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I feel like you and the "clear plastic pipe" guy are good friends at this point.

in electronics its called boost converter

When I was in Boy Scouts, our local scout camp was established back in 1946. The original water system to the mess hall was supplied from a spring via a ram pump to a water tower some 150 feet away. They later replaced it with a well pump when their water needs had outgrown the relative small amount of output, but they never took the ram pump away. Well, The joke of the day was to ask the new campers "Had they seen the Ram?". Thinking they were going to see real live goats, a pack of scouts would follow you on a long goose chase culminating in the let down of seeing a rusty old water pump by a spring and then getting a lesson in hydraulics and water hammer. Boy, those were the days!

My grandfather used to talk about the ram pump that sent water up to the big house back in the 1800’s. It had a lift of about 100 feet and at night you could hear it clicking. Amazing the “off the grid” people have not made this technology more popular.

It's things like this that convince me that engineering is black magic. If you came to me, and asked me build a system that pumped water 10 feet into the air, without electricity or fuel, I would have told you to bugger off. It's not possible.

Engineering: The act of transforming a problem into an opportunity.

One of my favourite real life anecdotes. Back in the early 90s I worked on a computer system for a factory that was being built in Armenia. We had a document summarising how the factory was going to work. In places, the document referred to ‘water goats’ and it made no sense whatsoever. Turned out the document had started out in English, being translated in Russian some years back and then been translated back into English so we could read it. The multiple translations had turned ‘hydraulic rams’ into ‘water goats’.

I am a recent graduate in Mechanical engineering and a ram pump was my senior project. Your original video on the topic of water hammer was a resource I used to understand the theory of these pumps, so thank you. I love your explanation in this video and hope other students can use the knowledge you provide in their academic endeavors.

That is actually so clever. Never seen this before

Your videos make it into our safety meetings in our engineering and inspection department on a pretty regular basis. You're a natural teacher your demonstrations are effective. Thanks for all you do.

“We live at the bottom of an ocean of air”. Wow. Engineering poetry!

When I was in high school in the 80s, we moved to a remote piece of land with a small creek at the bottom of the property. When we first moved there, we were living in a trailer about 80 feet uphill. We built a ram pump to fill a 150-gallon tank we got from a friend. Our ram pump used a Rainbird sprinkler as the waste valve (so it was noisy as hell) and we didn't think to add an air chamber to buffer the vibration; it had a tendency to rattle itself to bits over time. I had to repair it, or the uphill pipe, every couple of months. Eventually we got a more reliable, higher-volume water source going - but I still remember it fondly, because it saved me from carrying 5-gallon buckets of water up the hill every day!

I passed the PE Exam ! Cheers Grady.

Water, Steam and Vacuum hammering is a fascinating "problem" but each have some unique uses as well. Hydraulic ram pumps are one of them, industrial steam hammers are another. A problem is just an solution in disguise for another challenge (or so my professor in university once told me).

Your water-related civil engineering videos are genuinely one of my favorite types of videos ever!

3:53 oh, that's how those work! Thank you! Every time I see one on an aircraft, I think 'I need to look up how that works' but I always forget. That was not only a pleasant surprise but it was a clear illustration of its function! Much appreciated!

My family moved to an isolated farm in NW Arkansas in 1962. There was no electricity but we had a strong spring in a valley next to the house we were building. Included with the property was a ram pump (very old because it was made of caste iron!). The first winter we lived in a small travel trailer which was parked beside a tall pine tree. Dad hung an old water heater tank in the tree. The hydraulic ram was used to fill the tank so we had water into the trailer. I was small then but I vividly remember that old pump. Many years (like 50) I went to an exhibition of old tractors and farm equipment. As I toured the exhibit I noticed an old ram pump sitting on the floor. I asked the guide what it was and she said, "I have no idea." It was my turn to be her guide. This video taught me exactly it works. I understood intuitively and now I understand the science/engineering behind it. Wonderful! I'm subscribed now... I want to learn more and more.

