Surge Alamo 30 rebuild/repurpose

[Clinkis]

So I just want to start by saying thank you to everyone that has posted on these pumps in the past because I did a pile of reading on hear before I started this.

I'm Finally getting around to getting my Vacuum pump all setup. It was ceased up when I got it so I tore it down completely, unstuck vanes, cleaned, honed and polished every surface and put it all back together. All parts seem to be in good condition. I installed a Honda 5hp gas motor. I built a separate stand for oil reclaimer and connected it to the pump with high heat rad hose. Installed a set of Delavel oil drippers (all I could find in my area) including flooding and new copper oil lines. I also installed an oil filter. I welded a piece on to the drive shaft so I could install an aluminum fan blade to help keep it cool. I've fired it up and I'm very pleased with the results so far. It will pull 25-26" with vacuum regulator removed. I reinstalled it and added some more weight to it and I have set to run 22-23" which is where I think is a good starting point.

So a couple of questions for all you experts on these pumps....

What should the oil drippers be set to? (I have them set to every 6-7 seconds)
How much oil do you put in the reclaimer?
I have a 2" drive and a 10" driven pulley and running motor about 1/3 throttle. Does that sounds about right?

Thanks and welcome any other advice regarding these pumps 14986

[Clinkis]

14988

Here is another angle of the oiling systen

[BAP]

You want to put more oil to it. The bearings should get a drop every 1-2 seconds and the pump vanes should get 1-2 drops per a second.

[Brian]

you could add a line that goes from the oil reclaimer up a little, the vacuum should lift the oil in to the air intake. I would use a turn valve and a clear piece of hose to see the oil flow, then add oil by turning the valve, watch the vacuum gauge up and down to reach the flow. I like the turn ones, that way once you find the sweet spot you can count the turns like 1 1/2 or 2 turns. Make sure the oil supply is off when the pump is not running because it will start hard if the pump gets full of oil. If you come out of the bottom of the reclaimer and go up higher than the reclaimer with your oil line then in to the air intake, this should keep the pump from flooding when it is not running. hope this makes sense.

[Clinkis]

you could add a line that goes from the oil reclaimer up a little, the vacuum should lift the oil in to the air intake. I would use a turn valve and a clear piece of hose to see the oil flow, then add oil by turning the valve, watch the vacuum gauge up and down to reach the flow. I like the turn ones, that way once you find the sweet spot you can count the turns like 1 1/2 or 2 turns. Make sure the oil supply is off when the pump is not running because it will start hard if the pump gets full of oil. If you come out of the bottom of the reclaimer and go up higher than the reclaimer with your oil line then in to the air intake, this should keep the pump from flooding when it is not running. hope this makes sense.

Not sure if I follow you. Do you mean to flood the pump? If so, then I already did. There is a dripper and a line that go to the air intake of the pump which is on the lower side of the pump. I tapped a 1 1/2" nipple and installed a brass fitting and installed it on air intake. If this isn't what you are saying then please let me know.

[BAP]

What is saying is to keep the pump from filling full of oil by gravity when it is shut off. The way it is set up now, your oil would most likely drain from the reclaimer into the pump filling it full making it hard to start.

[meadster02]

where did you find your oil filter body and the oil drippers

[jetdoc]

A local dairy supply will have the drippers or Hamby Dairy Supply and search Triple oil dripper system.

[Brian]

Not sure if I follow you. Do you mean to flood the pump? If so, then I already did. There is a dripper and a line that go to the air intake of the pump which is on the lower side of the pump. I tapped a 1 1/2" nipple and installed a brass fitting and installed it on air intake. If this isn't what you are saying then please let me know.


The middle line don"t use the dripper. run that one direct out of the oil reclaimer up and over back down to the 1/2 inch fitting back to the air intake with a turn valve. if the valve is open to much the vac will drop. use the valve to max the oil flow to keep the pump cool.

[BAP]

You want to put a lot of oil to the pump while it is running. What you don't want to happen is to have all the oil drain out of the oil reclaimer into the pump when not running filling it full of oil making it hard or impossible to start. A short section of the oil line going up from the reclaimer with like a hump in it then back down to the drippers will keep it from flowing when the pump is off.

