Pump Setup Options

[shthpnz73]

Hi All, longtime follower first time poster...

I have looked all over this forum for a situation similar to mine and have not found one.

I used a Shurflo 2088 last year on 60 taps all on 5/16 tubing through a manifold. Loved the results I got over gravity so this year I decided to go crazy and expand my setup. I put in 1000 foot of 3/4 mainline with two 400 foot 1/2 inch lateral mains which gives me the ability to put in about 250 taps. To accomplish the expansion I need to install two 6 foot ladders, with as currently designed, a third lift being accomplished with a pump for a total lift of 18 feet. The problem I have is I am just doing this as a hobby and giving all the syrup to friends and family so I have a limited budget to get my system running. I know I do not have enough vacuum power with the little Shurflo so I have 2 design ideas and am looking for input.

My first idea was to install a second Shurflo in parallel through a manifold to the mainline supplying vacuum to the two lifts, and subsequently pumping up the third lift. I ran power out to the woods about 300 feet where I am getting about 7 amps which is not enough to run both pumps at full power but should still be better than one pump. This is where the pump was last year in a heated box on a temp controller. Is this a viable idea considering the size of the expanded system?

The second idea was to install a Gast 523, or 1023 in my barn which is heated and run a 5/16 dry line past the single pump in the woods and hook it up to the mainline through a series of saddles, 3 maybe?, to supply vacuum to the remainder of the system. I would then use the wet line to the Shurflo as my "releaser" and as the pump for the third lift. I know there would be competing vacuum between the dry line and the mainline but am thinking because of the increased diameter of the mainline the Sap would still flow through that line to the pump rather than up the saddles to the dry line as the mainline is on a 2% grade and the Shurflo would still be pulling vacuum on that line directly. I would also put a saddle from the dry line to the wet line after the pump so if there was residual sap collected up the dry line it would drop then, as well as a moisture trap in the barn at the vacuum pump location.

I can get a used 523 for $125 or a used 1023 for $300 but I can't afford a releaser so I am stuck. I was all gung ho to expand but now I am in a bind and trying to find a way to get this done for the season or I will have to revert to only what I tapped last year. I also considered a Guzzler, which is a little expensive for me right now, but looking through this forum I am very concerned it wouldn't perform well with the ladders I need to install.

Please beat up my ideas as much as you can, I am very new to this vacuum thing and don't really know what I am doing. Thanks.

[Tweegs]

I’d use the first option and run a second power line the 300’ to the site. This will increase your current capacity and allow you to run both pumps. Two pumps drawing more current than a single run of wire can handle is going to burn up the wire (at a minimum).

I’m not sure your second option would work as you intend. What I do see happening is the main line filling with sap and the Gast pump then pulling that sap right in to the pump, which will equal curtains for the pump.

If the ladders aren’t working it suggests you are not getting the vacuum needed. Leaks, and from what I understand, it only takes a minor leak to lose all vacuum on a shurflo set-up.

Minor leaks can be overcome with CFM, which means you are probably better off with the Gast pump.
Of course, this means you will need a releaser.

Now, what I would do in your situation is run the tubing as you describe. Forget the ladders and pumps this year. Put a collection tank where you would have the ladder.
If you aren’t running at least a 2X6 evaporator, you’ll be swimming in sap with 250 taps on gravity.

Save the money, invest in an evaporator that can handle all those taps and then expand to the vacuum system.
You'll expand, it happens to the best of us :lol:


Now, repeat after me:
"Hello, my name is _______ and I'm a maple addict"

Welcome!

[shthpnz73]

Yes, that is the second part of my money issue, I also upgraded to a 2x6 evaporator and a small homemade R/O so I could handle the extra sap. Now I have the equipment to consume the sap but have an issue getting enough sap for said equipment.

Before last year with the 60 taps on vac I was doing about 100 taps on gravity and ended up with about the same amount of sap which is why I got the crazy idea of expanding. I also do not have big enough storage tanks to throw in the woods to put in all taps on gravity, majority of them would end up on buckets and I would be hauling a lot of sap back to my tanks by my barn. I looked at some used cage tanks but I really don't want to re-use something if I don't know 100% what was in it before I get it. 2 years ago I did all buckets and buried my tractor hauling the sap back which is why I went with the vac system and pumping it back so I didn't need to drive my tractor through the muck. 3 years ago I did just 25 taps and that was manageable to carry buckets back, not so much anymore.

Thanks for the reply, all input is greatly appreciated.

[shthpnz73]

Not getting many responses, so maybe it will just help to write out my ideas and talk to myself. Thought about it a little more and have come up with a modified design with the vacuum pump. I can use 2 solenoid valves hooked to an electric float switch to control vacuum and atmospheric pressure inline with a swing check valve. I would need to find a 3-5 gallon tank that can withstand vacuum, but basically when the float activates the shurflo would turn on, the solenoid valves would both open, one going to the shurflo pump, the other to a relief port on the vacuum tank allowing atmospheric pressure in. The inline swing check valve would shut off vacuum from the pump and subsequently drain the tank using the shurflo pump. I am not sure how cheap of a vacuum chamber I could find, but with the exception of that I could put this together for under $100. I may also want to put in a solenoid on the tap side mainline to shut during this time so I do not lose vacuum on that side. This would work best with a larger tank, but again trying to do this all on a budget.