Releaser, thinking ahead.

[Tweegs]

Vacuum is a year away for me yet, but it’s a slow work day and maple is on my mind.

The question comes in 2 parts.

1st.
My current thought is for an electric releaser, 12V operation. 2 floats (high level, low level) a relay, check valves, and a 3 way valve will make it work. Battery powered, a solar panel to keep the battery topped off during the day (recharging overnight when necessary). Power consumption is minimal and only occurs during the dump cycle, but I would like to size the battery for 48 hours of continuous operation, and then the panel to meet the needs of the system. I’m missing a variable, however, and that is sap flow (determines the number of dump cycles). So let’s assume peak time during a peak run, on an average producing sugar maple bush, how much sap, per tap, can I expect with 22~25 hg vacuum?

2nd
Pretty flat land here. To avoid tapping in the crowns my main line ends just 2 feet off the ground. Because of this, the releaser is going to be a horizontal design, but I still need to lift the sap roughly 3 feet to get it into the releaser and be able to dump into the top of the tank. This final stretch of main is 1”. I was thinking of using a 2 pipe lift, both 1”, just ahead of the releaser. A check valve will be placed on the low side and will allow the main to drain into a larger bucket when the vacuum is off (total of 3 check valves in the whole system, all placed vertically to minimize icing and possible Venturi effect as a result). Is there a better way? How much vacuum loss would I suffer in this configuration?

[spencer11]

if your gonna use an electric releaser you dont need a sap ladder, the releaser will pump the sap up to the tank. you could use a mechanical releaser if you add a sap ladder to raise the height of the mainline

[unc23win]

Why an electric releaser? How are you going to run your vacuum? I am assuming you are thinking about a gas powered vacuum? As long as you have vacuum why not a mechanical releaser?

If you use a mechanical releaser you can sit on top of your tank. In that case you wouldn't need a ladder. Idealy you wan't the tank lower but it will pull it up 3 feet easy.

[wiam]

What you want to do can be done with a single float.

[Tweegs]

Why an electric releaser? How are you going to run your vacuum? I am assuming you are thinking about a gas powered vacuum? As long as you have vacuum why not a mechanical releaser?

If you use a mechanical releaser you can sit on top of your tank. In that case you wouldn't need a ladder. Idealy you wan't the tank lower but it will pull it up 3 feet easy.

I’m an electronics guy, any mechanical contraption I’d build would be 3 times more prone to failure.
A man’s got to know his limitations. :lol:

The vacuum pump will be in the barn some 600’ from the releaser. An easy reach for vacuum, but not quite so easy to run wire.


What you want to do can be done with a single float.

It can, yes, but I already have the floats (a couple of small SS jobs) and couldn’t make them work solo.
Each has only a small amount of travel, both are N.O.

In my design, when the high level float reaches its limit it will energize the relay. The relay will self-latch through the already closed contacts of the low level float and will provide the ground for the 3 way. When the sap level falls below the low level float, those contacts will open de-energizing the relay and thus opening the circuit to the 3 way.

The common side of the 3 way is connected to the main tank on the releaser. In the de-energized state vacuum will be applied to the main tank. Vacuum will be applied to the reservoir constantly. When energized, the 3 way will allow ambient air pressure in the main tank, a check valve between the main and reservoir should close. Once the tank is drained vacuum will again be applied to the main tank closing a check valve on the drain. Once the pressure in the main and reservoir equalizes the check valve between the two should open. Nothing fancy, few moving parts, little to go wrong…unless I’m missing something.

See any holes?

[unc23win]

Well thats what I was wondering where the vacuum was.

I know people who run vacuum to releasers all over the place. Down the road from me they have I think 4 releasers on one big vacuum and they run the vacuum lines to the relasers and then pump the tanks out and haul the sap in trucks. I don't think they have any lines that actually take sap to their sugar house and they have like 8,000 taps.

Me I got a good deal on some 100amp wire and ran it 582' from my house. Another plus is that the house has an automatic back up generator an added plus.

Releasers can fail wither way. Sounds like you have it all planned out. The number of dumps depends on the number of taps obvioulsy.