Converting 7" hand pump filter press to electric diaphram pump

[Gavin W. Hooks]

I have a 7" short bank, hand pump filter press that I have had for 2 years and already thinking about converting it to electric pump. Has anyone had any success and if you don't' mind, what pump did you use? Any concerns ?

Thanks in advance!

Gavin

[tuckermtn]

can you be more specific about "electric diaphragm pump"? the diaphragm pump i have is air operated, using a air compressor. the pump is a Warren Rupp WR10. love the pump.

http://www.grainger.com/product/WARREN-RUPP-Double-Diaphragm-Pump-2ERY9

[wiam]

I just replaced my gear pump with the same one as Eric. Works really well. I got mine from Zoro. Free regular shipping. Only cost $18 for 2 day. http://www.zoro.com/i/G2116721/

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks Eric. I don't have any information other than I have seen others recommend a diaphragm pump over a gear pump. Im open to any way to mechanized it. Gear pump included ...

[Gavin W. Hooks]

I guess you guys put a pressure gauge in the line too. do you have a pic ?
Thanks again

[wiam]

I put a ball valve in the airline with a regulating valve/gauge after. I think that with the the gauge on the press I do not need the gauge on my airline. Seems easy to control with the ball valve. Really like being able to throttle it down when finishing filling a drum. My regulator on my pancake is set at 80 which I have had the gear pump to many times.

[wiam]

In/Out are 3/8. I put a close nipple and connector on in side. Then clamped 3/4 hose over that to my draw tank. 3" nipple on out side and clamped 1/2 braid hose to press.

Sorry. I don't know why it turns my pics sideways.

[BreezyHill]

I added a gear pump and 1/2 hp motor last week. 1/2" cam locks to take hoses off for washing ease. I have to install a ball valve to control the pressure to the press. Currently I have a variable speed control on the power cord so I can slow it down to barely spin the motor. When I first started it she would scream and blow the filters. Vise gripped the inlet hose until I remembered the vsc. It sure is nice to pull a five gallon pall as fast as the canner will empty thru the 1/2" pipe into drums. Packing syrup is now an easy job.

I got the motor off ebay for $25, novi drive couplers were like $8 at tractor supply, and the 1/2" gear pump was $30 on ebay. CSC was also around $30 on ebay. Had to buy a section of 1" square aluminum tubing from TSC to get the pump and the motor shafts in line. Took all of maybe 2 hours to hook up all the pipes and drill and bolt down the motor and pump. Hard part was wiring the motor as it didn't have a diagram...that took two days to find something on line and try it just to find it was wrong. Ends up that it only runs CCW on 115 but both on 230. Decided to replumb things and still use 115 as it is easier to plug into a wall box than to setup new conduit and wire for just a press motor.

Went drict couple to eliminate the belt issues. Kinda ugly job but I can post a pic of needed.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks Wiam for the info and pic. Breezyhill pictures are a big help to me. I am leaning toward the diaphram pump but pictures help with piping and gauge placement.

So Wiam, Sorry if I'm not understanding. You have a ball valve and pressure gauge between the air compressor and the diaphram pump. Then another gauge between the diaphram pump and the press (the press gauge)? Did either of you pipe in a bypass too?

Can I ask what size press each of you have? As far as maximum pressure to filter to, it doesn't matter what size press you have right? Was 80 psi the max to filter to until you had to break down and recharge?

Full of question... sorry.

Thanks again for the help.

[wiam]

I don't feel that I need a gauge between the ball valve and pump in the air line. I believe most press have a gauge in the syrup line between the pump and press. I have gone to 100 with this press but not with this pump. 7" cast iron. Takes 16 papers but hollow plates are only 1" thick.

[Russell Lampron]

I have a 7" hand pump filter press that I converted too. If yours is a Wes Fab it is the same as yours. I put a Yamada 3/8" air operated DD pump on mine. I'll get some pics later. I plumed in a by-pass valve but don't use it. I plumbed mine so that I can remove the pump and use it for transferring syrup too. My pump came with a ball valve to control it. I plumbed a gauge into the syrup line after the pump.

I have had some problems with it but found easy solutions. The first problem was that the papers that I got with the press were too thin. I was constantly blowing papers. The solution was to use heavy duty papers which I think is all that the suppliers sell. The second problem is that the end plate isn't strong enough to handle the pressure. Tightening the wing nuts with a pipe wrench helped a lot but I still had problems with leakage when the pressure got a little high. The solution is to wet the papers when installing them and to use 2 papers on the end plate.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks a bunch Russell, Wiam and Breezyhill. Will keep watching for pics.

[Russell Lampron]

Here are the pics of my filter press and pump.

