Diaphragm pump question

[PerryFamily]

I just got a diaphragm pump and have a few questions
It will be on 500' of 3/4" pipe with 200 taps
Full southern exposure

How are people handling ice? I was going to build a 12" pvc manifold with a stainless screen to hold the ice back from the pump.

Can it freeze? I'm thinking of the diaphragm is up sap will run through it and will be ok to freeze? Should I take it inside if it gets super cold?

Thanks in advance

[adk1]

I bought a guzzler last year. I didn't run it all night when I knew it was going to freeze. I do not have a screen in mine but I do have a check valve on both sides of the pump. This year I am going to add a saddle and a piece of 5/16" tubing that will go into my main tank and pumped into the pump so that the pump always has sap into it. Will also keep pump from freezing. I used quick connect banjo couplers to remove the pump when not in use then attach a length of mainline to gravity feed in to the tank. I would typically wait for the sap to start running via gravity before installing the pump and turning it on each day.

[lakeview maple]

I bought a guzzler last year. I didn't run it all night when I knew it was going to freeze. I do not have a screen in mine but I do have a check valve on both sides of the pump. This year I am going to add a saddle and a piece of 5/16" tubing that will go into my main tank and pumped into the pump so that the pump always has sap into it. Will also keep pump from freezing. I used quick connect banjo couplers to remove the pump when not in use then attach a length of mainline to gravity feed in to the tank. I would typically wait for the sap to start running via gravity before installing the pump and turning it on each day. ADK1 If you could would you post some pics of the saddle and 5/16th setup ,Im really curious to see it if you could, thanks ,Allen

[mellondome]

Adk..you will lose your vac to the bush

[BAP]

The diaphragm doesn't like ice going through it. They can be cut by the ice. Putting a strainer in line before the pump will insure that nothing gets into it. Look for inline strainers from companies that make the quick couplers and other sprayer parts.

[adk1]

I was told by the distributor that by adding that line circulating to the tank/pump it actually will help with vac as the diaphragm pumps need to have sap in them in order to get the best vac out of them. It also limits chances of freezing. This is just what glen Goodrich told me at the nys maple conference. Lakeviewi, I haven't set it up yet but will

[mellondome]

Keep us posted on how it works.

[CharlieR]

Last year I noticed more vacuum when the pump was full of sap than when it was dry. I like the idea of recirculating it to get higher vac but as i'm running it off a battery in the woods I'm hoping that by having it shut down it may save some battery life and mean less times I have to switch the battery out!!

Are you guys running off a battery and how long do you expect it to run off the battery continuously?

[Biz]

I'm going to be running a battery powered Shurflo pump again this year in a remote location, this time I will gather a lot more data on battery life, run time etc. I used a car battery and 40W solar charger last year and neither was big enough. Going to a deep cycle marine battery and a larger solar charger. Mine will shut down when cold and sap not running to save battery.

I saw about 12" vacuum dry, and double that when sap was flowing.

Dave

[adk1]

Mine is plug in cuase it is right at the sugarhouse. I would let mine run as long as the air temp is above freezing. If I were you, I would be more worried about not running it than running it. any vac is better than no vac just remember that!

[Biz]

Good point Maple Addict. I have a little drop and an electric bypass valve, so if battery dies I will get some sap flow and natural vacuum. Using 3/16 lines.

[PerryFamily]

Thanks for the responses
The recirculating lie is interesting, please keep us posted with how it works

I think I'll use say 12" of 1-1/4 pvc as the inlet manifold with the stainless screen
Should work good

Where this is going is direct south facing with zero shading so I think unless it's super cold once the season gets going freezing shouldn't be an issue

[Wanabe1972]

I thought about using a recirculating line on my aquatic pumps. If i am correct the vacuum to the trees is going to suffer as the pump will pull sap from the least resistance which would be the tank and just recirculate sap and not pull on the trees. The aquatec pumps I use start pulling very little vacuum when the trees are not running and I have seen upwards of 18 in when the line stays full of sap. I have also found that I pull double the sap with the pump on so it works. I will be running three of these this year along with my dairy pump at the farm. All of these little pumps will run on 5/16 line with 15 to 20 taps and less that 200 feet in length.

[lakeview maple]

I use a Guzzler pump in one of my bushes, its about 135 taps all on 5/16th lines. I have 3/4 inch mains and it covers a little over 2 acres. Its powered by a 12 volt deep cycle, which I get 16 hours out of it or more. I usually will hook it up on my way to work at 630 am and pull it on my way home at 1130 pm. As far as watching for ice in the lines all I did was take a piece of stainless screen and roll it up and slide it in the main above the quick connector, never had a issue with ice or debris. The pump pulls 25 inches ,but it is a small pump and I have to really be diligent with leaks. Any leaks at all and my vacuum drops to nothing. When I unhook it I have a gravity line made up with a quick connect so I just swap them out each night and morning. Great little pump has more than paid for itself in the last 2 years. I did purchase mine direct from Bosworth and saved quite a bit and any supplies I have needed I get from them as well and will have it in 2 -3 days max. They do now make a double diaphragm pump which looks pretty darn nice, a little steep at this point for budget, but you never know what next year holds. As far as the recirculation line goes I got to see it to believe it, mine works great just like it is without a recirculation line. If it will help Im always open to new ideas. My 2 cents plus, hope it helps ,Al

[adk1]

Yeah I have not tried the recirculating line yet personally. I was just told to do this as these diaphragm pumps need sap in them to get the vac intended. I have about 200 taps and 3/4" mainline. All of my taps were originally setup for Gravity so I have decent gravity as it is. I have fixed allot of leaks and should do better this year. One other thing that I was told was to put some form of restriction at the end of the recirculating line that is in the tank so I can adjust the amt of sap flow going into the pump. Haven't figured out what I am gonna use for that yet, any ideas would be appreciated

[Wanabe1972]

ADK1 that makes more sense to me if the line has a restrictor. I may try it this way because they pull a ton more sap when the pump is flooded. I will try a needle valve in mine and try to adjust. If it works better great if not oh well a lesson learned.

[PerryFamily]

If you could get ahold of one of those plastic things that is used for an IV dripp, plastic thing that pinches off the line to adjust flow, that might work .

Or just a small 1/4 "" or 3/8 ball valve

[Wanabe1972]

I have a few small needle vavles that fit the 5/16 line that I'm going to try. I will run a t and a whip from the infeed of the pump to the tank and adjust flow to get the max vacuum.