Bernard double mechanical releaser

[K.I. Joe]

My releaser seems to vacuum lock in the top chamber. The sap does not flow into the tank but hangs in the upper chamber and works its way to the pump. What would cause this. It didn't seem to do this when I was running 15 inches but is doing it now thst I am at 25.... help!!!

[K&GMapleProducts]

I had the same problem with a single bernard. I found I had a leak that would keep my bottom chamber from reaching the same vacuum level as the upper chamber for a while after a dump. Good luck

[maplenutter butter]

I have D&G releaser and mine did that once. Not sure if there the same, but I loosened the screw that in the middle of the tanks a quarter turn and I also put a little vegetable oil between the slides and manually kept working the releaser for a couple minutes. Worked good for than. Hope this helps.

[K.I. Joe]

When the tanks switch the sap stays at the top chamber. Sometimes after a few seconds bubbles start to come up from the lower chamber and it drains other times it just holds right there.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Had an issue similar to this that was very unpredictable but with the same releaser. Check the teeder-todder mechanism that sets on top of the two canisters and make sure it is not riding up or moving on its mounts. When that happens it will cycle, but will change the position of the plate the moves in front of the vacuum mechanism, which won't let air into the mechanism to switch canisters anymore. It will look fine and dandy and run fine for 10-15 cycles, and when you least expect it, it will move.

[unc23win]

Had an issue similar to this that was very unpredictable but with the same releaser. Check the teeder-todder mechanism that sets on top of the two canisters and make sure it is not riding up or moving on its mounts. When that happens it will cycle, but will change the position of the plate the moves in front of the vacuum mechanism, which won't let air into the mechanism to switch canisters anymore. It will look fine and dandy and run fine for 10-15 cycles, and when you least expect it, it will move.

That is exactly how I fixed mine once.

[rhwells2003]

Yeah I just bought one of these releasers this year and really struggled in the beginning. I was having a similar issue, although I have a feeling for a different reason. All in all it sounds like when it dumps its not making the full transition to sealing and fully vacuuming the next canister. My issue was my vacuum line connecting to the releaser. O-ring was gone and I was using a fernco fitting which was to tight and not allowing it enough flexibility to fully rotate. After fixing this I started having another issue. My vac line is a 1" plastic pipe that comes into my sap shed. All depending on if it was sunny out, or if the wind was blowing sometimes the pipe would work its way into the sap shed a little more which would slightly torque the slide plate that holds vacuum on the canister therefore not allowing a good seal, and breaking vacuum slightly. As you've found if you canisters can't get back to vacuum after a dump the woods still have vac and seal the flappers and just fills up your upper manifold. Feel fortunate your finding this now in warmer weather. First time I found this issue was after shutting my vac pump off at night the first week and not going down to my releaser and checking on things. It had malfunctioned prior to shutting the vac pump off, and my manifold was half full of sap. after a 20 degree night the next day I worked on thawing my releaser for 3 hours with a torch. Not fun.

[K.I. Joe]

Sounds like that may be my issue rhwells. My connection has the original but the piping is very rigid and sometimes forms a leak. How did you repair yours?

Also, when I Crack the drying to allow air into the system, it almost instantly starts to drain into the bottom tank

[abbott]

Mine would occasionally get stuck in between positions when the teeter-totter didn't fully switch. It started doing it a couple weeks ago. Turns out that in my case, the rod on the piston mechanism that pulls the vacuum line to the new position needed to be greased. Never had another problem after I greased it.

One of my chambers doesn't seal up great on top, so it often takes a few extra seconds to get to a high enough vacuum to open the flap to the top chamber, but if this were your issue it shouldn't take too long to overcome the leak. Unless your lower flap wasn't sealing well for some reason?

You said the sap stays in the upper chamber and works its way to the pump. I can't imagine how this is possible. Shouldn't the sap have to go through the upper chamber before it can get to the pump?

[K.I. Joe]

Abbott I think you may be right , I saw the sap heading up the dry line and started to freak. I guess it would have to fill the main chamber to get to the pump. I am done for this year but I will give it a good cleaning and add a more flexible connection for next year. Hopefully that will solve it.

[rhwells2003]

What I did K.I. Joe is I brought my dry 1" line into my sap shed about 15" or so above my releaser. Attach a barbed 90 on it pointing down toward the releaser. I then installed a piece of 1" flex pipe down to the releaser, and then transitioned to the 2" or 2.5" vacuum connection (can't remember which one it is) I also installed a new O-ring on the male part of the releaser connection, and lubed it up good. I also pulled the 1" dry line out of the sap shed to make a good tight connection on my releaser and secured it that way so it couldn't work its way in. The flex pipe seems to give me enough movement for my releaser to cycle good.