Ridgeland Farm

[Ridgeland Farm]

Well we weren't able to get tapped for the last warm spell. Im not overly disappointed though. Have about 500 left to go and we will be done. Got a new vacuum pump this year. Very excited about it! And what im most excited about is my new camera system to monitor my vacuum, releaser and tank!!!! My releaser is about 1500 feet down a hill in the woods and its a half mile or so to my house. Last year I ran power to it so I could have my vacuum pump at the releaser. The lower part of my orchard is colder so I run into freezing releaser a lot. I had always talked about trying to put a camera system in to be able to monitor it all. I finally got it done! It feels a little like cheating but man is it going to save me some serious time! And it will be nice to be able to show people the sap pouring in without trekking them through the woods!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/jgguppyboy2/Screenshot%2037.png (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jgguppyboy2/media/Screenshot%2037.png.html)

[steam maker]

Hey could u pass on any info on camera system ? Roughly how much money ? Does it need wifi or use cellular plan etc. i have a spot id love to do that thanks

[Ridgeland Farm]

pm sent...

[Amber Gold]

Hey Newbie, Pretty cool. Think you can send me the info too? Thanks

What are your running for a pump now? If you're having freezing problems, I would've installed an electric releaser and put it in your pump shed. I did that and haven't looked back...love it. You already have power down there.

Good luck this season!

[Ridgeland Farm]

hey josh, sorry, I didn't see you responded to this! Ill hook up with you at some point and let you know where I got the camera setup! I am running an atlas copco pump. I am so happy I switched. So much easier to deal with and much better vacuum. Once I got all my leaks fixed I am consistently pulling 28-28.5 inches! I didn't believe it at first but even the pump company brags about these pumps being able to pull this kind of vacuum and they sure do. Most I could get out of my liquid ring pump was 27 on a good day. Next year I will be going with an electric releaser. I am done chipping ice out of my releaser every freeze we get! I have been battling my releaser since the day I got it pretty much. Just poorly made. And with a mechanical I can get rid of check valves and use a regular clear spout!

[Russell Lampron]

I would like info on the camera system too. My tank is about 1500' down the hill too and it would be nice to see how much is in the tank without having to go down and look.

I've got a horizontal mechanical releaser. It has fewer moving parts and is a lot more reliable than the doubles for about the same money. It will handle 8000 taps and is overkill for my 700 tap orchard but I am glad that I bought it rather than the double mechanical.