Shurflo Pump On Main - Setup Specifics

[kboone1]

I have been cruising all the posts I can find with the Shurflo setups on 3/16 lines and main line hybrids, but I am having trouble with a couple key things I thought a few of you guys that have done this could help out real quick with. I have a 3/4" main line with (5) 3/16 line laterals, and then (2) 3/16 lines that are below the main that I will be attaching to a saddle right at the pump to bring from the lower elevations. I get how to run the lines and connect all the infrastructure above the pump, but I am having a bit of a hard time with the schematics of the plumbing at the pump with the screen, temp controller, gauge, valve, etc. Would someone be able to post a picture or two of their setup and maybe some part links to Amazon or another parts distributor that I could check out? I think that would help me a lot and keep things pretty simple. Like I said, I am not looking for how to run the stuff to the pump, but once I get to the valve and on. Thanks in advance!

Kody

[Biz]

Here is one of my system from a couple years ago, the plumbing can be similar if you have different equipment but here is what I use. The picture is for 1/2". I have used this exact setup for the last two seasons.

Sap inlet line on right side. A star fitting is used in the picture but a mainline can be fed into here too. I like to have sap come in below the pump inlet so it can drain and bypass pump when pump is off.

The black cube is a motorized ball valve but you could use a manual ball valve if no controller. It is closed when pump is running, open when pump off to drain sap from pump/fittings and allow sap to bypass pump.

I like to install the strainers upside down so there is no sap left inside to freeze and break anything.

The PVC stalk is for vacuum sensing with this controller, or it could be used for a gauge. It acts as a baffle for sap when the pump turns off. If you just attach a gauge to the upper stainless tee or even the upper PVC tee, you will find that then pump shuts off, it will spray sap inside your gauge due to the sudden drop in vacuum. I found the PVC baffle prevents any sap from reaching my vacuum sense tube or gauge and prolongs their life.

My Mountain Maple S3 controller is in upper left and handles turnon/turnoff, sap purge, fault monitoring, valve control, status displays.

Dave
20362

[bmbmkr]

I don't have a valve or a temp controller. Here's what I used the last 3 years.

I have 3 pumps, 2 are on 3/4 mainlines and 1 is hooked up to a pvc manifold with 5 separate 3/16 laterals coming in- I transition to 5/16 at the manifold because I couldn't find fittings to transition from 3/16 to 1/2" NPT- I use 5/16 drops on my 3/16 tubing system so I had 3/16-5/16 fittings available.

I don't have temp controllers and valves because I am close enough to all 3 pumps to be able to turn them off an on manually, and the pumps I have, a shurflo 4008 and 2 Ever flo's 3.5 gpm from Rural King, will all let sap pass through if the trees thaw before I get the pumps tuned on.
With that being said, there's been a few times I let them run when the temps dropped below freezing. I was boiling, and just could not get away to turn my pumps off. I was so worried that ice was going to ruin them. A couple hours later I finished my boil and ran out to the wood lot, and the sap was frozen in the laterals, the mainline was dry, maybe a LITTLE tiny film of ice on the bottom, but not plugged up. There were a few frosty ice crystals in the strainer. The laterals always freeze before the mainline does, the pump drains the mainline, screen filter and the diaphragms in the pump and just keeps on humming. There is some debate about this among the forum. I'm just tellin you what I saw in my system. BIZ is right about the screen, definitely turn it up and consider buying an extra or two. You are at a little more elevation and a shade north of me in Weston WV, but those first few warm days at the end of Feb will slime that screen in a matter of hours. I swap mine out and keep them clean- I scrub the screen with a toothbrush and then boil them in some permeate from my RO.

For the lateral manifold:
Schedule 80 PVC nipples from Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/LASCO-1-2-in-dia-PVC-Sch-80-Nipples/3381482
PVC tees and elbows https://www.lowes.com/pd/LASCO-PVC-Sch-40-Tee/344745
PVC Union:https://www.lowes.com/pd/Homewerks-Worldwide-1-2-in-PVC-Sch-40-Union/50160547
5/16-1/2 NPT-https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006OG9WJO/?coliid=I1UEL562G5G231&colid=30DTBJWM1G09O&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

I have the unions set up between the pump and manifold so I can disconnect and take it back to the shop if I need to-

For connecting to the mainline:

Cam Locks:https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Male-Cam-Groove-Female/dp/B07GJQSWTW/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=cam+lock+3%2F4&qid=1574518401&s=industrial&sr=1-7

You can find these at tractor supply and rural king on the shelf- Rural King has npt threads, TS has NPT AND garden hose threads mixed in together- that cost me another trip to town last year. Some people say they leak, I have yet to have an issue with them. They aren't food grade, I sanitize them before using on my sap lines and pumps, and 100% of my sap gets boiled before it turns into syrup lol. I'm working on swapping everything over to stainless- dang it's $$$$$.

I'm gettin ready to put up a 10' sap ladder- guy I talk to in Main has one 12' running on a shurflo and it worked for him! Hard to believe an $80 pump can do that- he has a video on his FB page. I
m pretty excited aout getting my sap 500' closer to the sugar camp without pumping it from the low end 2x a day with a gas pump.



Hope this helps ya some.

Ben Walker

[mountainvan]

I run three diaphragm pumps and adding a line into the sap tank before the pump will increase vacuum. I put a needle valve on the line coming from the tank to control how much sap is pulled in to find that sweet spot for vacuum. Picked that idea up on mt.

[maple flats]

DSD saddles will run 3/16 into 1/2", or any size main up to at least 1.5" maybe bigger. Just order them for the size main you will have. That way the pull on the seal will be opposite the screw clamp for best results. With DSD saddles you can, with the right part, run 3/16 , 5/16 or seal off an unused hole in the mainline.

[kboone1]

Thanks guys, this is a big help, I really appreciate the information! This definitely gives me a better idea for the details.

Kody