Premade vacuum system

[Bullet]

I have very little knowledge of electrical equipement (watts, amps, volts all Greek to me). So I'm looking for a manufacturer or an individual who will put a vacuum system all together for me (much like RO in a Bucket). I have about 70 taps on two lines of 3/16 tubing. I can get A/C power to the unit as it all comes to my A/C powered shack or solar panels if necessary. I'm looking for simplicity and functionality. If anyone can either guide me to a good schematic with specs so I can put this together from Amazon or if someone is in the business for the the little guy please let me know. I've seen some systems in a plastic tote with a diaghram surflo, this would suit me perfectly. However, being electrically challenged I would prefer a plug and play.

[DRoseum]

Here is a video and overview of the one I built. It worked awesome. Pretty straight forward to wire up. I have a simplified schematic attached as well. If there is enough market demand, I would gladly produce these for others. I ran over 80 taps on it and it pulled nearly 4x the sap per tap that buckets produced.

https://youtu.be/ni3ScN3lhZs

https://www.sugartree.run/2021/02/316-tubing-vacuum-system.html

Only changes I would make is to remove the internal gfci and dimmer switch for the strip heater. Just make sure its plugged into a gfci outlet. My outlet couldn't be changed over. Strip heater on full power worked fine to prevent freeze up.

22371

[bill m]

Send a message to member "Biz" on here. He builds just the system you are looking for.

[VTnewguy]

Biz, aka mountain maple is your guy with ready to go vacuum system

[wobbletop]

Here is a video and overview of the one I built. It worked awesome. Pretty straight forward to wire up. I have a simplified schematic attached as well. If there is enough market demand, I would gladly produce these for others. I ran over 80 taps on it and it pulled nearly 4x the sap per tap that buckets produced.

https://youtu.be/ni3ScN3lhZs

https://www.sugartree.run/2021/02/316-tubing-vacuum-system.html

Only changes I would make is to remove the internal gfci and dimmer switch for the strip heater. Just make sure its plugged into a gfci outlet. My outlet couldn't be changed over. Strip heater on full power worked fine to prevent freeze up.

22371

If you didn't have the 100' of drop for your vacuum, would it still have worked?

[DRoseum]

Yes. I believe the OP was more interested in the control system and yes that worked fantastic. It controlled the pump and kept the cooler box above freezing. I don't have a heated sugarhouse so protecting the diaphragm pump from freezing was important to me. Or for anyone who wants to deploy these in remote locations.

As for the performance of the vacuum ... 100 ft was max drop on a couple lines. 2 lines were only 40 or so feet of drop. They still got over 23 inHG and performed great.

The small diaphragm pumps like a shurflo 2008 or 4008 or an aquatec 8800 are "self priming" for 6 to 8 feet. This means those pumps can pull a vacuum of 5 to 7 in-HG on a tube filled with only air and with a dry diaphragm to pull the fluid up a tube 6 to 8 feet to start pumping it.

The maximum amount of vacuum you can achieve is a factor of total elevation drop, length of the run (friction losses), how well sealed your system is (at fittings and taps), age and cleanliness of the system, what elevation you are at, etc.

But these little diaphragm pump will definitely introduce increased vacuum on the lines, especially for trees near the bottom who have less drop to the tank.

Tons of people are using these with great success.

[Biz]

Check out my website (below) for diaphragm pump controller systems. The systems can be set up to run on battery or AC power. No heater is required. I used two systems last year, one mounted in a tote with 85 taps and one mounted on a plywood panel with 108 taps, both had multiple 3/16 lines feeding them. Vacuum saved the season for me this year!

Dave


Biz, aka mountain maple is your guy with ready to go vacuum system

[RileySugarbush]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18RK7i22OBE

If you like simplicity, check this out. I use a 4008 shurflo on four 3/16 lines, total of about 80 taps. Good drop but not all trees are at the top of the hill, so I add the Shurflo. I use a 12VDC pump even though 120 VAC is available. They last better under continuous use. I use an old manual battery charger to provide the 12VDC. It doesn't take much current.

Here is the simple part:

I mount the pump so the inlet is facing up, outlet at the bottom. The sap lies go into a length of 3/4 " tubing, a few inches long to make sure there is always sap at the pump inlet when there is any flow. I add a Shurflo inlet screen to the pump. I plug in the pump when we tap in late Feb at first run. I unplug it when we are done in April. It runs continuously throughout the season. Even overnight when it freezes. If we have a hard freeze for a few days I might unplug it for a while. Third year on the same pump and still pulling 23+ inches as long as I don't have too many leaky taps. I just throw a plastic bin over the charger so it doesn't get rained on. A little shield over the pump motor when I remember, which I did not get to this year.


No controller, solenoids, cooler, or all that stuff. Here is why I think it works: The running pump is always going to be a little warmer than the feed lines going in. So nothing freezes in the pump diaphragm as the lines freeze and stop. It pumps itself mostly dry.

[DRoseum]

I really like the simplicity here, John. Great setup!

I was just worried about freezing a pump and ruining it mid season. Those 12v temp controllers are VERY cheap ($13 for three of them) and I had the old cooler and strip heater on hand.

@Bullet - you now have a full range of options from most simplistic and economical (John's), to most advanced (Dave's S3 controller) and something in between!

[Bullet]

Thanks to all for your support. I'm looking at the suggested systems. Can't tell all how helpful you have been...I'm grateful.