Sap Transfer Pump

[wildoats]

I need to transfer/pump sap from a storage tank on the ground behind the sap house to a tank inside the sap house above the evaporator. I have been using a Wayne utility pump, but the set up and breakdown after each pumping session is a pain. Currently I run an extension cord outside to the tank on the ground and hook up the pump to a 3/4 line that runs inside to my inside tank. I would leave it set up but I am afraid if it freezes it will ruin the pump. So each time when I am done I disconnect the fitting that runs into the sap house. I would also like to move the pump inside, but I still have the same problem, plus the added problem of the sap getting everywhere when I drain it at the end of each use. There must be a simpler/better way to do this?

[VTnewguy]

Can you keep the pump wired up inside and run the lines to the tanks? We have a little honda pump that does it all so i understand the struggle.

[mellondome]

I use a simular setup with a tank. I have not had any problems leaving the pump in place. Just make sure when it is going to freeze that the pump is above any remaining sap level.
If you forget and it freezes into the little that remains after pumping, set the pump in a bucket of hot water to free the impeller.
Freezing wont hurt most sump style pumps due to their design

[Cjadamec]

How much sap do you need to move and how fast? If you are boiling less than 60gph a small pump like a surflo pump could be setup inside your shack with just a suction line leading to your outdoor tank. A little bit of insulation or heat tape will keep your suction line from freezing. Most of those little diaphragm pumps move around 1 gallon per minute wide open with no output pressure.

[wildoats]

Thanks for the information. It sounds like if I have the pump installed higher than the tank on the ground that I am pumping from, it should drain back into that tank and empty out sufficiently. Do you have a whole in your shed that the hose runs through into your outside tank? Do you have a picture you could share of your set up. Thanks for your help.

[EBG18T]

We just bought a small gas transfer pump. Moves 30 gallons a min., I wasnt going to sit there with my small 12v 3/4 inch transfer pump anymore.


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[wnybassman]

Cam lock fittings will ease the removal of your pump.

Also, right where you hook the pump to your line, put a valve. When you are done pumping, close the valve, quickly turn off pump, disconnect pump, then drain the pipeline back into a bucket.

[eustis22]

so right now I have two 55 gallon barrels at the bottomn of my slope that my 3/16 drain into. I laboriously hook hoses up to them to pump them into another barrel in my truck bed. Which I haul upo the hill to the top of my driveway. Which I then again pump 125 feet or so into my holding tank in my shack. I am using 3/4" hose and to be honest, the hookups are a pita, as well as how long it actually takes to pump 50-100 gallons thru 3/4" hose. I am thinking of getting a trash pump for the future and i have a couple questions.

A) where would this pump be optimally located? My collection barrels are about 300-350 feet away from my holding tank down a hill of 30' elevation.

2) Would I get 300-350' of 2" hose to run between the barrels (I would pipe them together for only one feed point)? Or will a smaller diameter line do?

[wurmdert]

I think 2in is way too big. 350' of 2" holds about 57 gallons. All the sap in the line will have to be drained back so it dosnt freeze the line. 1" will hold about 14 gals. I would use something like this if you dont have power available https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200585735_200585735 if you do have power there is a wide range of options. The biggest problem is how much sap you are willing to let flow back to barrell

[eustis22]

I do have an extension cord running down there to power my Home Cheapo EVerbilt pump that I use to load into my haul barrel....don't think it'd lift it 30feet up and 350 feet away though. I'd be happy to switch to a 1 inch line. But still, suck up or push up?

[eustis22]

can I do this: .10 hp pump at collection barrel to push sap up 30' over 100' to another .10 hp pump to push sap at 0 elevation 150' feet away?

[wurmdert]

Others may know another way but from my experience once the push pump starts sucking air it will stop pushing and sap will want to flow back. If you use a foot valve or check valve it will stop the sap from flowing backward but since the line wont stay totally full of sap the pull pump wont hold a prime. I think either way you wont get all the sap up the hill without a high percentage of what is in the line running back to the tank. I have talked to guys that pump thousands of feet uphill and they have all told me that they have to bring what is in the line up manually a few times a season and have the extra storage to hold the line capacity of sap. I have heard of guys running the pump line straight up a tree at the collecting tank until they are above where they want to pump to. Then the only sap that runs backward is the amount in the vertical line, which in your case would be 30 to 35 ft. The rest of the sap gravity feeds to the up hill collection tank. The trick would be running a line that high. If you have a good long extension latter and good tall tree you could do it. 1in pipe at 35 feet only holds about 1.5 gallons.