vacuum regulator

[bison1973]

Im upgrading to vacuum this season. I'm told I need to get a vacuum regulator. And to go to a dairy equipment place to get one. What am I looking for and how much do they cost? Where does it fit in the system (where do you install it)? I already have the pump, moisture trap, and releaser.

[Maplewalnut]

A lot of us use this one...

http://www.partsdeptonline.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=117&cart_id=7760217.20769&exact_match=on

[mapleack]

Use a T to put it in near the pump intake.

[maple flats]

A lot of us use this one...

http://www.partsdeptonline.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=117&cart_id=7760217.20769&exact_match=on

What vacuum levels will that regulator handle? I see no specs.

[Dennis H.]

Be careful with the dairy vac regulators, they are rated fro about 15" of vac. In the maple world we like to run higher levels of vac.

The one posted on parts depot is nice but I made my own out of a checkvalve.

In this pic it doesn't show the heavier spring that I have in it. It goes between the checkvalve itself and the fender washer next to the wing nut. I adjust the desired vac level by turning the wing nut.

[farmall h]

Dennis, what is the purpose of a vac regulator?

[ennismaple]

To either avoid collapsing a Zero tank if on a liquid ring pump or avoid burning out a pump when things freeze up at the end of the day. I rigged one up yesterday for one of our dairy pumps and should have taken a picture of it. It simply allows air in if the vacuum level gets too high.

[danno]

I've used the one from the link above up to low 20's vacuum almost trouble free. Over the past few years, I've had two occasions where the regulator froze up allowing no air to enter, thus causing scary high vacuum levels on an old dairy pump. So ... they work for vacuum over 15", but you have to keep an eye on them.

[Maplewalnut]

Tech support' at the website given told me when I bought it years ago that they were good to 25 inches. Not sure if that is true, but I have not had any problems with mine at 20-22inches

[Grade "A"]

A lot of us use this one...

http://www.partsdeptonline.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=117&cart_id=7760217.20769&exact_match=on

I use the same one, run 23"-25" for 3 years now with no problems.

[bison1973]

So I've got the VAC pump and the releaser. I need to get the regulator and moisture trap then. When I put it all together in what order does it go (Of course I know the pump is at one end and the releaser is at the other)?

What can you use to connect the pump and releaser? I"ve seen PVC but this will just be sitting out in the woods and that seems too rigid since it wont be on a nice sollid surface in a pump house. What diameter?

Someone should post some pictures.

Thanks!

[maple flats]

Why not use 2" black poly? Or I was thinking running some 2" PVC and a couple of fernco connectors for a little give. My distance will be about 12-14' total counting from the pump up and over to the tank. I was thinking either just 2" poly or if PVC use 2 fernco's in the mix.

[danno]

I use 1.5" pvc to plumb pump to releaser and run the components in this order - pump, check valve, moisture trap, releaser.

[powerdub]

Why do you need a regulator on your pump? Is there something that can't take the vacuum? I may be the odd one out here but I run mine WFO. The more the better.

[maple flats]

Anyone using 2" black poly? If not I don't have time to "experiment" and I will go PVC.
For a moisture trap, I'm thinking the big canister on my Alamo with a flapper valve on the bottom would be a moisture trap. Is this wrong, do I need a separate moisture trap?

[sfsshadow]

i always used the tank under a dairy pump for a moisture trap.works fine. question...im installing a sihi,5hp, this year. supposed to pull 25in. planning to use a 30gl syrup barrel for a moisture trap.will it implode?

[wiam]

Mapleflats: 2" black poly should be fine. The tank on the pump with a rubber flapper is a moisture trap BUT it probably has no means to stop moisture from getting in pump if it gets full, as when your releaser does not trip:rolleyes:


sfsshadow: I do not believe a barrel will take that much vac

Will

[danno]

Agreed - no reason why poly pipe won't work to plumb the pump.

And Scott, no more moisture trap or regulator for me:) Those were for the old dairy pump. I put the Sihi through the paces the other day. Was very surprised by the pressure on the exhaust side. I had some temporary unglued PVC on the exhaust - blew all the PVC fittings apart and unleashed quite an exhaust spray against the wall. I think I'm gonna like it!

[Dennis H.]

A drum will not handle the vac. It will implode.

I saw a video of a guy hooking a vac pump up to a 55 gal drum and watching it implode. I will not take a lot of vac to do it either.

[collinsmapleman2012]

we have a 30 gal barrel as a moisture trap at our school. with all the line valves closed, ive seen it run almost 28" and its been there for at least 10 years, maybe 15 or 20

[sfsshadow]

thanks for the info.i was going to try an old , heavy galvanized drum. no great loss if it implodes

[MainelyMaple]

I am new to vac this year too. Im gonna be using an old dairy pump that has a tank on it, am I understanding this right that this tank will work as a moisture trap? Is that the purpose of this tank? thanks for any help

[markct]

i have a vac regulator with the weight cup that you add weight to adjust the vac level, works well only problem is that it tends to surge or hunt i guess ya would say, the vac level bounces up and down a couple hgs and you can see the regulator opening and closing, is this normal or do i need a bigger regulator? or would a bigger vac reservoir help? its a 1.5 hp gast dry vane pump so its not a piston type pump that would cause the surging, its a constant vac pull

[maple flats]

I bit the bullet (not having time to experiment) and bought a dairy control. I was told it will do 19" if cranked up. It cost almost $250 and is 2" diameter at the connection, bigger in the body and has 2 filters on it.

[maple flats]

OH, that controller will handle up to 150 CFM but I only have a 75 CFM and will only be running it this season at about 10 CFM. If my system grows enough I will run it faster for more CFM. I will let you know if it will do the 19" after i plumb it in sometime this week.

[Joust7.1]

Be careful with the dairy vac regulators, they are rated fro about 15" of vac. In the maple world we like to run higher levels of vac.

The one posted on parts depot is nice but I made my own out of a checkvalve.

In this pic it doesn't show the heavier spring that I have in it. It goes between the checkvalve itself and the fender washer next to the wing nut. I adjust the desired vac level by turning the wing nut.

Dennis,

I picked up the parts for my vacuum regulator today. Is the spring something that you have to play around with to get the right stiffness or is there a certain # of spring that you found to work? When I was looking for springs there seemed to be a number that corresponds to size or stiffness. I haven't ever really shopped for springs before.