World Of Leadale - Chapter 4

Probably the worst pump ever. It is so badly designed that you might think MC is secretly hating the little girl.
The reasons:

1. The water stays in the lifting buckets, in which the water has the chance to foul. So you need to turn the crank till the top bucket is at the bottom to get water you can use.
2. All the buckets upwards are full, while the ones downwards are empty. Doesn’t sound like much, but it means you’re constantly lifting a very huge bucket full of water. And the water is the heavy part, the bucket itself is neglectable. So instead of a bucket of water the little girl now has to lift the content of a big barrel of water (while still only getting a bucket). Way to be an a**hole.
3. The gears at the top of the construction (image) get consecutive smaller. Means you need less turns, but more physical strength. Also 3 gears when one would do. As a pure wooden construction the mechanical losses would be enormous, as the friction is high af. Means you’ll need even more power.
4. The belt would catch on the middle gear, locking up the whole thing. Making turning the handle next to impossible.

Tl;DR of why it is bad:

1. Needs to have a half turn of the system to get fresh water.
2. You are lifting tons of water (literally).
3. Gear ratio is not favorable, plus lots of friction.
4. The belt does catch (as is) and would lock up the whole thing.

A better help would have been been a pulley system (block and tackle). With winding the rope on a drum (maybe with a simple ratchet)

Or a real pump. (There are several designs most need metal, though. Assuming she only used wood for a reason. As in metal work isn’t available for her. At least right now)

If water preserving isn’t a concern a windmill powered pump is an option. You additional add a extra height and a water tower and you have constant water even when the wind doesn’t blow.

I could go on, but the wall is too big already.