Small Time Vac setup!

[Tappy Sap Master]

This is my setup: 2.5 CFM Harbor freight a/c pump, GE water filter AKA moisture trap, & a milk bucket releaser. All of it works pretty well, I have to believe its pulling at least 17-18 hgs, any higher the releaser wont work properly, the float wont go down. By the way thanx Markct for all your help!9123

[markct]

Looks like a great setup! Once you experience vac it will hardly seem worth tapping in your gravity lines

[Ittiz]

Nice, I have the same pump and thought about using it for that. A couple questions about your setup. Why do you have the PVC pipe connected to the exhaust line? Also shouldn't the pump collapse the flexible line you have there? Also how do you control when the pump is running/not running?

[Tappy Sap Master]

As for the PVC exhaust line, I needed to get the oil mist away from the holding tanks, i don't want a sheen over the sap. The line coming out of the pump is 3/8 to 1/2in then to 3/4. The 3/4 braided hose won't collapse too much volume I guess. I shut my pump off at night, then back on in the am. I also Added a gate valve where the coupler is between the filter & releaser to get it to work properly.

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[lpakiz]

Tappy Sap Master,
How about some closer pics of that releaser?

[markct]

By the way where did you get the dairy washer? I had bought mine from parts dept dairy supply but they no longer carry them. Was around 200 bucks at the time

[Tappy Sap Master]

K will do when I get home

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[Ittiz]

How many taps do you have on the pipe? It doesn't boil the sap in the line? The thing is rated to pull a vacuum well over 29" under the right conditions.

[Tappy Sap Master]

Markct- I bought it at bobwhitesystems.com they are out of Vermont.
Ittiz- I have 106 taps on 300' of 3/4 mainline. It doesn't boil the sap, but that's why I installed a gate valve before the releaser to lower the hg's.

[Tappy Sap Master]

Here is a pic up close!9126

[OakCorner]

Hi Tappy,

Question from a novice who's considering vacuum for next year. How does the flow work through the tubing shown? I see the vacuum tubing as coming through the top cover. Is that then pulling sap through the (5/16ths?) tube that is hooked up to the cover next to the vacuum tube? And the 5/16ths tube is plumbed into PVC that is then plumbed to your (3/4") black mainline tubing? And the two tubes coming out of the bottom of the releaser, are those just the sap drains? I will have about 150 taps on a 3/4 main and this seems like it would be a nice setup for me. Thanks for the great info.

[Tappy Sap Master]

The 3/4 black coming in from side is the sap mainline in, the black 1/2" on top of releaser is the vacuum. The 5/16 line regulates the air in the chamber and sap line.The 2 tubes on the bottom is the sap in & out with a checkvalve. Pretty cheap build too!

[BreezyHill]

Ittiz,
You do realize here on earth we can only pull 29.92" of mercury for vacuum...its physics. Gravitational pull and all.

I am sure it was a slip of the figure, but a guy said that once and somebody wanted to hit 35" with two pumps and couldn't understand why he was not able to get there.

How is the boiling chamber working for ya? I have high hopes for you with this!

Ben