horizontal electric releaser/extractor reviews

[red maples]

Looking to change things up a bit and going with a horizontal electric releaser/extractor for next season. Looking for reviews if anyone has one. Everyone that manufactures maple equipment is making releasers these days. I will be getting probably the smallest of them for up to 1000 ish taps. CDL, Lapierre, bernard any input would be great.

thanks

[Russell Lampron]

I'm friends with a guy named Jason Perry on facebook. He bought a new CDL horizontal releaser for this season that was rated for 1,000 taps on high vacuum. The pump that came with it failed on the first run. After replacing the pump he found that with it working as it should that it wouldn't even handle 500 taps at 25". CDL refunded his money and I don't know what he got for a releaser to replace it.

I have a Lapierre horizontal mechanical releaser and it has been very reliable and basically trouble free. I know, it's not the same thing that you're looking for. I had a Bernard single vertical mechanical releaser before that it was nothing but trouble with vacuum leaks and failure to dump issues galore.

I've heard nothing but good things about anything made by MES. They are good people to deal with and they make releasers. They are in Henniker which is probably a closer drive than going to Bascom's from where you live. The Maple Guys isn't too far from you either if you decide to go with a Lapierre. I'd stay away from Bernard and CDL from my own experiences and what I've heard from others.

[spud]

I second that BIG TIME. Stay away from CDL and Barnard manual releasers. Lapierre makes very good manual releasers and they work.

Spud

[DrTimPerkins]

We've had good luck in the past with Bernard and Lapierre mechanical releasers. Both worked well, but we always cleaned and serviced them very well after the season. Occasionally a few new parts (pistons, springs) were necessary, so keep a few spares on hand. Keeping the float rod clean is also important. Clean it, buff it mildly with steel wool, lubricate, then wipe off the lubricant with a clean cloth.

We tried some continuous vacuum releasers several years ago (when they first came out). Wasn't real happy with them...may have simply been that they hadn't worked all the kinks out yet.

We tried the Hydra last year. Loved it and wanted to buy several more....but they discontinued making it. :(

We currently run a CDL horizontal electric. Works fine once we took off the filter screen that plugged up every 5 minutes during the first few runs. The only thing I don't like is that unless you raise it up off the floor there isn't a good way to drain it to disassemble and clean it. I see now that they (as well as some other dealers) offer an in-place sprayer head to allow cleaning without taking it apart...haven't tried it (yet). Functionally it's worked well for us, but since it is such a critical piece of equipment we keep a spare pump on the shelf in case it ever failed.

The issue with ANY electric releaser is that the pump has to deal with evacuating a chamber under vacuum. Not a big deal at low or moderate vacuum, but when you get to 26" Hg and better, they start to have issues dealing with pumping out the chamber quickly enough (since they're fighting against the internal vacuum), especially when things thaw out in the morning and you get big gushes of sap coming down the lines. At that point you have to start adding additional devices that either open a small leak into the releaser or a valve that automatically shuts off the vacuum line. Either of those approaches allow the releaser pump to catch up to the incoming flow.

[spud]

My electric releaser is the CDL vertical with the bigger pump. I think the pump is 1-1/2 or 2hp. From bottom to top sensor there is 31 gallons. It take 40 seconds to dump that 31 gallons. That means the pump can pump out 45 gallons per minute or 2700 gallons per hour. Even during a morning gusher my pump should handle the 4050 taps coming into that releaser. Dr. Tim am I right or should I be concerned? I purposely bought the bigger pump for this very reason. Thanks.

Spud

[DrTimPerkins]

As long as it's working, I wouldn't be real overly concerned. I don't recall whether our pump is the smaller or larger unit, but we only have about 2,500 taps on that releaser. We also have a lot of mainline in the woods since we light to have sections segregated for measuring purposes. Never had this particular problem until this year when we put a larger vacuum line between the pump in the lab and the releaser in the sugarhouse (maybe 250 ft apart) and streamlined the fittings to get better CFM transfer. Better vacuum = new problem, but better vacuum is the kind of problem we like to have :) Our elevation won't let us get much better...there's no solving that problem.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Our main woods (5600 taps) has a Bernard 6000 tap releaser(mechanical originally). 3 years ago I converted to electric. One of the best investments I have made. It's set up with a 3 phase 1.5 hp pump in a tube. I like the fact that the releaser will still work mechanically if needed for two reasons. If the pump goes down releaser will still work mechanically and also I can shut gate valve next to releaser and pull pump off for cleaning even with sap running. If I had to do it again, I'd go the same route. Buy a mechanical releaser and have the guys at mes set it up with a pump in a tube
Neil19744

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Yep not sure why, always loads my pics upside down no matter what I do.

[red maples]

thanks for the input... I was trying to figure out the set up there, thanks for the clarification of it being upside down.

My woods are very flat, sorry to say. so I am hoping to increasing the size of mainline this off season for better vacuum transfer I do run a wet/dry system but wet line still need the sap to flow. (pretty very important) I am also investing in more blue mainline so I can see the dips. I do my best with keeping the slight pitch but still difficult with black water pipe. figuring to add a little more every season until get it through out.

that being said I want to move the releaser closer to the sugarhouse but since I am so flat I can actually gain a a fraction of slope but setting things up lower at the releaser point. I also want the closed system instead of the dump into the tank style which is difficult to close up tight to keep bugs and things out especially late in the season. my main bulk tank is in an insulated closed room with the RO so no bugs. stays cooler in warmer weather.

I have a little 10 year old hobby that is terrible with anything over 23/24" just doesn't work. want to get rid of that.

I have a lapierre mechanical that except for a leaking bottom once and a bearing that went in the vac shut off mechanism it has been almost flawless and VERY reliable for the past 5 years. been running average of 27" this year so it has be able to handle the higher vac.

I have heard good things about MES so I will need to take a trip up there this year to see. and its only in heniker which isn't bad. my last 2 releasers I got through the maple guys.

I do like the optional mechanical/ electrical then you have the false safe if the pump fails. from what I hear mes are very good at fabrication and conversions and lots of ideas to help with specific custom needs.

[Russell Lampron]

MES is a pleasure to deal with. Their prices are reasonable and products are top notch. I really like the membranes that I got from them and not just because of the low price. They flow good and clean easy.

[S.S.S]

We have a MES and absolutely love it.