Recommendations needed on vacuum pumps,systems

[Bruce L]

Hello all,Bruce from Leader was here last week checking out our bushes.His advise was I needed a larger vacuum pump,mostly more cfm,along with a dry line.Total tap count would only be about 1000,but he said because of distance I would need a larger pump.The one he was talking about was the airablo ,meant for 3000 taps,but has 30cfm.It is about 700 feet to the other bush,said we are probably not getting much vacuum over there ,as well as he is talking about something like a sap lifting system,? that takes between 10-15 cfm to run,if I went with the smaller unit at 20 cfm he said there would not be enough left over to run the unit.I currently have a 1" wet line on minimal slope,probably about 1%,land just doesn't co-operate.Also wondering about releasers,and recommendations,good and bad.I looked at the classified ads on here,but am lost as to really which way to go.Bruce wil be letting me know what I need and cost shortly,but I would like to hear from experience of what I can run an excellent system with without spending years worth of profit?
Thanks,Bruce

[spud]

Bruce is telling you right for sure. You need a bigger pump because you will lose a lot of CFM with a sap ladder. Cornell has a great study out on Vacuum and CFMs. Many people lose half their CFMs in the back part of their woods due to not having a pump big enough. Most dealers tell you that you need 10 CFMs per thousand taps. Steve Childs at Cornell say's you should double that amount. I have 5000 taps on a 125 CFM pump and I maintain 28+ in my woods. I'm sure my CFMs drop in the far sections of my woods but because the pump is sized right I still probably have 75 CFMs 3000 feet from the sugarhouse. You might want to look at the specks to the Airblo pump though. I was going to buy one but they only run vacuum up to 25-26 inches if I read it right. If your going to spend the money I would look into a pump that can reach 29 inches( 2 stage ) and hope for about 27-28 in the woods. For every inch of vacuum over 25 you will get one more gallon of sap per tap. On a 1000 tap operation running 28 vac instead of 25 you would get 3000 gallons more sap giving you almost 75 more gallons of syrup. If you sell retail at $40.00 per gallon you would make $3000.00 more dollars at the end of the season.

Spud

[Bruce L]

Spud,what specific pump are you talking about that can reach those high levels?
Bruce

[spud]

Bruce,

The pump I have is a 10 HP Kinney 2 stage oil cooled pump. I would call Lapierre and ask them about the same pump only 3-5 HP. Also Glenn Goodrich sell these pumps so you might want to check his prices.

Spud

[Butcher]

Indiana vacuum sells liquid ring pumps that are capable , they will deadhead @ 29 +.

[wiam]

If at all possible I would go with an electric releaser over mechanical. No built in vac leak and you can put the sap into a higher tank if you need to.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We have the Leader Airablo 5HP 60 CFM Flood with Cooler for 2,400 taps. Very pleased with it. Leader reccomended we go with the 5HP instead of the 3 HP due to the length of our tubing and sap ladders and I'm glad we followed that advise.

[Bruce L]

I see on Leader's website they have an oil cooled vacuum pump that runs 29" vacuum,but it is not in their catalogue that I have

[spud]

Bruce,

You need to call them and ask for prices. The last time I was there they had 8-10 different pumps in the back. The pump I bought for them is not in their book either.

Spud

[ennismaple]

Bruce,

Bruce G from Leader knows what he's talking about and if he recommends something its because its what he believes is the best way to set it up. Yes, he's hoping to sell you equipment but he doesn't pressure you to buy - just gives you honest advice that you can take or leave.

I know Lapierre has the vacuum sap lift system in their catalogue - Page 50 in this year's book. It does need a certain number of CFM's to operate.

In my opinion, a good vacuum pump is one of the best investments you can make in your woods. The payback period is very fast (several years).

[Bruce L]

Heard from Bruce today,he has decided against a lift for my situation,but rather a tank sitting in the other bush with a dry line to the receiver to dump into that tank,and a suction line from that tank to the receiver beside the pump.The real hard pill to swallow was the pump he was talking about,a flood system with oil cooling kit--$7200.00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will be talking to him at the open house about the whole system,may have to decide to do the changover gradually.He also recommended a mechanical releaser,then when the pump is off the sap can still run in on it's own

[Sunday Rock Maple]

This is the setup we have for 1,400 of our 2,400 taps. We pump from the tank back to the shanty. It is a lot of money for a pump but it works very well and I have no regrets and would do it again.

[sapman]

I thought about one of those pumps last year, but realized I could get the equivelent Busch pump for less money. Weighs less, not nearly as cumbersome, needs no cooling liquid, and variable speed. Only uncertainty for me is ability to overcome leaks. Just not sure how the two compare.