Highlifter Gravity-Powered Pump

More than 40 years ago an ingenious inventor designed these wonderful pumps for use on their Northern California property. Since then they have developed a dedicated following. For over a decade on our homestead, we’ve relied on Highlifter Pumps—handcrafted, precision-engineered devices that use only the energy of falling water. Our property has plenty of water but it runs in a mossy cayon deep in the forest where solar isn’t practical. For our place the Highlifter is the perfect system. When searching for repair parts (Highlifters are durable but there are wear parts that are easily replaced with common hand tools.) I learned the most resent in a line of pump makers had decided to retire, I jumped at the chance to learn the specialized machine shop techniques needed to build these remarkable pumps myself. My goal is to keep this small business alive so these great pumps and repair parts remain avaialble and eventually pass these skills on to future apprentices.

How It Works

The High Lifter water pump is an innovation in pumping technology. It is a powerful water pump that uses gravity to move water uphill without gasoline or electricity. The High Lifter harnesses the energy from a head of flowing water, driving a portion of this water uphill. Pistons provide the pumping action and water is the only lubricant. The High Lifter is efficient, economical, quiet, and easy to use. Though it is lightweight (the entire unit weighs less than six pounds), it is capable of extreme lifts even with low inlet flows. This pump is ideally suited for hilly and mountainous terrain. It should be placed at an elevation at least 30 feet lower than the water source, which may be a spring, creek, or pond. The pressure of the "falling" water provides the pumping energy. Designed to be installed and maintained by the user with basic household tools, the High Lifter requires little attention for years of hardworking service.

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS The High Lifter is designed to pump water for drinking and household uses, garden irrigation, range cattle, etc. In multiples of two or more, High Lifter pumps are often suitable for providing domestic water for small communities or irrigation water for agriculture. The High Lifter pump can deliver up to 750 or 1500 gallons of water per day, depending on the model. However, the High Lifter can also be used where the flow of source water is as little as one quart per minute. The versatility of the High Lifter is demonstrated by the lifts it can achieve: from 50 to 1100 feet, depending on the circumstances. For most domestic water systems, a tank is required to provide the necessary reservoir for constant pressure at large flows. However, in many applications, most notably drip or other irrigation systems, a tank is not needed. The High Lifter pump will reach a certain pressure level for a given system and maintain it as long as nothing changes. To obtain more pressure, you can reduce output flows or increase the fall to the pump.