releaser

[PATheron]

Guys- Im getting ready to install my bernard double verticle releaser. How much room should I leave between my bulktank and the mainlines coming in? Id like to crowd the releaser as much as I can to get the drop in my line. Also do any of you have a good pic of that particular releaser in service. Lastly, what do you think is the best way to attach the releaser to the bulktank? Theron

[royalmaple]

Put two boards over the bulk tank opening and put the releaser on top of them and mark the height of the top of the releaser on a tree where your mainline will end, then run mainline pipe to that point and then you can continue to run line to the releaser from the anchor tree.

[PATheron]

Ok Matt, That sounds simple. I guess ill have to unwrap the releaser and see how it assembles. It looks like its unassembled to me. Then just set it on the boards and get a measurement and put the line just above it. Do you guys just attach the releaser to the boards as a perminent installation and leave the whole thing in the open or what is the standard? Theron

[brookledge]

I don't have that style releaser but most that I have seen are set right on top of the bulk tank and as far as the mainline coming in it comes in at the elevation of the inlet of the releaser. That will keep your vertical distance to a minimum. Some use the horizontal style to reduce the amount of height used up. I suppose if your storage tank is oversized you could build some sort of a stand down inside the tank but otherwise I'd say just build something out of steel or wood to span your tank and set the releaser on that
Keith

[royalmaple]

That double should stand up on its own pretty good. So when you run your wet line to the anchor tree it will take all the tension, then just run the tube to the releaser so it isn't pulling the releaser over. You could also run a small strip of strapping around the base, kinda like boxing it in, just so it doesn't slide around. But not too high to get in the way of the flapper. Just something to keep it from sliding say even 1/2 ripped piece.

I just set mine on the boards and it stays fine. I guess you could screw in two eyelets into the boards and run a bungy cord over the releaser to lock it in as well. Might not be a bad idea now that I think of it.

[PATheron]

That all sounds pretty easy. Now do most of you leave all that open or try to cover it to keep rain out. What if on that tank I made a stand to hold the tank cover at an angle above the releaser and use it for a roof to keep rain, etc. out. Theron

[PATheron]

Other thing, I can leave my pump down by the shed anywhere I want with no special concern right. I can plumb the vac line from the pump to the releaser any way I want right?

[danno]

I did the same as Matt - ran 2 2x4's along two trees that are on either side of my bulk tank. Then nailed a board on top of 2x4's - so it makes a little table for the releaser. I nailed a peice of flashing to the top of the board so any sap splash would drain off the flashing into the tank, and not the wood.

Lastly, I bungy cord the releaser in place with a couple of bungys - probably not necessary, but what the heck. I like overkill!

Lastly, when you're ready to run the releaser, if you have a cover for your bulk tan, make sure you leave about a 4' foot opening. The sap really gushes out of the releaser.

PA - did your releaser come pre drilled for your main lines? Hope so!

[royalmaple]

I just put some New Hampshire siding over mine to keep the rain out.

Oh boy, lets see who's awake on here.

[PATheron]

Danno- That sounds like a good fix you did. I like the flashing idea. I think its predrilled like you said. Its still all wrapped up. What you did was just pull the cover back 4' and then put the releaser in place? Matt- New Hamshire siding"tarp?" Theron

[PATheron]

Keith- I wondered about the horizontal ones too but they looked like they were for a lot of taps and were pretty expensive. I think this one of mine is good to 3000 taps which is more than ill probly ever have on it but the single was good for 500 I think. Id have to go back and check but I think they were the figures. What style is the one that you use? Theron

[royalmaple]

Theron you got it. Hopefully you got more than 1" holes, 1 1/4 will be handy for that dry line. If not we can tap you out a new hole.

My single verticle has 4 1" holes tapped in it.

I have to tap in a 1 1/4 for this year, unless I go with the electric releaser down the road.

[danno]

Always go with big holes in the releaser for wet/dry lines. You can always make them smaller with poly bushings.

If NH siding is corrugated galvenized roofing, then I use NH siding to cover my bulk tank as well. This stuff makes great covers, I use it on my sap feed tank in the sugar house as well. It's cheap and durable and won't rust for a long time. I used 3 sheets overlapped to cover by 600 galllon bulk tank - just slide them down several feet when releaser is running.

I ran a temporary 2x8 length wise about 6' over the tank and ran a tarp over the 2x8 to cover the releaser and the tank as well. This was supposed to be short term until I built a more suitable cover. But it's worked so well and sheds the snow so well, it's staying. My only problem is that my pvc running from my vacuum pump to my releaser runs just under the tarp - so, when I mounted my air valve in the pvc, I pointed it downward so the tarp would not sag over the valve. This is a mistake I have to figure out. When the temps get cold, the moisture in the pvc that has dripped into the valve freezes up the valve and reduces air intake when the vacuum switches on. Came out one cold morning last April and the vac was at 24 inches and rising quickly. Yikes!

