The document summarizes the installation of a ram pump in the Thai-Karen village of Poblaki (Dok Mae Sot) to provide water to the village primary school. Over several stages from May 2007 to February 2008, the Border Green Energy Team (BGET) and Meribah Pumps installed the ram pump, which initially provided 700 liters of water per day but was modified to provide over 1500 liters per day. The ram pump installation was funded and led by Ralf Oberg of Meribah Pumps and provides a sustainable source of water for the village school's 130 students.

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meribah-ram-pump
Poblaki Ram Pump Installation Report
Prepared by: Jennifer Tracy
On January 22, 2008 the Thai-Karen village
Poblaki (aka Dok Mae Sot) received a ram pump
providing water to the village primary school.
This is the first permanent ram pump installation
coordinated by BGET. Poblaki is a 4 hour drive
northeast of Mae Sot located in Tha Song Yang
district. The ram pump provides approximately
1500 liters of water each da
of approxim
and Thai resident for ove
the ram pump in Bangkok, Thailand to BGET and offered
to install it with his insta team, consisting of an Austrian and two
inary
Andrew P
team performed a second site assessment,
confirming and updating the prior data and
detailing out the specific materials needed to complete the install. A path was cleared for
the future placement of the pipeline and the location for
the pump and the initial water collection tank where
leveled.
In the evening on January 17th
the BGET team
returned to Poblaki. A meeting was held to coordinate
among the villagers the following days work. On
B G E TB G E T
y for the village school
ately 130 students.
The installation was funded and led by Ralf
Oberg, the German-born CEO of Meribah Pumps,
r 20 years. Ralf donated
, which he manufactures locally
llation and development
other Germans: Phillip, Stephan, and Thomas.
The project was completed in five stages.
The initial stage took place in May 2007, when
the site was first discovered and prelim
measurements of water flow and location where
recorded by Watit (BGET Technician) and
ascale (past BGET volunteer).
On January 14th
the BGET team, including
Thai (Technician), Sunti (Technician), Surat
(Technician), and Jennifer (volunteer) and Ralf’s
BORDER GREEN ENERGY TEAM
B G E T
BORDER GREEN ENERGY TEAM
Poblaki village school
Ralf Oberg describing to the villagers the
layout of the ram pump installation.
The BGET ram pump installation team: Thai, Sunti, Jennifer, and Surat.

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January 18th
the BGET team and 30 villagers worked together throughout the day on
several construction activities:
A dam at the water source was constructed to join two separate water flows and a
catchments devise made of bamboo was secured to the pipe end to filter out large debris,
the water will be collectedA 300 liter cement water collection tank was installed, where
before it falls to the ram pump,

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The cement foundation grounding the ram pump was laid,
Eighteen meters of 4” PVC pipe delivering water from the source to the collection tank
was laid out,

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The drive pipe, a 1” steel pipe falling a height of 6 meters, over a distance of 12 meters,
from the water collection tank to the ram pump, was installed, and
A path for the water delivery pipe was cleared, spanning from the ram pump to the school,
336 meters.

5. 5
Three days later, on January 21st
, after the previous cement work settled, the BGET
team and Ralf Oberg’s team return to continue the installation. The 4” PVC pipe was
extended to reach the water collection tank and the pipe was covered with soil to prevent
future damage from exposure. A wire and bamboo screen was created to cover the water
collection tank to keep out debris. And a over flow hole was created to direct excess water
from the collection tank back to the stream.

6. 6
The drive pipe sending water from the collection tank to the ram pump was fixed in
four locations with cement, stones, and iron bars to hold the pipe steady from the
vibrations received from the ramming motion of the pump.

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The fine tuning of the ram pump, changing angles, ball size (functions as the valve
closing and opening the pump to create water pressure in the pipes that drives the water
up), closing of the snifter (air hole that equalizes air inside the pump), and a little trouble
shooting to get it all working properly was diligently done by Ralf’s team.

8. 8
The ½” delivery pipe, distributing the water from the pump to the school spanned
approximately 336 meters and ascended roughly 70 meters. The initial 60 meters of
delivery pipe are steel pipes, more resistant under pressure received from the ramming of
the pump motion, and the remaining portion PVC pipes were used. The steel delivery pipe
was fixed with cement, stones, and stakes, every 3 meters, and the PVC pipe was fixed
every 6 meters, again to secure the pump from the vibrations received from the pump. The
PVC pipe was then covered with soil to prevent damage from exposure.
After the initial installation the water delivered to the village school, filled a water tank at a
rate of ½ liter per minute, approximately 700 liters per day.

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Four weeks after the pumps installation, on February 18th
, Ralf, his team and the
BGET team returned to check up on the pump. Upon arrival, we found that the water
source was discharging less water due to the dry season affects, and coupled with the
pump’s current settings, was not functioning. Alternations were made to the snifter valve
and a solid steel junction, connecting the drive pipe to the pump, was put in place of the
existing flexible connector (the flexible connector moved too much in response to the
ramming motion, losing valuable energy). With these alternations, the pump began to
work, delivering even more water to the school, 1.2 liters per minute, over 1500 liters of
water per day. This number is more than double the original output of 700 liters.
On behalf of the BGET team, thank you to all the Poblaki villagers and Ralf and his team.

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Contributors and Contacts
Border Green Energy Team (BGET)
Our Mission The Border Green Energy Team (BGET) provides hands-on
appropriate technology training and financial support to village innovators in ethnic
minority areas on both sides of the Thai/Burma border. BGET works in four areas:
• Improving sustainability of Thai solar home systems through local
technician trainings
• Refugee camp renewable energy trainings
• Community micro-hydro construction and Operations & Maintenance
(O&M )
• Solar electricity construction and O&M trainings for medical clinics on
the border
Website: www.bget.org
P.O. Box 66, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand
Tel: 055-534-464 or +66-55-534-464
Mobile: 084-817-0955 or +66-84-817-0955
Meribah Ram Pumps
Our main objective is to be able to provide even underprivileged people in rural areas,
with affordable and appropriate technology, in order that they enjoy a constant
water supply for all their needs.
Website: www.meribah-ram-pump.com
ProTech Transfer Co., Ltd.
189 Soi Chockchaijongjamlean, Rama 3 Road
Kwang Bangpongpang, Khet Yannawa
Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Phone: +66 (0) 2 683 4990 - 1
Fax: +66 (0) 2 683 4992