Do you Lubricate Pitcher pump and leathers?

[Phil]

I have never used one but from watching old movies they always kept a
pitcher of water nearby to prime the pump. I read in a book about someone
getting yelled at for not refilling the pitcher first.

 

[vaughn]

I am in the process of installing a brand new pitcher pump in my yard. This is
not for drinking water. It will be used to draw washing water and toilet
flushing water from our shallow sprinkler well in case our water utility "drops
the load" following (for example) a hurricane. Secondary use will be to prime
the sprinkler pump..

Should I grease the leathers? (Does grease attack leather?)

Will it hurt anything if I coat the inside of the cylinder with grease to try to
delay pitting?

Thanks
Vaughn

 

[John B. Slocomb]

I am in the process of installing a brand new pitcher pump in my yard. This is
not for drinking water. It will be used to draw washing water and toilet
flushing water from our shallow sprinkler well in case our water utility "drops
the load" following (for example) a hurricane. Secondary use will be to prime
the sprinkler pump..

Should I grease the leathers? (Does grease attack leather?)

Will it hurt anything if I coat the inside of the cylinder with grease to try to
delay pitting?

Thanks
Vaughn

I'm going from memory here but I believe that the sucker washer and
inside of the pump barrel should be greased when installing. Of
course, this all washes off fairly quickly and then the washer dries
out and the pump won't suck any more. I assume you know about "priming
the pump" which essentially gets the sucker washer wet enough to
become flexible so that it will seal.

John B. Slocomb
(johnbslocombatgmaildotcom)

 

[vaughn]

http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Misc/SinkPump1.jpg

Yep, that picture even gets the color right! These days, they probably all
originate from the same factory in China. Mine came from my local Ace Hardware
store. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1278432

Vaughn