Is this pump big enough?

[Mahosky Maple Farms]

I'm looking at buying a gast 1023 rotary vane pump for my woods. Its rated at 10cfms. This should be big enough for 500 taps right?

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=gast+vacuum+pump+&_sacat=See-All-Categories#http://cgi.ebay.com/Gast-Vacuum-Pump-1023-101Q-SG608X-HP-3-4-New-/170636370144?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item27bab860e0&vil=1

[Kirk]

Yes...as long as you've got your leaks under control. I ran this pump last season on 450 taps and pulled 22". It was great for the $150 ebay special that it was.

[DrTimPerkins]

I'm looking at buying a gast 1023 rotary vane pump for my woods. Its rated at 10cfms. This should be big enough for 500 taps right?

That pump should be fine for 500 taps, as long as you're not looking for vacuum over about 20-22" Hg, don't let it overheat, and keep the leaks down.

[heus]

Does this pump need a regulator?

[Haynes Forest Products]

heus What pump are you talking about? Most of the Gast dry vane pumps can run dead headed. Unless things are totally froze up you will get some incoming air into the pump. I run a Gast and will be replacing my Masport with a Gast oil pump. So I wouldn't run a regulator.

[3rdgen.maple]

Heres a better option. http://cgi.ebay.com/Gast-MFG-1550-V136B-Rotary-Vane-Vacuum-Pump-/120723303304?pt=Pneumatic_Hydraulic_Valves_Parts&hash=item1c1bab6b88
Stick a 2 hp 115 volt motor on it and get the rpm ratio to 1725 and you will be pulling 24 inches or better if it is in good condition, pump runs for days and doesnt overheat. Ran one just like it all season for days straight.

[lew]

3rdgen,

How many cfm is that pump good for and at how high of vacuum?

[3rdgen.maple]

3rdgen,

How many cfm is that pump good for and at how high of vacuum?

Had to go back and dig through an email from gast to find the specs. Basically the email said the chart on the website are conservative and the pump at 1725 rpm will pull about 15 cfm in open conditions and at 20 inches 4 cfm and at 25 inches 2 cfm. But like he said it was conservative. I had no problems running just under 200 taps on it. It is a new tight system it was on. I ran it at 24 to 25 cfm with a pressure releif valve and when I closed that I hit 28 but felt my releaser ran better at the 24 inch mark with a more succesful dumping. Its is rated for a 3/4 hp pump but I would not go less than 2hp on it as we are running a closed system and the pump will bog down anything smaller.

[lew]

Sounds like a good pump for a little woods

[3rdgen.maple]

Yes that is a great pump. I wouldnt be afraid to get upwards of 400 on it. My bigger woods however will have this baby running on it. This one is rated at 47 cfm and will pull high vac. It will eventually run a 1500 tap line.
3599

[Brent]

I ran a Gast 1023 last year and with a lot of attention to leaks it just got over
20" on about 475 taps. This year I doubled up and put on a second one. I hoped I would get up to 23 - 24" with the second on. No dice. It ran up to 20 - 21" and I couldn't get it any higher. Capped off, both pumps will pull 26".
So I thiink if you're happy with 20" they're great. They run virtually maintenance free. I put mine on a skid open on the bottom and covered them with a couple of the biggest plastic bins I could find at WalMart, added a few vent holes down low to keep them cool and keep the rain out.

If you're in the KISS camp, these are the pumps.