Roller Pump

[tonka]

I am looking on the Fleet Farm page and see that they have Roller Pumps, would a Roller Pump be a good substitute for a Gear Pump? Dose anyone use Roller type pumps for pumping/transferring sap??

[tom jr.]

tonka, Ive been pumping sap with one for five seasons up hill 2500 ft it works good but not the fastest about an hour for 1200 gal. its the 22 gal min @50 psi I think

[tonka]

Can you run them dry for a short time with out any damage done? I am looking for a pump that I can use for sucking the sap out of buckets vs carrying bucket by bucket back and forth from the woods to the transfer tank, some spots I have a 200 foot walk, when the sap is flowing I am making quite a few trips that is taking away from boiling time. I could run tubing but its not ideal very low grade and deer are always cutting through the area so I don't care to dealing with down lines every day.

[DrTimPerkins]

... would a Roller Pump be a good substitute for a Gear Pump?

It is best to avoid using a bronze gear pump for moving sap, as they can add a substantial amount of lead to the sap. Syrup is less of a problem since it tends to be less acidic and you aren't concentrating it any longer (by boiling). Unless you are recirculating the syrup (like in a filter press).

Roller pumps (peristaltic pumps, Sap Suckers) will move sap, but not really fast. As a vacuum pump, they don't move much CFM. Different mechanism, but similar in some ways to a Sap Puller or Guzzler (diaphragm pump).