sap lifter

[S Maple P]

I need all the help i can get. I know sap lifters can be a problem but i need to use them. I have two small lapierre, (500 tap) sap lifters and they are both not working 100 % same problem on both My problem is that the sap fills up in the bottom chamber until it starts pushing the float up and starts to create a leak which is the way it is suppose to work. But it also shuts the blue rubber flap between the two chambers which keeps more sap from running into the bottom chamber and so the float never pushes the valve all the way shut. And the sap will not get pumped out of the bottom chamber. I am lifting less than 15 feet and am running about 26" at the lifter. I have tried everything that i know of and it is still not working if anybody knows anything about these things I would be glad to know about it. Thanks for your help in advance.

[TylerMcT]

Just seen your post. Wondering how you are making out with the lifters. I got two of them last year and have had some days I wanted to throw them right in the trash. I had a guy show me a few tricks with them that I have done this year and they are working very well. If you have some questions let me know

[S Maple P]

I would be glad to hear any tips that you have. I have gotten them to work a little bit better. The one i took the metal bushing off the top of the rod that operates the valve and then i removed the E clip under that and put the bushing down on the rod farther. That way it took some of he free travel out of the valve system. This lifter has given very little problems since although it is still not as full proof as I think it should be. The other lifter i had tried the same thing and it was better but far from being good enough. Some days it will work great all day long especially when it is a hard run and sap is flowing in fast enough to give the float enough inertia to open the valve all the way. I think sometimes it is just because of lubrication but i have used plenty of oil. They just seem to be to sensitive and i mean by that, that if you have all the right conditions it will work. I am in the middle right now of designing and building one that you can stick in the woods and dont need to touch it all season. Except for cleaning. But I am still using this kind and would be glad to hear of tricks.