Maybe, another point that could be further clarified is the by converting kinetic energy into potential energy, the water could be stored at a higher elevation for future use. I do enjoy your videos.

Thanks for this video. Back in the UK where I grew up, our farm was fed water from a spring. During our time, water was pumped with an electric pump to header tanks in the house and watering troughs for animals around the farm but I always remembered that on a lower part of the farm, near a stream formed by the water flowing from the spring, there was a small concrete platform with a mechanical device and two tall circular tanks (roughly 2m tall and 90cm wide). None of this was in use but my dad told me it was an old sort of pump. He called it a "hydram" and Googling that term brings up images of something that looks kind of familiar, particularly the big bulb on top which I guess was an air chamber to reduce the hammering in the delivery pipe. I have no idea where on the farm the was being delivered to but I'd guess that like the modern system, it would have at least fed water to the house. But what I am curious to know is what those two large tanks were for. What I can say is that they were really robust. My parents moved to the farm in the early 1970s and those tanks and the pump were already long since not in use. At some point the pump was removed (my guess is that my father wanted to try and get it working again but found it was too corroded and sold it for scrap) but the two tanks are there to this day and there is no evidence that they have corroded through.

"We first need to build a little bit of foundational knowledge in the behavior of fluids" - Perfect timing, I literally just sat the exam for my fluids 3 class

The function of the air dome is to provide somewhere for the sudden rush of water to go when the waste valve shuts, without having to accelerate the water in the "lift" pipe, ie the pipe going up to the tank. When the air dome is big enough the output has a steady flow, with little pulsing. One of the rampumps that I made used a 2" by 70 foot alkathene drive pipe with about a 2 foot fall. The home made waste valve was bolted on to a 12 gallon drum, which functioned as a dome. (They can handle quite a high pressure!) The gasket was made to also function as the output valve. It cycled away very lazily, with the waste valve staying shut for about 1/2 second every cycle, while the drive pipe water flowed into the drum. The water flowed steadily from the 3/4" lift pipe about 20 feet above. Until a big flood came and took it all away! Which is one of the problems to be thought about when installing a rampump! They are lots of fun and very satisfying to make and play with.

I am working with a lot plastic pipes and hydraulic gradients recently for my master thesis. While it can be annoying, it is also a lot of fun and I was wondering how you could turn constructing these systems into a hobby....Glad to find out that there is indeed a lot of fun stuff to do!

this mostly used to collect water from rivers where waste water just goes back into river

me: *has a final exam in 6 hours and needs to be concentrated* also me: oh, Practical Engineering released a video 30 seconds ago, let's watch it! Edit: I passed my exam!! The subject is called “Test and study of materials” and I want to thank Grady for the videos about concrete!! And thank y’all for the good luck wishes!!

That was another interesting video, Grady. Thanks for explaining your topics in a plain and simple enough way that even I can understand them. Your homemade props are always helpful, too. Well done.

Thats genius. Theres a lot of inventions ive seen where i thought "yeah, i could have invented this". But i dont think i would have ever figured out the ram pump on my own. I also love the spiral type pumps. They use a coiled pipe in flowing water. The flow of the water rotates the coiled pipe and allows the water to move from the outer windongs to the center, which is where the output is. Beautiful and genius.

Thank you for the shout out! Great video. By using a ridged drive pipe your setup could pump twice the water. ... but the increase in pressure might cause those light pvc valves to stay closed. Brass or steel valves work very well. (But dont show what's going on of course)

Before I even watch this, I would like to thank you, Sir. I have been wondering as to how this machine works. Respect.

Just watched the trompe video, also an awesome use of the physics around us. I knew about water hammer, I do construction and known to be careful turning on valves or faucets in either old houses or a system that hasn't been used in awhile. But I didn't know how this worked, had just heard the name before. Very neat, and a highly useful concept/system. I love these videos so much, the knowledge gained is not only entertaining and fascinating, but useful and practical.

