Bilge pump

[flyzone13]

I was considering using a bilge pump to transfer sap from ground level up to my IBC tote in the back of my truck, total height would be about 6or seven feet. Would a small bilge pump work for this?

[Sugarmaker]

How much time do you have to pump it? Or another way to look at is how fast do you want to pump it? If you have a full 300 gallon ish tote full and you dont want to be there for a while then you need a good sized pump. Pumps come in all sizes. I use a 3700 GPH RULE to move sap 4 feet to my truck tank.
I use a 2000 GPH RULE to pump from sap collection containers to the truck.
So 40 gallons of sap pumped to the truck in a couple minutes.
Short answer is yes they will work. But size does matter too!
Regards,
Chris

[flyzone13]

I have a little bit of time between buckets. Its more so I do not over do it. Carrying all of those buckets then lifting them into my truck then again to pour them out takes it toll. Besides my 13 yr old daughter will appreciate it as well. Thanks.

[wmick]

Will need to try it out or find the specifications for the particular pump you are looking for.... The GPH rating on the package of a bilge pump (max), will likely be rated at zero feet of head... Need to look into the specs a little bit more to find out the Flow at EG 6 or 7 ft of head.... They are not built for a lot of lift...

Take a look at the attached specs for a cheap bilge pump... Rated at 200 GPH... not rated to pump over 5ft... (and it reduces to 10GPH at 5ft)
15887

[ronintank]

I use a 12 volt bilge pump to transfer sap from collection drums to my sap wagon and from the sap wagon to the feeder drum. i went a size bigger this year to a 1200 gph pump. A important thing to not over look is to run the right size hose. Do not run too small dia. of hose it will restrict flow a lot.

[johnpma]

I rigged up this pump and use it all over the woods, and in the shack to move sap. Works very well with the 1/2" RV water hose I use pumping easily 6 feet up. Made this fitting up to connect the hose

[flyzone13]

How about a pump like this.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170307/1663569c318cc6285fe10ec760b5f929.jpg15901



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[danielschauder]

How about a pump like this.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170307/1663569c318cc6285fe10ec760b5f929.jpg15901



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It will work but keep in mind it is going to take awhile at less then 10 GPM. I use a 3700 GPH 12 volt bilge pump to transfer sap from waist level up to my tank in the back of my ranger. It has a 1-1/2" hose and it works well without taking a lot of time. Amazon sells those pumps as well, just more money.

[Mille705]

How much time do you have to pump it? Or another way to look at is how fast do you want to pump it? If you have a full 300 gallon ish tote full and you dont want to be there for a while then you need a good sized pump. Pumps come in all sizes. I use a 3700 GPH RULE to move sap 4 feet to my truck tank.
I use a 2000 GPH RULE to pump from sap collection containers to the truck.
So 40 gallons of sap pumped to the truck in a couple minutes.
Short answer is yes they will work. But size does matter too!
Regards,
Chris

Was just wondering how these pumps are working for you? Are the rated for potable water? Would you buy another one? Thanks.

[Ghs57]

My 2000 bilge pump can't do squat, unless it's downhill. It can't pump up to the truck tank, so looking for a gas powered pump this year. My 12v DC sureflow takes about 15 minutes per 55 gals drum, but it works.

[Cjadamec]

I actually just got one of those pumps from Amazon to pump from my collection barrles to 5 gallon buckets. Works pretty good nothing special. Takes just under 2 min to fill a 5 gallon bucket.

[Super Sapper]

My 2000 bilge pump can't do squat, unless it's downhill. It can't pump up to the truck tank, so looking for a gas powered pump this year. My 12v DC sureflow takes about 15 minutes per 55 gals drum, but it works.

Is your polarity correct on the bilge pump? If wires are reversed it will pump but a lot slower.

[Sugarmaker]

Is your polarity correct on the bilge pump? If wires are reversed it will pump but a lot slower.

Yes this doesnt sound right. I have 2000 GPH RULE bilge pump that I have been using for years pumps very well with as much as 6 head foot height, and 20 feet of 1.5 inch dia hose.
Maybe you have a bad pump?
Regards,
Chris

[Ghs57]

Is your polarity correct on the bilge pump? If wires are reversed it will pump but a lot slower.

Based on what I'm reading here, I'm going to check it over.


Yes this doesnt sound right. I have 2000 GPH RULE bilge pump that I have been using for years pumps very well with as much as 6 head foot height, and 20 feet of 1.5 inch dia hose.
Maybe you have a bad pump?
Regards,
Chris

The pump out of my roadside drums is a little high, and a little long, I would guess 8ft to the top of the truck tank. I tried this one with a 50' 3/4 hose and there was no movement. It may work to fill the head tank, which is a short run but over 6 feet high.

[Haynes Forest Products]

The reasons I hated using a bilge pump was all the contortions you went through to get it to work at its peak performance AND yours. I used a big one because we were tapping 150 taps in 6 different locations. here are a few of the challenges we dealt with.

Getting good power to it
Keeping screen clean during suck outs
Keeping the pump flat on the tank bottom
Having tanks that you could easily lift up so sap could pool in one end for max pump out
Putting it on a stick so you could easily hold it down in tank
Installing a check valve so all sap didn't pour back into truck tank
Couldn't get pump flat into the sap when ice was present
They didn't suck the last inch so you were always leaving old sap to contaminate the next batch
Took to long so people wouldn't go because it TOOK TO LONG
Cant hook to tanks using Cam-Loc's
Low head pressure
Can't drop them

[Cappy1075]

Was wondering how that pump worked out. I'm looking to transfer from 55 gal holding tanks up 5 feet to fill pre heater pan 10 feet away or to fill a small 25 gal holding tank above the pre heater?