gast vacume pumps?

[jerry]

Looking for someone that has a gast vacume pump in thier sugaring operation.

Wondering what size you have, vacume and cfm.
I am thinking of buying one but would like to hear from someone that has used one before.

Thanks Jerry

[markct]

i have a 1.5 hp direct coupled gast dry vane pump, the thing works great, simple, no oil to check or change. i realy like it and it is rated to draw over 20cfm i believe, so its plenty for my 500 taps right now, and holds good vac levels even if a few leaks happen. i would definaly recomend one, just be aware that they are noisy, but most vac pumps are, just these seem to be a higher frequency kinda noise, but not unbearable at all, just not something ya want in the sugarhouse

[3rdgen.maple]

Jerry that is the only pumps I run. I have a few and the smallest being the 1550. Im running it off a 2hp motor and it runs flawless for days and days with no break. They run very cool as you can put your hands on them and its just warm to the touch. I dont think they are any noisier than any other pump out there. The 1550 is a great choice for 500 taps and under. Its rated for 24 inches of vac fromt he factory but I will tell you I run mine at 27 with a relief valve on it. When that is closed It will hit 29. I would have to dig back and check cfms but believe its around 26. My big boy will pull max vac and 46cfms. I cannot say enough great things about them. I would find a 1550 and get yourself a 1.5 to 2hp motor for it and you will be happy. I just got done tearing one down and cleaning it up for next spring. Belt driven is the way to go in my opinion as well. That way you can tweek the rpms with pulley ratios but I found the sweet spot to be 1750 rpms. Let me know what pump your looking at. I can help aid you in the decision. I rebuild gast pumps for my business all the time. Seen alot of pumps and worked on alot and nothing beats a gast in my opinion.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I love them and use them. I will be replacing my beast with another Gast. I use 1HP ones because thats what I got cheap. I don't use a vacuum relief I don't see the point because they don't over heat. I have a timer on mine and its nice to hear the pump running in the AM and the sap flowing.

[3rdgen.maple]

I love them and use them. I will be replacing my beast with another Gast. I use 1HP ones because thats what I got cheap. I don't use a vacuum relief I don't see the point because they don't over heat. I have a timer on mine and its nice to hear the pump running in the AM and the sap flowing.

Haynes the only reason I run a relief valve is for the releaser. It gets sticky around 28 inches. The pump doesnt need one thats for sure. Now that you said timer Im going to steal this thread for a minute. Are you running a timer based on temperature or just the time you want it to turn on?

[Haynes Forest Products]

well I tried to put a picture of my pump set up but no go and it wont let me cancel the thread

[Haynes Forest Products]

I do mine on time of day. I found that there is no rhyme or reason to when sap flows on days with low temps or warm days. I get sidetracked and don't always get to the woods in the AM so i like timers.

I'm thinking I need to get the guts from a garage door opener so I can turn it on and off over riding the timer so I can drive up to the releaser and if its frozen up I can shut the pump off from a distance. My pumps are as close to the power source and run a 3/4" line over to the releaser. I also like the dry vane pumps for cold starts. I would worry about tripping the breaker on start up.

[3rdgen.maple]

I do mine on time of day. I found that there is no rhyme or reason to when sap flows on days with low temps or warm days. I get sidetracked and don't always get to the woods in the AM so i like timers.

I'm thinking I need to get the guts from a garage door opener so I can turn it on and off over riding the timer so I can drive up to the releaser and if its frozen up I can shut the pump off from a distance. My pumps are as close to the power source and run a 3/4" line over to the releaser. I also like the dry vane pumps for cold starts. I would worry about tripping the breaker on start up.

Haynes can you say CLAP ON CLAP OFF lol.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I never had the CLAP how did you get rid of it;)

[3rdgen.maple]

I never had the CLAP how did you get rid of it;)

Just clap again and its gone. Duh.

[jerry]

thanks guys for all your info. I am in no hury for when I do buy somthing I intend on keeping it for a while thats why I was looking for someone to stear me in the right direction.

I am looking at about 1100 taps set up with dry lines and stuff so it sounds like these pumps at 23ish inches of vacume would do me well and the price is much better than buying a maple pump.

the quote I got on a new one was a direct drive dry vane they said would pull 26 inches and had 10 cfm. I think this would work. What do you think? Bigger or good.

Thanks again for your input. I will keep you posted

[3rdgen.maple]

thanks guys for all your info. I am in no hury for when I do buy somthing I intend on keeping it for a while thats why I was looking for someone to stear me in the right direction.

I am looking at about 1100 taps set up with dry lines and stuff so it sounds like these pumps at 23ish inches of vacume would do me well and the price is much better than buying a maple pump.

the quote I got on a new one was a direct drive dry vane they said would pull 26 inches and had 10 cfm. I think this would work. What do you think? Bigger or good.

Thanks again for your input. I will keep you posted

Give me the model and I will look it up I dont want to give you an answer just yet till I see what you are looking at.

[wiam]

Give me the model and I will look it up I dont want to give you an answer just yet till I see what you are looking at.

How about a R2103?

William

[3rdgen.maple]

How about a R2103?

William

I will have to look it up but I think thats a regenair meaning its more a blower than a vac pump. If it is what I think it is what will happen is when you try to pull vac with it, it will pull a limited amount and the rotary fan that generates the air will just not do anything. It would be like taking a household fan and covering up the backside of it and wonder why no air is coing out the front. But to be sure I will look it up but the gast site is down right now.

[wiam]

Ok. What should I look for for 1200 taps?

William