It is ingenious and has found good use for upstream eel passage at hydro projects in the northeast. Since many eel passes are located at sections of the dam where it would be difficult to power conventionally, the use of a ram pump has alleviated that situation and allowed operation of the eel passage with little oversight.

"We live at the bottom of an ocean of air." Think of that the next time you're thinking you don't have what it takes to be a sailor. You're a natural.

I failed in my engineering subject but I love hearing this vid untill the end...I'm just a gardener wanting to lift water from a stream beside may garden which is lower then my planting area..I think ram pump will do this for me..

We had one of these on a farm with no power, but we needed water. Lucky us, we had a spring on the farm with lots of fall so easy. The cattle always had water, so did we, the creek still had flow so no issue down stream. Great to understand how it worked! Many thanks

Wonderfully clarifying. I was so mystified by this device on a museum and all detailed explanations that did not get to the heart of the matter. Also, the crisp style and fine demonstrations are commendable. Thanks!

These things fascinate me! There's a ram pump at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales, UK, that has been running continuously for 15+ years to aerate their pond by discharging a jet of water 2+ metres above the ground at quite a high velocity. Quite a sight even on a small scale!

How does a hydraulic ram pump work? I really don’t need to know but these videos are so great

You just blew my mine. Love all your videos. Such an amazing time we live in. God bless the internet.

I study Mechanical engineering. Although you are a Civil engineer and you make videos on civil engineer's field you explain it very simply that even a lay person can comprehend most of it. That with an addition of a simple subject makes these kind of videos boring but you take up on some more complicated subjects which makes it perfect. Keep up!

It's really easy to believe that the engineering disciplines you're not into yourself are simple and boring. Thank you for opening my eyes :)

This is absolutely fascinating. When I was a child I lived on a farm in the UK near a large country estate that used to have a grand house and a large artificial lake fed by a small stream. My father always used to talk about 'The Ram'. I now know what that was although it was just a broken rusty set of pipes hidden near the edge of the lake in a forest and never worked when I was alive. It was basically a ram pump that supplied water from the lake to the large country house and associated farm. It was working during the 1800s along with a water powered grain mill.

Always love your intros with the perfect timing of the intro song (which I love). Great video as usual.

Thank you for your help in explaining fluid dynamics engineering and bring this kind of content because I want to fix water issues in 2nd and 3rd world countries.

the idea behind this pump also applies to dc to dc boost converters. There you have a transistor and a diode working as the valves and an inductor ,that wants to continue current flow, as the inertia of water

Though rampumps are extremely inefficient, they are inefficient in the best way possible. If water is taken from a spring or creek, the pump can just be place a bit down the stream, redirecting a bit of energy, to do some work, from a system that otherwise would do no work at all. The water used ends up the same place. No pollution. No impact. However, it is probably not suitable for large scale water pumping outside some niche activities. My god, there is a lot of waste water. :) Also, I find ram pumps to be very acoustically pleasing to listen to! “Water flow sound, click, pause, click, water flow sound, click, pause, click.....” could sit next to one for hours, do some meditation and reflection over practical engineering, applied science and how the world works.

I've said it before and ill say it again. I wish I had teachers like you during my youth years im sure I would have chosen a different career path. Thanks for the great content

Grady thank you for these videos they really are educational and interesting. Because of your channel I learned about water hammer and fixed slamming water pipes in my house walls thanks to you!

Another excellent video! I'm a mechanical and metallurgical engineer. Normally I find civil engineering mind-numbing but you make it straightforward and fascinating. Thank you and keep it up.

Love the series, physics was always my favorite subject in school and this takes me back.

Your explaination is so good it even sounds easy in my ears💪🏻

I'm so happy you created this video. I was going to suggest you do one on it a couple of weeks ago when I learned about these pumps. Cool!

