Lapierre mechanical sap releasers

[nymapleguy607]

Well I think it is finally time to upgrade my sap releaser, came home yesterday to find the moisture trap full and the releaser rod guide pushed down through the top of the cannister lid. Got it fixed and running again but I think its just getting old and time for a new one. I am thinking of a Lapierre style releaser possibly a horizonal, or one of the new 8" double verticals. What has everyone else had good luck using when running high vac. I see the double vertical is available in continuous vac. Is this worth the extra money? Thanks

[hogisland42]

If you have access to power I would go electric. I got one from leader for this year and absolutely love it. Not much that can go wrong with them, less moving parts. I had a lapierre double vertical before and always had problems.

[wiam]

I have had good luck with my Lapierre single vertical. Has to be level. Keep parts lubed.

[Maplewalnut]

I have had good luck with my Lapierre single vertical. Has to be level. Keep parts lubed.

Same here, athough I have mine slightly pitched forward to drain when no vacuum is on.

[unc23win]

I have the single horizontal continuous and like it a lot use to have double mechanical.

[Russell Lampron]

Replaced my Bernard verticle single with a Lapierre horizontal releaser and my troubles were over. The Bernard single was a pain to keep functioning properly and the horizontal is trouble free.

[doocat]

This year we changed one of ours releasers to an MES horizontal with deep well pump inside and I am very happy. No moving parts.. Our other Lapierre double vertical works good but you have to pay attention and lube moving parts regularly.

Craig

[nymapleguy607]

Unfortunatley an electric releaser is out of the question for the time being. I like the idea of a double continuous because if one side fails the other side will keep operating. That said, the horizontal releasers seem to be pretty reliable and with a larger cannister freezing doesnt seem like it is bad as with a vertical releaser

[maplwrks]

I have a Lapierre single verticle releaser, a Lapierre double verticle, and a Lapierre double 8"continuous releaser. All work flawlessly. I have had the same issue as you with the float rod guide coming loose. 2 part epoxy a few years ago took care of that! I do really like my continuous releaser though, and would buy another in a heartbeat.

[wiam]

My single vertical that has worked well for probably 10 years is doing something different this year. Before I have run low 20's for vacuum. This year I have a different pump and getting over 27". After a dump it takes close to half a minute for upper chamber to open and violent bubbles come back up through. Is this normal for higher vacuum?

[nymapleguy607]

My single vertical that has worked well for probably 10 years is doing something different this year. Before I have run low 20's for vacuum. This year I have a different pump and getting over 27". After a dump it takes close to half a minute for upper chamber to open and violent bubbles come back up through. Is this normal for higher vacuum?

I have that happen on my releaser

[DrTimPerkins]

High vacuum is quite difficult for most any mechanical releaser to deal with. The forces involved are quite severe. Regular maintenance and replacement of parts will help, but they will still have trouble more frequently at higher vacuum levels. You need to keep a close eye on them.

[Russell Lampron]

My single vertical that has worked well for probably 10 years is doing something different this year. Before I have run low 20's for vacuum. This year I have a different pump and getting over 27". After a dump it takes close to half a minute for upper chamber to open and violent bubbles come back up through. Is this normal for higher vacuum?

Mine does bubble but not violently. The flapper isn"t completely sealing and the vaccum in the secondary chamber is pulling air up through the seal.

[DrTimPerkins]

Mine does bubble but not violently. The flapper isn"t completely sealing and the vaccum in the secondary chamber is pulling air up through the seal.

New flapper (or cleaning the flapper) and seat might help.

[Maplewalnut]

My single vertical that has worked well for probably 10 years is doing something different this year. Before I have run low 20's for vacuum. This year I have a different pump and getting over 27". After a dump it takes close to half a minute for upper chamber to open and violent bubbles come back up through. Is this normal for higher vacuum?

Wiam- any luck with a fix? My system is super tight now and vacuum at 26 but now have the same problem you mention. It opens eventually to drain but only after top cannister is almost full of incoming sap.

thanks
Mike

[wiam]

No fix last year. This year I did ad an 80 gallon vacuum chamber at the releaser (1600’ from pump). Quicker recovery on vac in releaser. Sap has not run much yet so I don’t know if it helped.

[Amber Gold]

You can buy rebuild kits for them, and the key thing I noticed was keeping them well lubed. Once I started doing that, it was mostly trouble free.

It's been a while since, I had mine, but I do remember when running high vac. the tripping process could get pretty violent.

[woodchuck]

No fix last year. This year I did ad an 80 gallon vacuum chamber at the releaser (1600’ from pump). Quicker recovery on vac in releaser. Sap has not run much yet so I don’t know if it helped.

I would be curious how this works out. I plumbed my releaser so that I can a barrel to act as “capacitor” to smooth the transition. At this point Im small enough that recovery isn’t an issue.