
10mm or 12mm hole
R15 for pack of
20, for 4 = R3
(BW)
A PIECE OF LEATHER OR
SIMILAR MATERIAL (such
as an old soccer ball). With
a pen trace the 50mm PVC
tube inside diameter and
cut.
Scrap from a car
upholstery shop.
1x PVC WASTE STOPEND
50mm. Drill a 10 or 12mm
hole through the center.
R10 (BW)
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1x TUBE PVC WELD. To
glue all PVC parts together
once tested.
R25 (BW)
HOSEPIPE that fits the
15mm NIPPLES that you
have bought. At least 3m
but buy the right size for
your garden. 20mm POLY
IRRIGATION PIPE fits the
15mm nipples perfectly.
For 25 meters,
R133 (BW)
TOTAL COST (without pipe
or tools):
R395.90
EVERYTHING YOU NEED:
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TOOLS
You do not need a lot of tools to build your own pump, but a few will help. Because it
does not take long to build one, you could make it on someone else’s premises who
already owns these tools, like a workshop or a garage. You need a spanner for the
nuts, a pair of pliers, a hacksaw for the rods and PVC pipe, a knife for the leather
and a file for the thread. A drill with a 12mm drill bit will be useful, but you can make
a hole in the PVC pipe by heating a small rod and pushing through the plastic whilst
still hot. You also need “PVC weld” a glue to attach the PVC pieces together. This
needs to be strong or the pump will burst when you pump hard. First assemble the
pump without using any glue and once you have seen how it all fits together, glue
the T-JUNCTION and ADAPTORS and leave for 24hours for the glue to set.
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BUILDING YOUR PUMP IN 20 STEPS
1. Cut the 2-meter 50mm PVC PIPE into half. Put aside one of the 1-meter pipes
(this can later become another pump) then measure 2 x 100mm and 1 x 200mm
sections on the remaining 1 meter long pipe and cut with your hacksaw.
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2. File the cut ends smooth.
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MAKING THE PISTON
You need to manufacture a piston for the pump. Here the importance of using 45mm
large WASHERS is illustrated. These washers fit a 50mm PVC PIPE almost perfectly
and leave just enough tolerance between the washer and the PVC PIPE for the
leather piston to work in pulling and pushing water through the valves.
3. Take the 200mm piece of 50mm PVC pipe, this will become the handle (shown on
the left in the picture above). Drill a 12mm hole through the centre of it for the
threaded rod to connect to.
4. Now take the threaded rod, measure 300mm from the one end (to cut the rod
down from 1 meter to 700mm) and then cut the rod and file the end so it is not sharp.
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5. Now take a pair of pliers to hold the threaded rod and then thread the 12mm
LOCKNUT and a 12mm WASHER onto the rod.
6. Then add the 200mm handle, one more 12mm WASHER and a final 12mm
LOCKNUT and tighten.
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7. Now take your piece of leather or old soccer ball. Use the WASTE ADAPTER as a
guide and trace the inside with a pen onto the soccer ball or piece of leather.
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8. Cut out the leather using scissors of tin snips. Once cutout, fold in half and cut a
12mm hole in the center of the leather.
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9. Now take the 50mm PVC WASTE STOPEND and drill a 12mm hole through it.
Then using the left over threaded bar file the hole until it is just big enough to fit the
piece of 25mm PVC CONDUIT through.
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10. Now put the 25mm PVC CONDUIT over the threaded rod and into the PVC
WASTE STOPEND and place next to the main upright pipe. Cut the PVC conduit to
a point where if the handle is completely depressed that point will not extend below
the length of the upright pipe. If it does when you push the handle all the way down
the piston can get stuck in the 10mm T-JUNCTION and once glued you will never be
able to get it out again!
11. Now add a 12mm LOCKNUT, the 12mm WASHER, then the 45mm WASHER,
and the leather seal you have just made over the protruding rod end.
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12. Now add another 45mm WASHER, a 12mm WASHER and the final 12mm
LOCKNUT and tighten the entire piston end.
13. Trim away any excess leather protruding too far beyond the washer. Do not trim
too closely, there should be about 2mm of leather sticking out beyond the washer –
this is forms a watertight seal. We also suggest you use Vaseline to waterproof and
lubricate the leather so that is moves easier inside the pipe.
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14. Now insert the piston into the long upright pipe by pushing it at an angle.
15. Drill a small hole into the PVC PIPE STOPEND and screw in a small screw to
make sure the guide does not come loose when you pump.
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ASSEMBLING THE PUMP & VALVES
16. Take the T-JUNCTION and place it over the other end of the upright 50mm PVC
PIPE. Onto this add the two 100mm pieces of 50mm PVC PIPE; then onto each end
the 50mmx11/2 (40mm thread) PVC WASTE ADAPTORS (FEMALE); then onto
each of these the EMJAY 40x15mm POLY REDUCING BUSHES; then the EMJAY
15mm BARREL NIPPLES; and finally the two 15mm NON-RETURN VALVES. Make
sure the arrows on the T-JUNCTION and both VALVES point in the same direction…
this is the direction the water will flow from the source to where you want it to go.
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17. Once you are happy that they all are assembled in the right way glue the 50mm
PVC PIPES to both the T-JUNCTION and the 50mmx11/2 (40mm thread) PVC
WASTE ADAPTORS (FEMALE). It is not necessary to glue the REDUCING
BUSHES or NIPPLES or VALVE since these are threaded and can easily be
tightened into place.
18. Place glue on the inside of the connections and once assembled also on the
outside to make these glue connections very strong since they will be under
significant pressure and tension when using the pump.
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19. Now add the final set of 15mm NIPPLES to the ends of the VALVES and use to
HOSECLAMPS to attach your hole to the end of the pump and test your new DIY
pump once the glue has dried in 24 hours!
20. The final assembled pump.
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