Any way to convert my well to manual pump?

700renegade, I’m with you I want a stone axe simple method of getting water out of that hole.  If I'm using this method I don't need lots o water just high quality water.  If you don't like the cost of the commercial units you can make one out of PVC.

If your casing is 4" use a 3" piece of PVC 2' or 3' long.  Drill a small hole in a cap and install a threaded screw eye in the hole to attach a cable or rope to.  You could also just pass a rope through the hole and tie a knot in the rope.  Just remember if the rope breaks your bucket will end up in the bottom of your well.  Glue the cap on and drill another bigger hole either in the side or the top to pour water out of you bucket.

The other end needs a valve that will open when you drop the bucket into the water and close when you pull it out.  I would use a kids soft plastic ball that floats smaller in diameter than the bucket.  Get a stub of PVC with an inner diameter that will allow the ball to move in it but be close to the same as the ball diameter.  Don't make the stub too long or the valve won't close when you pull it up.  Drill some holes in the stub that will allow water to enter the bucket.  Drill two holes in the top of the stub and insert a wire.  This will keep the ball from floating out of the top of the valve.  Obviously brass or stainless wire would be better here but if this is a temporary solution then good ol hanger wire will work.  Finally glue another adapter into the bottom of the valve.  This will act as the seat.

Use an adapter fitting on the bottom of the bucket to glue the homemade valve in the bucket.  The valve will stick up into the bucket not down.  You will probably have to modify the adapter to get the stub to stick up into the bucket. 

700renegade, you know if that check valve opens easily enough you may be able to put it on the bottom of some 1" PVC and pump water up the pipe by sharply shoving the 1" pipe down, thereby opening the check valve and forcing water out the top.  You would, of course, have to put a tee at the top of the 1" to direct the water to somewhere but that would also prevent the pipe from falling down into your casing.  I may try this if push comes to shove.  If you try this let me know, would ya? 

I love the store bought check valve idea; I'll have enough to do if I'm dragging water out of a well by hand.

Steve

700renegade wrote: Steve ( aka wierd-one)   I was onto this same thought before I read your post.  In the sake of KISS engineering, I am going to just use a $6 sump pump check valve as the bottom valve.  They easily pass water, and will close plenty tight once a guy starts to hoist the contraption up the casing.  Simple....   I think a cap on the top of the 3" pvc will be a must - otherwise all those years worth of rust and barnicles clinging to the sides of my casing will end up inside the bailer.   Now the D.I.Y. in me is thinking I could use the sump pump check and a column of pvc or poly pipe ( 1" ?) and somehow rig it to operate just like an old hand pump with out spending $300 on something that will probably never get used.  Hmmmmm