Sap's Incidental contact through a pump with a CAST IRON HOUSING.

[valleyman]

From my previous question about moving sap I think I should go with a pump vs jiggle siphon. I'm looking for a corded pump under 150.00 and I found the Wayne PC4 cast iron housing transfer pump that seems to be ideal for my needs.

I'm trying to convince myself that it's safe because of the incidental contact the sap would have moving through the pump.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[WESTMAPLES]

there is a 1 inch gas pump at harbor freight for $150 but contact with cast iron impeller i won`t answer why or whynot , but lots of sugar makers use water pumps

[ericjeeper]

A well pump is cast iron and food grade. Don't sweat the petty things.

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[valleyman]

Thanks for the input MT's
Here's a photo of my set up. Not connected- 75' drinking water hose to go to my feed tank.
128341283512836

[Clinkis]

A well pump is cast iron and food grade. Don't sweat the petty things.

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A well pump is potable water grade but not food grade. They are 2 different things. It's seems to be a never ending argument on what is safe and what is not and it also varies between state/province of what is acceptable. If you are producing for yourself I wouldn't be concerned about it but if you are selling it you may want to check with your state ag/food department.

I myself still use 2 pumps and plumbing fixtures that are potable water grade but am slowing trying to upgrade to food grade.

[DoubleBrookMaple]

Don't we all wish someone would publish a "standard practices", an "acceptable materials", as well as an "approved equipment" list for the Maple Industry. Maybe someone has, but is afraid to share it for the liability exposure.

Many products and materials are not specifically approved in any documentation from the manufacturer, but we know from acquired knowledge that they are. If you buy plastic jugs for syrup do you look for FDA compliance statements? Many plastics are, but they have heat limitations. If you buy something made with HDPE or polyprope it will not necessarily say "FDA Compliant", but it is. Stainless steel, we all know is. But we must beware. Stainless steel has no temperature limitation for us, but HDPE does at 230 degrees.

If you buy a pump made with any or all of these materials you can decide if in your application it is safe. You may or may not be able to use it for hot syrup. I have bought several pumps that the manufacturer has not taken the expensive route of NSF approval, never mind, even state "FDA Compliant" (NEVER to be confused with the term "FDA approved", which is a specific approval, mostly in the drug industry). I have determined by the materials, that it is FDA compliant. Trust me, a reseller stating that a product is FDA compliant may even be false.

Food Compliant Materials Table

Nylon (Tecamid®, Tecast®, Nycast®/Nyoil® FG, Nylatron®)
PET-P (Tecapet®, Ertalyte®)
Polycarbonate (Makralon®, Tecanat®, Lexan®)
ABS (Tecaran®)
Noryl® PPO (Tecanyl®)
PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate, Hydex® 4101/41010L)
Acetal (Tecaform®, Delrin®)
Polypropylene (Tecafin®, Proteus®)
Polyurethane (Instantroll®)
PEEK (Polyetheretherketone, Tecapeek®)
UHMW-PE (Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, Tivar®)
Polyetherimide (Ultem® PEI, Tecapei®, Semitron®)
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene, Tecafine®)
LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene)
Polystyrene High Impact
Polysulfone (Tecason® S)
PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride, Tecaflon ®, Solef®, Kynar®)

Remember, we each are the final authority, and responsible for what we use, and what application it is used for. Many products that meet FDA standards, may not be OK for hot syrup.

Now... Where did I get this list?
Is it an "approved list?

Decide for yourselves.

http://www.plasticsintl.com/food_compliant_materials.html

Now...

I have avoided cast iron. I have done my research, and the FDA does not allow cast iron, except in the case of cooking surfaces (for obvious reasons(, because it is porous and cannot be cleaned properly, even when exposed. How can we clean the inside of a pump. But.... does it matter a lot in sap handling? This is not a finished product.
Here is a resource from the University of Florida on food equipment that covers the subject very well.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs119

Now, maybe if we had a maple industry list of approved materials and equipment a cast iron pump could be on it. Let's be clear. The sap has lots of bacteria in it from the start that grows. We boil it all out, so what does it matter?

I try to use pumps made with compliant materials from an approved list. Lots of cheap plastics. I do use a Liberty #331, which is a cast aluminum, with a thermoplastic (see above list) impeller. I feel reasonably comfortable with that for sap, and in the end would not fault anyone from using a clean cast iron. But, you know what they say about opinions....

[DoubleBrookMaple]

A well pump is potable water grade but not food grade. They are 2 different things. It's seems to be a never ending argument on what is safe and what is not and it also varies between state/province of what is acceptable. If you are producing for yourself I wouldn't be concerned about it but if you are selling it you may want to check with your state ag/food department.

I myself still use 2 pumps and plumbing fixtures that are potable water grade but am slowing trying to upgrade to food grade.

Now... It also appears we do not need "food grade" for a pump. We only need "food safe". At least from this source
http://rainsaucers.com/blog/2012/11/02/what-is-the-difference-between-food-safe-and-food-grade

[valleyman]

Thanks for the input MT's
Here's a photo of my set up. Not connected- 75' drinking water hose to go to my feed tank.
128341283512836

Well my 1st attempt failed and I ended up transferring manually. In the previous photos I show the coiled intake hose. For starters it stayed coiled in the barrel. But regardless, I primed the pump plugged er in and no suction whatsoever. After a couple of minutes I shut the pump off being concerned about damaging. I thought I was going to be able to draw sap UP out of the barrel, thru the pump and out the hose. The pump only had to draw up 3-4' max. Today I'm going to try to trouble shoot. I'm thing maybe I have to make an intake out of pvc pipe. Any suggestions?

12895

[BAP]

Did you you prime the pump?

[valleyman]

Maybe not enough? I filled with water (me the dumb ***, should of used sap!) until it seemed like it was entering the port level and just so I stopped there

[DoubleBrookMaple]

[QUOTE=valleyman;293563]Well my 1st attempt failed and I ended up transferring manually.

One rule, as in my pump instructions, is to place the suction as close to the source as possible to reduce the vacuum area. Try mounting the pump on top of the barrel.

[valleyman]

Thanks DoubleBrook