[Clinkis]

14992Will oil run through the drippers? It doesn't appear to be and it didn't run through old oilers. The configuration is essentially the same as the factory setup except I replaced the factory oilers with de Laval adjustable oilers because that's all I could find. They seem to be working perfectly and they appear to quit dripping when the pump is off. I added a third oiler and line that goes to the intake to flood the pump. I do have a ball valve before oil filter so I can replace it without draining reclaimer. I can shut it off if necessary.

[Clinkis]

where did you find your oil filter body and the oil drippers

I got the bank of 3 adjustable oilers from my local De Laval dealer and the oil filter and housing I got at Princess Auto. It's for a hydrolic systems. Seems to work great.

[Clinkis]

Not sure if I follow you. Do you mean to flood the pump? If so, then I already did. There is a dripper and a line that go to the air intake of the pump which is on the lower side of the pump. I tapped a 1 1/2" nipple and installed a brass fitting and installed it on air intake. If this isn't what you are saying then please let me know.


The middle line don"t use the dripper. run that one direct out of the oil reclaimer up and over back down to the 1/2 inch fitting back to the air intake with a turn valve. if the valve is open to much the vac will drop. use the valve to max the oil flow to keep the pump cool.

So you are saying that the drippers will not supply enough oil and I should be getting more?

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

not sure if i posted this before, if so disregard. center dripper goes directly into the intake, i have it almost set at a steady stream, the dripper on the pulley side has a seal on the outside of the bearing, and this is just a slow drip maybe 10 drops a minute. if it drips any faster it leaks out on the belt. the other end is is a fast drip. The hotter the pumps gets and the more oil it makes lots more oil vapor that the reclaimer doesnt reclaim
14994 forgot to say that i keep the resivor at least 1/2 full in the site glass

[Clinkis]

Thanks Ogdens. I've read a lot of your post here and elsewhere and used a lot of your info to build my pump. Do you know approximately how much oil you go through in a season? Do you have issues with oil leaking through your oilers when pump is off?

[OGDENS SUGAR BUSH]

Thanks Ogdens. I've read a lot of your post here and elsewhere and used a lot of your info to build my pump. Do you know approximately how much oil you go through in a season? Do you have issues with oil leaking through your oilers when pump is off?

oil would leak, usually i would screw them shut if i remembered, I think i use about 2 gal per season.

[Clinkis]

Well everyone was right. Oil did leak into the pump through the oilers while it was off. Not a lot but there was a little that seep out onto ground after 2 days. Luckily I already have a ball valve installed so I will have to remember to shut it when I turn pump off.

A couple more questions.....is everyone leaving the factory accumulator tank attached? What are you using for a vacuum regulator if any?

[BreezyHill]

Keep the balance tank for equalizing the vac level when your releaser cycles unless you have an electric releaser. It also serves as a secondary moisture trap.

I never use a regulator since the higher the vac the more sap you get from the tap

Use the dripper on the vac line oiler. Failure to do so reduces the pumps CFMs as you want to pump air and tree gases not oil. Only add as much oil as is needed to increase the vac to the highest gauge reading. Past there you have diminishing returns.

Remember there is a filter on the end of the outlet from a Surge reclaimer. This must be cleaned at the beginning of every season and any moisture in the oil must be dumped daily or this filter will plug and the flow will stop; as will the pump soon after.

If it is not original then the filter maybe out; but still check it. and I would install a new one if missing. Plugged drippers are a pain to clean.

The better care you take of this pump the longer she will last. The old book calls for an oil change annually. If you use good oil this is fine. IF using sub par oil water will entrap in the oil and you will need to change it more often and clean your drippers. Foamed oil will plug a dripper. So no motor oil or hytran oil, vacuum pump oil only.

The fuller the reservoir the more oil that is in contact with the reclaimer body to help dissipate heat.

Use 18" of copper tubing to feed each dripper to get the oil down to the temp of the air in the pump room.

I setup a box fan on a temp controller to turn on the fan if the pump temp goes over 180. Let it blow on the pump and the reclaimer to cool the unit. It runs often on those end of season 55+ degree days and seldom on the 40s days. What you spend in power you recover in oil. Adding a light in the sugarhouse on this circuit will allow to know the pump is running warm. If the light is on steady you can give the pump a quick check.

If using an AUF or AOF draft system consider plumbing the pump exhaust to the fan and burn the fumes the pump makes. What the public never sees is seldom a question.

These are great pumps and I have ordered plenty from Hanby Dairy to rebuild many pumps...Great People to work with!

Good Luck!

Ben