Piston pump or a unit with a centrifugal pump?

For wellpoint dewatering we usually recommend piston pumps. They are self-priming, tolerate dry running without damage, work continuously and reach very high efficiency. The pulsating flow also reduces clogging of the wellpoints, which can be a problem with a centrifugal pump assisted by a vacuum pump.

Electric or diesel drive?

If 400 V is available on site, an electric drive is cheaper to run — we offer 5.5 and 7.5 kW motors. Without a supply, the choice is a HATZ Diesel or Lister engine. Fuel consumption on piston pumps is low, in the order of a litre an hour.

Can the pumps run without stopping?

Yes, they are built for it — 24-hour duty is standard in dewatering, because a break means the water rises in the excavation again. The oldest piston pumps in our fleet have been running for over 40 years.

Do you also sell used pumps?

Yes. We sell new and used pumps and accessories from established manufacturers. Wellpoint pumps and their accessories can also be leased — used equipment included.

Do you service pumps bought elsewhere?

Yes, we provide warranty and post-warranty service. Call and tell us the make, model and symptoms — we will establish whether we can carry out the repair.

What other pumps do you offer?

Besides piston pumps for wellpoints we sell and service submersible pumps, borehole pumps, pump units, motor pumps and mining pumps — for clean and dirty water, sludge, sewage, bentonite and hydraulic transport.

How much does a wellpoint pump cost?

We do not publish a price list — the price depends on the model, the drive, the build and whether the pump is new or used. Describe the working conditions and we will prepare an offer; leasing is also available, used pumps included.

Can I rent a wellpoint pump instead?

Yes — we rent out wellpoint pumps with the complete accessories and 32 and 50 mm wellpoints, at daily rates.

Piston and centrifugal pumps

Wellpoint pumps

Wellpoint pumps built for continuous duty. New and used units, warranty and post-warranty service.

Our speciality

Piston pumps for wellpoints

In our view, using piston pumps in wellpoint dewatering systems is the most sensible solution. It is the alternative to pump units usually made up of a centrifugal pump assisted by a vacuum pump.

Piston pumps are available with electric motors (5.5 or 7.5 kW) and with HATZ Diesel or Lister engines. The pumps carry CE certification. Wellpoint pumps and their accessories can also be leased — used equipment included.

We do not only sell wellpoint pumps — several dozen of our own pumps work on our sites in excavation dewatering and are available for rental with the accessories.

Manufacturers

HÜDIG
GEHO
BBA
IMPULSE
VARISCO
MB

HÜDIG HC 272 dewatering unit in its sound-insulated housing

HÜDIG HC 271 dewatering unit with the doors open — pump and drive visible

A dewatering system at work

Why piston pumps

Advantages of piston pumps

Self-priming
Dry running — working without drawing water does not damage the pump
Non-stop duty (24 h a day)
Very high efficiency: 92%
High output, independent of suction and discharge head
Low running costs — 5.5 kW of electricity or about 1 l/h of fuel (Diesel)
Simple construction and long service life — our oldest pumps have run for over 40 years
The pulsating flow of drawn water minimises clogging of the wellpoints
Environmentally sound — quiet running, low consumption and little risk of oil contamination

Range

Piston pump models

01HÜDIG — dewatering units and wellpoint pumps
02GEHO ZD 600, ZD 900
03BBA PT 60, PT 90, PT 160, PT 175
04IMPULSE IP 160, IP 175
05VARISCO THOR

We also rent, sell and service submersible pumps, borehole pumps, motor pumps and mining pumps — for clean and dirty water, sludge, sewage, bentonite and hydraulic transport.

The other type

Centrifugal pumps

The classic dewatering unit is a centrifugal pump backed by a vacuum pump: the vacuum pump draws the air out of the wellpoint installation and holds the suction, the centrifugal pump moves the water. For wellpoints we usually recommend piston pumps, but wherever high flow at a modest head is what counts — surface dewatering, transfer duty, drawing a reservoir down — a centrifugal pump is the right tool.

We supply them on the same terms as the piston range: sales of new and used units, rental, and warranty and post-warranty service.

What we supply

Units pairing a centrifugal pump with a vacuum pump
Engine-driven motor pumps
Submersible and borehole pumps
Mining and slurry pumps

The right pump follows from the flow, the head and what is being pumped — call and describe the site, and we will size it with you.

