Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

When changing plunger leathers, does anyone know the advantages or disadvantages of soft vs hard leathers

I use the ones that get soft in water. They conform better to the walls. I used hard ones in the past, impregnated with graphite. HAd to go back and pull all the wells prematurely.

I pump at 400ft and I only use hard ones that deep, I was having trouble with with leathers going bad on a pump jack and Aermotor suggested it, problem fixed. I wouldn't do it on a shallow well but on the deep ones it works for me. I suspect it runs afoul with sanitation codes, but most people drop a few egg yokes down on the hard leathers to get them going. Not that I do that or even suggest it/

Thanks for the info i read this forum daily and appreciate all wonderful knowledge that is distributed

The well below my windmill has a lot of sand and iron. I was losing leathers within a month or so. I bought some neoprene "leathers" and they are working very well. I purchased them from Neal at Windmill-Parts.com. Great info and service.

We have installed long sand points under cylinders in sandy wells.

Several years ago a friend of mine was having trouble getting his old pasture well to pump. I remembered the egg trick, a dozen eggs later still nothing. We pulled the pipe and the only thing on it was the top of the cylinder and plunger. He had another cylinder that we put on. Worked great after that.
Gregg