Best-practice question: Sap tank is 20 feet below road

[wildacres]

Hey all -

I really oughta' know the answer to this, but I figured I'd get the advice of one who has more expertise. My sap
tank is in a swale, about 20 vertical feet (150 horizontal) below my truck. I have been lugging my 2.4 HP
'portable' gas powered pump down to the tank, and pushing it up to the truck. THis is a major annoyance, and
of course the last ten gallons of sap just gets lost, as it rushes back downhill when I disconnect.

The pump has a rated head capacity of 25 feet, and I'm wondering whether I'm doing this the smart way. In short,
should I be sucking this sap up from the road, or doing as I'm doing now? And if so, how do I avoid overheating
the pump while trying to get the first sap up? It seems that the pump would be running dry for a good long time
before I'm able to get it primed.

Long and short - I need some specific tips! Thanks -

Paul

[aws]

You should be able to leave the pump in your truck. Put a check valve on the end of the hose that is in the sap. Then prime the pump by pouring sap into the hose, attach it to the pump inlet and away you go. The only potential problem is if your hose is not rated for the vacuum pressure the pump may create and therefor kink the hose and stop the flow. Some pumps will self prime of course, but I am assuming not the style you are using. Hope this helps. I have never done this with sap, but spent a lot of time with large pumps in the swimming pool business while getting through college.

[maple flats]

Do you mean head or suction lift? If head, (the max vertical lift or push after the pump) I say no, if suction lift, then yes. You will however find the self priming takes fairly long and a very small leak on the suction side will make it worse or impossible and when it starts pumping the flow will be somewhat reduced, pushing is more efficient. However if the inconvenience of taking the pump down is more than the extra pump time, go for it. If you do this, make sure the connections on the suction side are perfect.

[sugarman3]

I would try sucking it up from the road,that way ,any sap in the suction line will go back into tank.Is the pump a self priming pump,if so it should not heat up and if close to tank,should start sucking sap almost immediatly.Most pumps are meant to suck,not push ,unless it's almost flat,might need a little bigger pump.

[Hop Kiln Road]

Hi Paul!

Are those the really nice trees right on the corner of the intersection you showed me?

About halfway through Guerrieri's First Four Notes, so I've got quartus paeons pounding my brain, but here goes:

1. Build a log crib (or a buy used fire tower) until the tank drains to the road.

2. Build rails up the bank and pull the tank up by driving your truck out into the intersection each evening.

3. Put in a reverse slope releaser.

44444..... Wasn't there a culvert further down where you could stretch a mainline up to the elevation of the road?

Regards,

Bruce

[markct]

I do exactly as you describe with carrying the pump down on about half my tanks, its much easier than trying to pull a prime that far, and the sap is not lost, i have a ball valve on the end of the pump out line and close it when done pumping, disconect it and drain it into a pail or back into the sap tank. Almost all pumps push better than they pull liquid, not sure why some seem to say different on this thread, but that the truth if you look at flow charts from pump manufacturers.

[wildacres]

Hi all - thanks for the timely input! I think the ball valve at the bottom of the line is probably my best bet - I was advised by another fella' that
practically speaking, if you don't prime most or all of the line, sucking it out from that distance will be really tough, which has been my experience
from a much shorter distance.

Paul

[heus]

Do you use the pump at other locations? If not could you just leave it at the tank and just make sure its drained after every use? Silly question of course you use it elsewhere.

[sweeteffinsyrup]

Sounds like Markct and wildacres hit it right on the head. Very important that there are no leaks on the suction side. Even at half the total distance I imagine you are trying to "pull" too much and not "push" enough. If you are still struggling with this and not wanting to lug your heavy gas powered "portable", maybe consider a generator in truck and a submersible pump. Many different kinds of submersibles out there, so do your homework on what would work best for your applications. If you buy used make sure it was never an effluent or grinder pump! Yuck!

[huskyxp]

i do the same as you and markct. I have one bush with 130 taps going into a 150 gal. stock tank that is 20 ft. below where i can park the truck. When it needs to be gathered i also carry my 1 in. pump down the bank (most times its sliding dwn it) and "push" the sap back up hill with 50 ft of discharge hose. I know how much of pain it can be to try and suck it that far so i have never tried it that way.

[maple flats]

Just be sure to leave the valve open upon draining until the ball is empty or the valve will burst when freezes. An epty ball will not be a problem.