11691116921169311694

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks Russel. That helps a lot.

Thanks so much!

Gavin

[JADavis]

Thanks Eric. I don't have any information other than I have seen others recommend a diaphragm pump over a gear pump. Im open to any way to mechanized it. Gear pump included ...

I can speak from experience that the gear pumps don't hold up well. We did not do a conversion, but traded in our gear pump press with the air diaphragm. We were changing the gear pump too often. Someone told me that the de that we use is abrasive and eats away the gear pump. I never took a air diaphragm apart so I don't know why they last longer.

[tuckermtn]

some photos of my CDL Frankenpress (7inch) with Warren Rupp WR 101169511696

use SS camlocks on syrup hose connections. no regulator or gauge on air pump- just ball valve.

the 90 deg elbow on inlet was only because that is the only coupler we had...

[Gavin W. Hooks]

One more question for you guys... I went with the Warren Rupp WR 10 pump. Getting supplies ready to install. Did you guys just use a water line pressure gauge? If not, will that work for syrup with the increased viscosity?

Again, thanks so much for your help.

Gavin

[Amber Gold]

I have the same pump as WIAM and Tuckermtn. Good pump, but like anything, they are not maintenance free. Needs to be taken completely apart, cleaned, and lubricated once in a while. I did have to replace one of the diaphragms once...somehow it got a tear in it. I bought it from a WR vendor out of southern Maine. Best price on the repair kit that I could find. For some reason, the cost of these pumps has gone up a lot (~$100) from when I bought it four years ago...not sure why since it's exactly the same.

I have my air supply line set up similar to what WIAM did. This year, I added the pressure regulator at the pump...allows me to leave the compressor at 120psi. I got the regulator w/ pressure gauge from harbor freight for about $10 and I also added the air dryer (blue thing in the picture). Got that from HF too...$5 maybe. Air is now dry coming out of the air discharge on the pump.

[Russell Lampron]

One more question for you guys... I went with the Warren Rupp WR 10 pump. Getting supplies ready to install. Did you guys just use a water line pressure gauge? If not, will that work for syrup with the increased viscosity?

Again, thanks so much for your help.

Gavin

I'm using a water pressure gauge and it works good.

[wiam]

I'm using a water pressure gauge and it works good.
Me too. :)

[Gavin W. Hooks]

11754

We'll guys here is the monster you helped create. Thanks so much. Not completely connected but you can get the idea. Let me know if I'm gonna shoot my eye out with this set up this way.

[Dennis H.]

Hey Kid you'll shoot your eye out!

Looks good. Is that a standard 1/2" SS braided water line from like Lowes or Home Depot?

[wiam]

Looks good. You will enjoy.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Thanks. Yes Dennis that is 1/2" standard water line. It is rated to 180 degrees. Think it'll be ok?

[tuckermtn]

this is what i have used for my tubing. so far no issues. can take heat and pressure.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/121/132/=x2h5pu

[mellondome]

I have used the same ss braided water line on my press for years . No issues.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Hey kid you'll shot your eye out!

I feel like I just got my first Red Rider Daisy BB gun with a compass in the stock. Is that wrong?

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Hey Guys,

Putting this new conversion filter press to work and having some problems, actually A problem. I am blowing filters at the same frame every time. Not sure why. We are going to try doubling the filters but not sure what to do. I have filters supplied from Bascom where I originally bought the hand press filter but they are tearing as soon as I start up the diaphram pump.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance.

Gavin

[BAP]

Do you have a plate in backwards? Should be a mark on 1 side that lines them up, if one is reversed, the filters will blow.

[wiam]

Is there a burr or sharp spot on that plate? I never had a paper blow on my 7" cast iron or on my current 10" aluminum. Anytime I have put a plate in backwards it has not blown a paper. Just don't get clear syrup.

[mellondome]

Are you wetting the papers before assembly? Are you using a bypass to remove air from the line? What psi is your pump set to?

[Gavin W. Hooks]

Yeah, it was two plates that were flipped. Rookie mistake.

It took some working with (and rereading this thread). Once I added a second paper to the last bank and tightened the screws with a pipe wrench everything went fabulous.

Thanks again so much for the input. I was very happy with its performance when put together properly.

[Gavin W. Hooks]

We did wet the papers and by trial and error released the air with the by pass but not consistently. We'll add that to our plan.

Compressor was set to 80 PSI and after putting the pipe wrench to the screws it went very well. Using the ball valve in the air line to control pressure worked great.

[wiam]

I have never released air with the bypass. When I replumbed to add the air pump I removed the bypass.

[sweetwater sugar shack]

Do u think I could do the same with a 5 inch filter press

[wiam]

Should work.