vacuum with a gas powered pump

[peterjd89]

Just wandering if anyone has tried a high vac system with a gas pump. Would it be cheer than electric and would you be able to maintain 26 inches of pressure

[Moser's Maple]

yes
no
yes

[lpakiz]

Jake is spot on.
Not impossible to maintain 27 inches with a dairy pump. SP-11 with a 3.5 HP gas engine, turning around 1000 RPM.
It only had 200 taps so I could really concentrate on leaks. It won't happen with a Bender, tho.

[BreezyHill]

The pump will not care how it is powered. It will only need to be at the designed speed or risk of failure increases.
Cheaper will depend on several variables. What it will cost to get power to the pump, do you have a motor or will you need to buy one.

Say you have to run power 1000' for a 5hp motor vs using a gas motor you can get for $100 and gas currently here is $2.15/gal you will be cheaper to run gas.

BUT...I am not a fan of gas motors on vacuum pumps. To many are run to fast of an rpm for the pump, gas motor maintance sucks. Just cleaned the carb on the weed eater..., and it is so much easier to just turn on the elec motor and walk away not not worry about oil pressure, how long will the tank of fuel last, etc.

So the choice is dependent on your situation and what you really want out of the pump.

That all being said we are rounding up equipment to have 10 off farm pumps within the next 5 years. But my oldest son will be out of college and has had several engine classes and has already fixed a half dozen motors for the farm. One was sitting for 7 years and cost $45 to fix...runs like a champ now.

[sjdoyon]

Currently running two Indiana pumps and get 27" when system is tight. Don't have power to sugarhouse so no option. Would gladly switch to the grid. Cost for gasoline averages $2,500 - 3,000 a season.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Would a propane generator be more costly?? Seems at $ 2,500 to $ 3,000 per year for gasoline, propane would be worth it even if not cheaper because you wouldn't have to haul gasoline.

[madmapler]

Running a gas engine on propane is really very simple. Simply drill a hole in the plastic airbox (I find that a location in front of or just below the carb throat works best) then I glue in a 5/16 maple fitting for hooking on to mainlines. From there I run fuel line to an inline ball type shut off valve that I use to regulate the gas flow. I start the engine on gas then shut off the gasoline and wait for it to run out. The tricky part is to pick right up with the propane. I turn on the propane while its still running on gas just enough so the motor starts to bog. Then when the gas runs out, I just fine tune the propane. I've done it this way with a few different engines (Honda GCs and GXs, predator). A 100lb cylinder will take me about 5 days with a 6 hp engine. Another benefit is 0 carb. issues.