[PATheron]

Danno- Are you talking about the large checkvalve? Ive got one mounted right at my pump. Is there something more than that required at the releaser or did you just mount your oneway checkvalve up near the releaser? Theron

[danno]

PA -

I think they are called vacuum regulators or pressure relief valves. It brings air into the system so that you don't run too much vacuum and fry your pump.

[PATheron]

Ok I know what you mean now, thats down by my pump too. Thanks Theron

[Parker]

N.H. Siding? You used clapboards? I used to use "Maine Roofing" (blue tarp),,but that was always problematic-a carpenter friend of mine built covers for my tanks made out of straping and meatel roofing ,,the covers are hindged with the end the releaser sits on being more of a platform and heavier, but shorter,,,the longer, lighter end lifts up for ease of tank cleaning,,there is a hole cut in the meatel, in front of the releaser that the sap dumps into,,works pretty well,,I would prefer a littel building built over each tank (for ease of cleaning) but thats one of those projects that never gets done,,on Rte.11 there are 6? lines that come into the double releaser,,there is a littel pull on the lines at times (heavy sap flow) so the releaser gets tied down to the tank with alumiinum wire each year (Eye bolts into cover frame) On problem that I have run into with the double releaser id the vacuum line comming from the pump which is 2 inch,,this line tends to pull on the releaser where it enters,,,the point that the line enters moves a littel back and forth when it dumps,,there is a small tab of meatel with a small wheel that works with this movement,,if you have too much pull on the vacuum entrance you will bend this small meatel tab and the 2 peices of plastic that slide on one an other will seperate a littel and you will loose lots if not all of your vacuum,,,,It is critical to have no tension on this piece,,,,I have seen people use very flexibel ribbed hose for the last 2 feet of vacuum line to overcome this problem (that remindes me I have to get some of that,,any ideas?),,,,Theron- Ill send you a pic of the set up on Rte.11

[Russell Lampron]

What Matt is calling NH siding is actually Maine roofing (blue tarp) like Parker said. NH siding is Typar House Wrap which won't work good for covering anything around your releaser or sap tank. I built a "T" shaped piece out of wood that I screw to my sap tank cover to support my releaser. When I get a chance I will take a picture of it and post it with my sugar house pics.

Russ

[New Hope Mapleman]

I would recomend you guys try the boat shrink wrap. I buy rolls of the white and use it to cover all my tanks, firewood pallets and anything else that needs to be kept dry. The rolls come up to 23' wide if you want and its not ever cost me more than 1.50/lf. I build a wood frame that has no more than three foot spans and then shrink wrap it. 27" of wet snow and no trouble!

I'm on the third year with some of it and no trouble. Yeah I may have to replace some for the forth year, but it looks decent and doesn't heat up the tank any!

[royalmaple]

I knew some of you guys would be paying attention.

[maplecrest]

i set mine so that they dump inside the tank. the horzonal dump tube is in the tank , my double fits just inside the man hole of the tank, then my two singles are straped to milk sinks that sit on top of the tanks and are big funnels into the bulk tanks. roofs are two galv. sheets ten feet long with strapping for support that fit on stilts over the tanks. cant be seen in my pics

[saphead]

Parker,
The cheapest place I've seen the hose you're talking about is @ a pool supply store.Cheaper than McMaster-carr.

[PATheron]

Parker- Thanks for the releaser pics. That helps a lot. It looks like your double with all the lines is mounted right to your cover and when you raise it it all raises is that how it is? Also the sap comes out the large ports at the bottom of each verticle cylinder right? How did you let that go through the cover? Do you plumb those prts with pipe through the cover or does the sap come out lickity split and splash all over? Theron

[Parker]

Theron- the cover is hindged,,the section the releaser sits on is 4'? long and does not move,,the other 12'? swings up and can be proped up with a 2x4 that the correct length,,the section that swings up will only go up to the lines (which is about 3'),,,the flappers on the bottom of the releaser hold vacuum in the cylinder when that side is filling (thats one reason why ice can screw up your dumper-get a piece holding the flaper open=no more vacuum) and are critical the the dumpers opperation,,there is a hole cut in the cover in front of the dumper,,when the releser dumps the sap it flows right into that hole,,,,I have to get a faster internet connection so I can post pics,,,,,

[PATheron]

Ok Parker in starting to get it. When it dumps it just flows out of the verticle tank. Does it wait to dump till the verticle tank is full? Thats a lot of sap right? Theron

[Parker]

There is a float inside the vertical chamber-when the float reaches the top of its travel the vacuum is put on the other chamber,,the weight of the sap in the full chamber overcoms the vacuum holding the flapper shut on the bottom-the flapper opens-sap dumps into your tank-flapper closes-other chamber repeats the process,,,it is important to keep your releaser leval and plumb,,,if you can it is a good idea to have it covers (unlike mine) to keep snow and freezing rain off of it.........