Modifying releaser for continuous vacuum

[nymapleguy607]

Hey everyone, I've got an idea that I would like to bounce off of you. I have a Bernard single releaser that is the non-continuous vacuum type. I'm thinking about adding a tee to where the vacuum gauge screws in and adding a chech valve and teeing it into the main vacuum line. The way it works now is when the releaser dumps the cylinder moves a stopper inside the manifold and deadheads the vacuum line. If I install a tee and check valve when the releaser trips it should open the check valve and maintain the vacuum on the top chamber. Once the float resets the cylinder moves and re-vacuums the lower chamber. Because the airline to the lower chamber is larger this should be the path of least resistence and once again pull the air and sap into the lower chamber closing the check valve. Any thoughts if this will work?

Thanks

[unc23win]

In theory what you described sounds right. Very interesting you would think that they would sell kits to do just that. I have a double I was thinking about trying to make continuos. Maybe contact Lapierre and see what they say about it?

[Dennis H.]

I did something very simlar with my lapierre hobby releaser, it is the new style.
But what I used was a 6"x12" vaccum booster as a manifold. I mounted my vac regulator on the top, plugged the bottom hole.
Then one of the side holes went to my moisture trap for the in coming vac, another hole went to the vac connection on the shuttle valve on the top of the main chamber of the releaser, on another hole I placed a check valve and ran a hose to the secondary chamber on the releaser where the mainlines come in.
I plugged the 4th hole.

Now when it runs while the releaser is dumping I still get full vac on the mainlines. The vac level does drop a little when the releaser resets though.

One thing I do like is the fact that the vac booster gives me another place to catch any sap that gets into the vac lines. And it is easy to see thru the clear ends.

Oh, the reason that I used the vac booster for this was besides having one that isn't being used I wanted a way to quickly disconnect the releaser for cleaning. Now I have just 2 hoses with unions where they hook up to the releaser to disconnect to be able to pull the releaser out.

I'll try and get a pic of it this weekend if possible.

[BreezyHill]

Yes it will work well.
This is similar to the early Surge Dairy releasers. The release of the vacuum was achieved thru probes into the main releaser that activated a solenoid that would pull a control rod that would block the vac flow to the releaser and dump the vacuum achieved. This way vacuum is constant on the product lines but the releaser is able to dump.
The continuous vacuum does wonders for you vac at the tap hole levels. The only issue is making the releaser chamber as small as possible since you are taking this compartment from 0 to 27" of vacuum. The smaller the area the quicker this is accomplished, giving you a releaser that will consume fewer cfms.

Suggestion I had to install a gate valve last season onto the line that goes to my mains manifold. The issue was that I had added to much sap to the system thru a higher level of vacuum. So I had to close the valve down to force more vacuum thru the releaser to get the sap sucked into the releaser chamber quicker. This made the releaser dump at every 3 seconds from every 5. This system will no longer be in use due to it is being replaced by a Glass dairy releaser that has a pump on the bottom of the jar that is activated by probes when the jar is filled.

Great Idea!

Never stop dreaming of ways to make things better!

Ben

[nymapleguy607]

Thanks for the replies. I will post some pictures when I get it done. Thanks

[nymapleguy607]

Well I got some time to work on the releaser and got everything put together. I haven't tried it yet, still waiting on oil for the vacuum pump but I'm anxious to see it work.

[nymapleguy607]

https://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/photo.php?v=10201986425516535&set=vb.1062366428&type=3&theater
Here is a link to a video of the releaser working. Everthing worked as planned, the releaser never dropped below 26"hg, even during the dump cycle.

[PARKER MAPLE]

your link didn't work

[nymapleguy607]

Try it now

[bees1st]

This is nice ! nymapleguy , what size is your check valve and where did you get it ? I just may have to do this . Thanks for posting this .

[nymapleguy607]

I used a 1/2" check valve, I bought it through McMaster Carr but the maple dealers carry them as well.(It was just cheaper there) I bought a clear valve just so I could see if it was working, if you look close you can see the flapper move but not alot. I used the original 1/4" NPT hole to connect the check valve piping to, I kept it 1/4" because I wanted there to be some resistance so during the fill cycle the air would flow down into the lower cannister.