Hydraulic Ram ❌ Water Sheep ✅

In electrical engineering, we call this a boost converter.

I learn an incredible amount from this channel... complex technical information explained in a very simple way... thank you!

Your high refresh rate on the little arrow at @4:00 makes me happy

"Hydraulic Ram has the same meaning with Water Sheep" - Tom Scott

As an Aussie, I see all that freely escaping water and have a moment of horror! I get it though, it's a clever system.

I am grateful for your sharing of knowledge. We have sat down more than once to watch your videos with our young son. Thank you!

I really love these simple machines that are used to exploit simple energy properties to accomplish tasks.

Great video, one aspect of the ram pump I would have liked to see would be where are it’s limitations like based off the incoming velocity how much can the fluid be elevated, one other thing is what is the percentage of wasted fluid

This is a boost converter but for water. The hose that goes from the water source to the pump forms the "inductor" but the fact that this oscillates on it's own is mindblowing!

Witchcraft!!! As a physics/math teacher, I love knowing we would be wizards in bygone eras.

This is actually the Best video I’ve seen so far describing the Ram Pump, and how it works! Thank you So Much for posting!

Just finished my penultimate semester for my masters in hydrogeology and environmental science. Just had a groundwater dynamics class and we talked about pretty much everything applicable in this video.

Welp, this helps me solve the problem of water in the event of the apocalypse at least. I have a water source 50m lower than my shelter, but haven't been able to provide enough power to comfortably power a pump for to move it. I haven't done enough research, obviously. Thanks for this.

Thanks for these videos. I am a plumber in Australia and, although not an engineer, hydraulics are fundamental to my job and your videos are very informative. I have a question about domestic plumbing. I have noticed a phenomenon at my home with the bathroom taps which have jumper valves, ie taps with standard washers, not ceramic disc cartridges or mixer taps. Occasionally, with all taps shut in the bathroom and no water flowing or drips of any kind, I will open the cold tap at the basin and the shower head starts to drip through the hot tap. It only happens when the shower hot tap has not been shut firmly but enough to not drip. I cannot understand why water would be released through the hot tap after opening a cold tap. The only effect I can see is that the static pressure would drop slightly in the cold system when the cold tap is opened but how does this affect the hot water pressure and cause a drip to start? The hot water is heated by a gas storage heater, with a non-return valve fitted on the inlet to the heater. It puzzles me and as a plumber I am interested in any thoughts or ideas. Regards, Paul Jakubik Melbourne Australia.

Thanks for the video. I have had a ram pump installed at my house for over 20 years. It works great with very little maintenance. I need a minimum of 3 gal/ minute flowing into my drive pipe. On low flow situations I ha a 1400 gallon tank on the bank up stream of my pump. I can usually fill it over night and pump about 1/2 the tank up the hill.

Grady this is brilliant. I’m going to build one of these to keep my horse paddock dry. Thanks for the demo.

While I like the updated language of the ad, I am still cautious of them after not keeping customers in the loop... I'm glad they are allowing custom language though.

We live at the bottom of an ocean of air - probably the most poetic thing I‘ve heard all year! Edit: 3:24, before anyone asks.

Lovely to see. Always wondered how they worked. My father installed one in a small creek in the jungles of Malaysia to feed our new home with water. That was 1964. Worked for years.

Thanks for sharing how the “ram pump” works. Great work!

Where can you get those blue check valves, (I can’t find them at the hardware store.)

Oh so if i use this i can pump more ram into my pc ? I need this Chrome uses soo much of my ram and i dont know how to fix Please help

One think worth adding is the dual-circuit ram pump. Essentially using the gravitational energy of one fluid (water) to pump another fluid. So you can use your backyard stream to pump potable water up a hill without the two waters mixing.

Despite all the knocking comments below, I found the explanation very clear and easy to follow - thank you!

in larger scale applications, what happens to the waste water? is there any way to collect or re-use that water to reduce the waste in the system? can it be re-introduced to the inlet of the ramp pump?