Comparison

Piston or centrifugal

Both types have their place on site — in different conditions. The comparison is based on what we describe above; the choice for a particular site comes down to the conditions there.

Piston pump compared with a centrifugal pump unit
	Piston pump	Centrifugal pump unit
Design	A piston pump, no separate vacuum pump	A centrifugal pump assisted by a vacuum pump
Priming	Self-priming	Suction is held by the vacuum pump drawing air out of the installation
Dry running	Does not damage the pump	Depends on the design of the unit
Wellpoint clogging	Pulsating flow reduces it	Can be a problem with wellpoints
Output	Independent of suction and discharge head	High flow at a modest head
Best suited to	Wellpoint dewatering, continuous 24 h duty	Surface dewatering, transfer pumping, drawing down tanks and reservoirs

Not sure which suits your site? Describe the excavation depth, the ground and the length of the section — we will advise.

Selection

What the choice of pump depends on

The pump is matched to the installation, and the installation to the ground. These are the things we will ask about — and why.

Water inflow

How much water must be removed follows from the ground, the depth of drawdown and the length of the section. That sets the output required and the number of pumps.

Depth of drawdown

One stage of wellpoints usually lowers the water by about 4–5 m, 5–6 m at most — suction lift allows no more. Deeper excavations need further stages or a different method, deep wells for instance.

Length of the installation

The longer the header and the more wellpoints, the more output is needed. Long linear trenches are split into sections served by separate pumps.

Power supply

With 400 V on site, an electric 5.5 or 7.5 kW drive is cheaper to run. Without it — a HATZ Diesel or Lister engine using about a litre of fuel an hour.

Discharge point

The distance and height difference to the discharge point affect the choice of pump and delivery pipe. Discharge into a sewer, ditch or watercourse has to be agreed with whoever manages it.

Noise and surroundings

For continuous work near housing, a unit sound-insulated in a container is a better choice than an open set on a frame.

Service

Service and parts

We provide warranty and post-warranty service for wellpoint pumps — including those bought elsewhere. Tell us the make, model and symptoms and we will establish whether we can carry out the repair. Service and parts have their own phone line — you will find it on the contact page.

Piston pumps are simply built and, serviced regularly, run for decades — the oldest in our fleet for more than 40 years. As in any positive-displacement pump, the parts that wear are mainly the piston seals (cups), the valves with their rubbers and springs, and the gland seals — those are the first to be replaced.

Main brand

The full HÜDIG range at hudig.pl

As the official representative of Hüdig GmbH & Co. KG we run a dedicated service with the complete catalogue of wellpoint pumps, dewatering units and accessories.

hudig.pl

Frequent questions

Questions and answers

The questions contractors call us about most often. If yours is not here, simply call.

Piston pump or a unit with a centrifugal pump?: For wellpoint dewatering we usually recommend piston pumps. They are self-priming, tolerate dry running without damage, work continuously and reach very high efficiency. The pulsating flow also reduces clogging of the wellpoints, which can be a problem with a centrifugal pump assisted by a vacuum pump.
Electric or diesel drive?: If 400 V is available on site, an electric drive is cheaper to run — we offer 5.5 and 7.5 kW motors. Without a supply, the choice is a HATZ Diesel or Lister engine. Fuel consumption on piston pumps is low, in the order of a litre an hour.
Can the pumps run without stopping?: Yes, they are built for it — 24-hour duty is standard in dewatering, because a break means the water rises in the excavation again. The oldest piston pumps in our fleet have been running for over 40 years.
Do you also sell used pumps?: Yes. We sell new and used pumps and accessories from established manufacturers. Wellpoint pumps and their accessories can also be leased — used equipment included.
Do you service pumps bought elsewhere?: Yes, we provide warranty and post-warranty service. Call and tell us the make, model and symptoms — we will establish whether we can carry out the repair.
What other pumps do you offer?: Besides piston pumps for wellpoints we sell and service submersible pumps, borehole pumps, pump units, motor pumps and mining pumps — for clean and dirty water, sludge, sewage, bentonite and hydraulic transport.
How much does a wellpoint pump cost?: We do not publish a price list — the price depends on the model, the drive, the build and whether the pump is new or used. Describe the working conditions and we will prepare an offer; leasing is also available, used pumps included.
Can I rent a wellpoint pump instead?: Yes — we rent out wellpoint pumps with the complete accessories and 32 and 50 mm wellpoints, at daily rates.