reliable moisture trap

[tuckermtn]

I will be playing around with a GAST 2057-v103 dry vane vacuum pump this season and have been told by several folks to make sure that I never suck sap or water in to the pump. I have been using a home-made moisture trap out of a house water filter housing and a racquet ball for my sp-11's because I know they can take an occasional ingestion of sap. they work okay, but we have had sap get past them on more than one occasion.

since I will be using the notoriously unpredictable hobby releaser (though Lapierre has given me two new improved ones- I will say they have stood by these releasers, especially this year since matt doesn't work there anymore) I am likely going to have one or two times when the releaser backs up-

so what is the best option to be 95-99% sure that sap wont get in to my pump? are the moisture traps that the maple dealers sell really worth it?

or is there a way to wire a sensor in my vacuum line just before the pump so that if any water/sap is detected it will shut off the pump?

thanks -

[dnap63]

Got me thinking, I can think of 2 possible ways to do a shutoff for your pump. granted these are untested ideas. instead of the raquet ball use a float attached to a pushrod which extends through the top of the filter housing. as the float rises lifting the pushrod it can simply actuate a switch to shut down the pump. To make the through fitting for the pushrod, install a standard compression fitting and replace the compression sleeve with an O-ring and you have a watertight fitting that the pushrod can slide through. the other idea was to use an electronic moisture sensor connected to a relay that would cut power to the pump if moisture was detected.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Tuckermtn as you stated it is not recommended to suck sap into the pump........I did with my Gast dry vane. I wasnt around when it happened but it did pop the breaker and had sap in the glass jars. I unscrewed the jars and ran it and all was OK.

Now to the solution as far as check valves. If you want to go with a elec float switch you can make one up. 6" PVC with a 25.00 Grainger float with a relay to carry the pump amps. I would make the tank with 6" X 1 1/2 sanitary Ts so the vac air comes in low and exits high. Have a resevoir below the bottom T for moisture to build up in with the float just below the incoming vac air. Now when stray sap enters the tank it will fill up the bottom of the tank and when it reaches the float it will actuate the relay opening the circuit stoping the pump.

Now if you want a mecanical float you can get a reliable float that is made for stopping water from backing up into the house from the floor drains. You can get them from a good plumbing supply. The are ABS or PVC.

[maple flats]

Is this something I need on my Alamo rotary vane pump if I am connected to a vacuum tank? If yes, how would I shut off a gas engine, short the spark plug?

[Haynes Forest Products]

For safty sake yes any check valves would be a plus. Maling one for a gas only set up you could make the same set up with a float switch. When the liquid gets to the float it would ground out the coil. I will also say you need a drain in the float tank so you can drain every day. Having the drain will allow you to see if you are getting even small amounts of moisture.

[tuckermtn]

Hayes- do I have this right?

[danno]

Eric - how did your water filter/ball fail?

[Haynes Forest Products]

Tuckermtn Close you want the inlet higher up the tank you dont want the incoming air to effect the float. The liquid will not float the switches if its being blown around by the incoming air. Have about a 12-16" area below the in port for the sap to build up floating the switch. I dont like that kind of float switch I like the type that is a small bulkhead type that is a magnet switch. easy to install just drill a hole smaller than 1/2" NPT and tap or screw in a pipe and that will give you some threads. The float type I like can be found on Ebay for about $3.00 they are either open or closed depending on how you install them. They can acticate relays, switches and some can carry line voltage.

[tuckermtn]

excellent- thanks for the suggestions-

so help me with the switch- do I want normally open or normally closed? the way I understand it I want the switch to turn the pump off when the float comes up.

Haynes- is this similar to the one you were talking about?

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Liquid-Water-Level-Sensor-Right-Angle-Float-Switch-/110634414804?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c25332d4#ht_2407wt_957

looks like that one its just a matter of position to make it open or closed.

would I wire that in to my contactor (which is also set up for thermostatic control) If so I'll need to call Powerdub and see if he can help me out.

Danno- even with the racquet ball up against the flange of the filter housing it managed to suck the sap through.

[Haynes Forest Products]

tuckermtn The picture didnt show up. But it is the kind that you can screw thru a 1/2" threaded port. Yes its either NO or NC depending on the position 180 degrees rotated. The less expensive ones are not rated for more than a few amps so I would use a contactor to carry the motor load. You can also get those Normaly open or closed.

Liquid fills the float tank float activates the contactor opening the contacts pump shuts off vacuum level drops and the flapper valve you use for the bottom drain opens and the sap drains out and the float drops turning the pump on and the flapper seals shut and your up and running again..................HOLY CRAP You just made a sap releaser.SHUT UP CHUCK it aint that easy.....BUT WHY CHUCK WHY..Because it will cycle back and forth every few seconds :( That is why we use a time delay switch to hold the pump off untill the entire tank emptys.......THEN you have a simple releaser But you all know nothing is ever simple if I build it:lol: Good night