When I think of piping liquids, I think of Factorio.

Thanks, much appreciated for helping the many people in need and who lack the knowledge transfer much needed water.

I love how you place random images that relate to the video

Tomorrow I'll have my final in Fluid Dynamics and Thermokinetics and here I am...

I'm a mechanical engineer and this still feels like you're exploiting a game bug.

Excellent video! I teach science and instrumentation to Pipefitters so these videos have been great visual explanations to reinforce the contents of my lectures.

As a carpenter I have used a homemade water level. I was amazed by it the first time. Very informative and well done. I would probably put the waste valve over a catch tank.

It would be cool to make a human heart that never stops beating out of something like this

The names of the valves seemed weird to me -- it feels like the "delivery" valve should be the one which delivers the water to the greater height (which is usually the one you want)

I stumbled across a ram pump while on vacation in New Zealand, at a back woods toilet far from any source of electric power. I made a mental note to search the term on return. To my surprise, Brady was already on the task, with the best video explanation of the topic yet.

You didn't explain that FIRST you must have a head of water higher than the outlet of the waist valve, and the higher that head of water, the more or higher the pump will pump the water. Without that head of water, there will be no water flow.

7:52 that's so amazingly ironic lol

Hydraulics are amazing. The versatility and power available is impressive. Most people just take it for granted.

The place where I grew up had one of these feed from a spring pumping and pumped water up a 10m bank, then ~500m too an underground tank. Was always fascinated by the thing, had a long steel pipe from a small reservoir, feeding it. It ran for years and only needed to have the water bleed air chamber every few months to keep it going.

the only thing i thoud was: damn thats smart

What about to measure the performance of this device? Like how much water is delivered versus total amount of water (delivered + wasted).

Thank you for presenting this in an interesting and easy to understand format.

Hey.. how much water I need to waste to get 1 liter up 1 meter? Is there some equation? Edit: Thanks for useful reply

It's ok guys. I've seen Dr Stone enough times to know where this is going.

I'm here after Dr. Tom Cowan's explanation of the Heart not as a pump, but rather what sounded to me as a ram pump! I suggest to check his work out!

Hands down the best video i have seen on ram pump explanation. thanks for the great video.

I used to run water line in subdivisions, we put in the 8" mains and then the laterals to the meter boxes. I would tap off up to 18" mains on the main feeder to supply the subdivision and talk about a bitch, I worked in the Roswell Ga area for years and those people inspected EVERYTHING. I never failed an inspection even with one inspector that would tape measure every bloody meter box to the inch and my corner kickers better be right. Nice guy but retired FBI dude so he was anal about it. The only real danger we had was doing blow offs before pressure testing and all corners and ties had to be left uncovered during the pressure testing so inspectors could check the corner kickers and ties. One day some of my guys had brought some gear from the shop and in it was a bloody 6" butterfly valve and they hung on our farthest fire hydrant for the blow off to get the air out of the system for the pressure test. I hadn't looked at the valve and one of my new guys got sent to close the valve off. I didn't know who was sent I had a large crew and half were Latino so I would give instructions to my main lead and let him translate instructions on down. So when I figured we had blown off enough (6 hour blow that day) I called for a shut off. Well the new guy slapping a 6" butterfly closed on a 8" pipe was an experience I hope never to see again, 6 blocks of 8" main came out of the ground ripping all our work to pieces all the way back to the 12" where I was standing. It was exiting watching that line coming out of the ground toward me I can assure you. Several hundred thousand dollars gone in couple seconds it happened that fast. I buried that valve UNDER the relayed pipe. Was almost as exciting as the day I took out a 8" gas main thanks to miss marking by the company that did the marking. Same subdivision on Johnson's Ferry in Roswell, another story another time lol.

I would call this a "water ratchet". To me, that name better explains its operation.