Gear pump vs diaphragm pump for filter press

[MapleMike]

Looking upgrade my hobby filter press. Anyone have experience with gear vs diaphragm syrup pumps. Also wondering if the Air diaphragm pumps require a compressor?
Thanks in advance for your help.

[maple flats]

Yes, you need a compressor to run an air powered diaphragm pump. On my filter press Initially I had a gear pump, but when it needed rebuilding I changed to an air powered diaphragm pump. You get far more control with the diaphragm pump. I run mine using a small pancake compressor. My compressor does fine and it's only a .8 HP motor on it. This is what I use https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200197024_200197024?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Air%20Tools%20%2B%20Compressors%20%3E%2 0Portable%20Air%20Compressors%20%3E%202%20-%209%20Cfm%20Air%20Compressors&utm_campaign=Porter%20Cable&utm_content=100033&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjoH0BRD6ARIsAEWO9Ds0zh90Ob5sLVRXtrJX 4l7T2WFee8gXPf6IHzw-_BfINPdRBKUcsmgaAl2eEALw_wcB
I like the diaphragm pump far better.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

We have a 7” Wesfab with a gear pump. Works perfectly fine but a diaphragm pump is nice. Like mapleflats did, when it is time rebuild that pump we will go with a diaphragm. They are just very expensive. If you want to save a few bucks, nothing wrong with the gear pumps.

[Russell Lampron]

If you are buying a brand new press get one with a diaphragm pump on it. Gear pumps are being phased out and a press with a diaphragm pump will be easier to sell when it's time to upgrade again. I put a diaphragm pump on a hand pump press that I used to have and really liked it. I replaced that press with a full stack press with a diaphragm pump and love it. It's easy to control and there's no messy bypass hose to deal with. I use a 3 hp oilless contractors compressor to run mine.

[MapleMike]

Thanks guys for your input.
One more question, I know with cone/wool filters and pre filters they work better if warmed and moist. Do you do the same with press filters?

Russ
Do you remember which air pump you bought for your hand press. I have a Maple Guys Mini Jet press that the motor won’t move the syrup with any amount of DE in it. It comes with a little magnetic beer pump. I want to replace it so it works again before I sell it to upgrade.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We switched this year from a 1/2" gear pump to a 1/2" diaphragm pump and have found that we have trouble getting more than 30 gallons through before changing while we used to get 60. We have a ten inch press and use DE per the Guidelines Leader has on their Website.

It could be that there's more niter this year as I've seen large flakes (some as big as a 50 cent piece) of it in the syrup pan after a 4 hour boil that I've never seen before.

[Russell Lampron]

Mike I bought a Yamada 1/2" pump for my hand pump press. I don't remember the model number but do remember that it had Teflon diaphragms. I have since replaced that press with a larger press that also has an air pump on it. That pump is a 1/2" Wilden pump.

Brian I had a lot of trouble with nitre this year for all but the last two boils. I had trouble getting 20 gallons through my 7" full stack with a 1/2" air pump. It would do it but the pressure would be spiking up to 80 psi. The last two boils went right through and the pressure never went above 30 psi.

I don't know if it was the nitre or if it was the filter aid. I struggled with nitre, or so I thought all of last season too. If I remember right I started a new bag of Diatomite filter aid that I bought at Bascom's at the beginning of last season. I bought a new bag of Diatomite filter aid from Sunnyside Maples toward the end of this season and started using it on those last two boils when filtering got easier. Thoughts?

[220 maple]

used a gear pump for 20 years on D&G 5 bay filter press, pump finally gave up the ghost, it will still pump just can't build pressure to get syrup thru filter press, so we just got an air diaphragm pump, even when the gear pump was brand new it could not get syrup thru the filter press like the diaphragm pump, 22 year syrup producer votes for air pump!

Mark 220 Maple

[Potters3]

Hands down, go air. Started with a gear pump, when it failed went to a air pump (bought from H2O) way more control and easy to us. Also works great pumping barrels out.

[maple flats]

Besides that, brass gear pumps are no longer legal to use (Since Jan 2020), if going with a gear pump it now needs to be SS. The cost of those SS pumps are right up with an air diaphragm pump and the diaphragm gives you far easier control.