BHR releaser - no moisture trap

[mapleack]

I just realized that the new BHR "216" releasers we got do NOT have a built in moisture trap ball like the Bernard 216 I already had does. I'm not pleased about that. Now I have to slap together some water filter moisture traps.

[farmall h]

Mapleack I just bought one as well and will be installing it tomorrow. I didn't even look for the moisture trap ball. Is it to prevent flow back to your vacuum pump? Is it really necessary as long as you have a moisture tank IN-LINE with your pump?

[Oaknuts]

Well now little brother, ya couldn't wait till I come over to open the box.
Just like Christmas as kids.
I dont see it nessary if the vacum pump has the tank with the drain.
Use to suck water with disinfectant thru the vacum lines on the farm to clean them.

[farmall h]

Oaknuts? You sly devil you. How long you been creep'n round? Was also wondering if it should be located up top of the hill where all the lines join and gravity feed sap to the sugar house. Another option.

[mapleack]

Guys, if you have a moisture trap at the pump and the releaser is close to the pump then no big deal. My releasers are remotely located, over 1,000 feet from the sugarhouse, the pump is at the sugarhouse. I need moisture traps at the releaser so that if it fails I won't fill my vac supply lines with sap. For a solution I plumbed in whole house water filter housings with racquet balls inside them.

[mapleack]

Additional notes: One of the releasers had a torn outlet flapper when we unwrapped it, CDL is sending a new one. I also discovered that one of the new releasers is leaking where the assembly is siliconed into the center of the top plexiglass cover. $900 shouldn't freakin leak.

[maplwrks]

Shoulda bought a Bernard made by Lapierre!!

[mapleack]

Shoulda bought a Bernard made by Lapierre!!

I agree completely. These came from CDL, the picture in the catalog was still a lapierre model. They were ordered as "216's". I expected that I was getting lapierre built ones. When they arrived I figured no big deal, but now I'm growing less pleased.

[Brent]

Calling the ball / floats "moisture traps" could give the wrong impression.

They're flood preventers in case the releaser fails, fills and without the ball, could have raw sap going thru the line and into the vac pump.

They're a disaster preventer.

[Gary R]

Andy, can you ask CDL to swap it out or exchange it with one from a local dealer?

[Maplewalnut]

Any idea why they were taken out?

[farmall h]

Maplewalnut, it is my understanding that a former employee of Bernard and one from Lapierre became partners and started producing these releasers. According to Leader in Swanton where we bought ours. They have been proven reliable from what I was told. I just looked at the CDL Catalog and I don't see a Lapierre label on the DBL Releaser.
I stand corrected, it does show a Bernard DBL in the CDL catalog. I was looking at the Dominion & Grimm catalog.

[jfroe939]

Mapleack,, any shot you could post a few pictures of your water filter moisture traps? That's the one thing I don't have yet and I want to get an understanding of how you did it. Probably not tough, but I don't want to purchase something that doesn't have a shot at working out. thanks. jason

[mapleack]

Brent - You're right, they are more of a disaster preventer than a moisture trap.

Maplewalnut- I suspect these don't have the ball trap in them so as to make them $20 cheaper to make.

Jfroe- It's just a 17 buck whole house filter from lowes, no filter in it. Drop in a racquet ball, be sure that the side of the filter tied to the pump is the side that goes through the top of the filter. If it gets filled with sap the ball will float and seal it off.

On another side note one of my water filter traps has had the ball seal it off twice, both times no liquid was present. I'm not sure how the heck the ball is getting sucked up. The other one I have is working fine. I may have to do something different on the one that is failing.