Shurflo diaphragm pump vaccum

[Gr8dad]

I only recently learned of the use if a shurflo diaphragm pump to create vacuum on 3/16 lines. Now I learn this is in widespread use.

1. What can I expect for increased yield by properly using this system.

2. Any advice instructions or diagrams for properly wiring and plumbing this system would be appreciated. I intend to run 2 off of 12v deep cell car batteries.

Thanks.

[motowbrowne]

I only recently learned of the use if a shurflo diaphragm pump to create vacuum on 3/16 lines. Now I learn this is in widespread use.

1. What can I expect for increased yield by properly using this system.

2. Any advice instructions or diagrams for properly wiring and plumbing this system would be appreciated. I intend to run 2 off of 12v deep cell car batteries.

Thanks.

I'm lazy. I plumb the 1/2" npt threads of the pump to a simple strainer and then to a piece of 1" mainline with a couple saddles and a 6-way star fitting. I make some 2 wire extension cords and hook them to whatever car battery I have handy. I run about 4-500 feet of extension cord and hook up a battery charger to the battery. Works great. I leave my pumps on 24/7 during the season.

I've been right around .6 gallons per tap every year since I started using them. About double our previous number.

[Gr8dad]

Thank you.

Do I need a fuse or 12v 15amp ac/dc converter between the battery and pump?

I am going to hook the batter to 200watts of solar panels.

[DRoseum]

The yield increase depends on multiple factors such as:
(1) age of system- new install has great yield in 1st year
(2) amount of elevation drop (the more drop = more vacuum = more yield)
(3) how leak tight the system is
(4) length of laterals - friction losses on longer runs
(5) number of taps per lateral - too few or too many hurt you.
(6) weather 

I did 3/16 on a diaphragm pump for the first time this year. I used an aquatec 8852 instead of a shurflo because I had it from a smaller RO I used to have. It worked amazing. Here are some numbers for comparison:
(1) better seasons on buckets yielded 0.17 gal of syrup per tap. Vacuum using a diaphragm pump like a shurflo put me at 0.275 gal/tap of syrup. ~62% increase in yield.
(2) local friend (within 3 miles) who tapped same day, and pulled taps on the same day, and had comparable number of taps and was on short 5/16 drop tubes into buckets got 0.055 gal/tap of syrup. In years past our syrup/tap were always very comparable. This year I got 0.275 gal/tap. That's 500% increase.
(3) plenty of actual studies show average of double yield if you achieve good vacuum given the variables above.

Neither of my numbers are from perfect controlled experiments, but it is more than enough to convince me there is significant yield increase from using vacuum on 3/16 if you have good slope already.

Was able to get ~25 inHG with over 100ft of drop from top to bottom. Had over 80 taps on 5 lines, some up to 1100 ft long. Averaged more than 1 gal of sap per tap per day. 19 gal of sap per tap on a short season.

Diagram
22333

Video

https://youtu.be/ni3ScN3lhZs

[MISugarDaddy]

Our sugarbush is about 1/2 mile from our sugarhouse and any available electricity. Previously we had to retrieve our 4 batteries every evening to recharge them. This past season we purchased two 700 watt propane inverter generators (Home Depot and Amazon carry them) that we used to power four battery chargers to keep the batteries fully charged all the time, regardless of the weather. Definitely an option if you don't have electricity nearby or if you don't want to rely on solar. It is great when the sap continues to flow overnight because the batteries remain fully charged all the time.
Gary