Filter Press Upgrade

[HansonJ]

Hi All,
I have a 5 bank Wesfab filter press with a hand pump. Can I get your recommendations on what to upgrade the hand pump with. Thanks!

[Drew Pond Maple]

https://bascommaple.com/products/1-2-electric-diaphragm-pump?_pos=5&_sid=184860b51&_ss=r
I bought one of these this past winter and had to buy some stainless fittings to make it work. What a game changer over the hand pump

[DRoseum]

Is that pump food grade rated? What is the temperature rating on it?

I tried looking up the Remco pump number and couldn't find those details.

I have been considering use of a peristaltic food grade pump, or a food grade air operated diaphragm pump like SmokyLak offers.

[Drew Pond Maple]

Is that pump food grade rated? What is the temperature rating on it?

These are the pumps that CDL puts on some of their 7” presses
https://bascommaple.com/collections/filter-presses/products/cdl-7-filter-press-with-8-frames-and-a-1-2-electric-diaphragm-pump

[Drew Pond Maple]

I tried looking up the Remco pump number and couldn't find those details.
I believe this is the part number. It was back in November when I ordered it
5537-1E1-65C
I misread your post. I thought you couldn’t find the part number

[nymapleguy607]

They work well, I have one on my D&G press. Just be aware, these pumps are sensitive to temperature. I have had syrup get too hot in the finisher and it doesn't pump through the press well until the syrup cools off a little. It seems to work best in the 180-190 temp range. There these pumps really work well. Air diaphragm pumps are nice but have their own quirks.

[DRoseum]

Really interesting. Will have to look into these more. Spec sheet says max fluid temp of 140F and not food grade (or for potable water).

https://remcoindustries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5537-1E1-65C-Spec-Sheet.pdf

[Drew Pond Maple]

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?36186-Electric-Diaphragm-Pump-for-filter-presses&highlight=Remco
Go down to reply #9 by mainbackwoodssyrup
He contacted Remco directly

[DRoseum]

Awesome thanks for sharing - it looks like they confirmed it's not food grade or rated for the temp but CDL hasn't had any issues, but it voids the warranty.

Tempting to try it. I may also experiment with a peristaltic pump like this: https://a.co/d/aRbqonq

It's much lower flowrate but food grade and temp range is 176F. I'll keep you all posted if I try it and how it works.

[Brian]

This is the one that I put on to replace the gear pump. https://us.h2oinnovation.net/us/pompe-diaphragme-0-5-en-acier-inoxydable-dyids04saitsss02-1-2.html

[maple flats]

I started with a 3 bank Lapierre filter press, later expanded to a 5 bank just by adding 2 sets of plates, both on a gear pump. Then a few years later I needed a new pump and I chose an air diaphragm pump, what a huge improvement, the only issue was the noise of the compressor. The first summer after using the compressor in the sugarhouse I , using my excavator, dug a trench from the sugarhouse to the shop, which is 80' away. In the trench I put conduit with wires to run 100A sub panel in the shop and I put a 3/4" black tubing, for air from the shop compressor to the sugarhouse. Because the shop sets about 2 ' higher than the sugarhouse, at the lowest spot just before the air lind goes up into the sugarhouse, I added a T, taking pointing down, then curving up with a 5/16" tube and a ball valve to bleed off moisture. After that T the 3/4" tubing goes up into the sugarhouse. If I'm using the air powered pump I just leave the compressor turned on and then use the main breaker to the shop to turn it on and off. Very handy and the compressor noise is 80' away, inside the shop.
The Pneumatic pump I bought was Mfr #
PD01P-HPS-PAA-A
Zoro #
G5384337
It's rated for 225F and does very well, back when I bought it, I paid something like $349, now it shows at $405. The pump has performed flawlessly, I've had it for about 10 yrs. When I bought it I also ordered a spare membrane, I'm still on the first one, but I like having a spare just in case.
In the sugarhouse just before the pump I have a reducing regulator to adjust the PSI and a small ball valve to operate the pump. My filter press suggests I keep the pressure at 40 PSI max, between the regulator and the ball valve it's easy to do. I have the regulator set at about 50psi, then as I use the filter I just adjust the air flow watching the pressure gauge in the filter press adjusting the ball valve.
The air powered diaphragm pump is way better than a gear pump.
Another thing I do with the pump, is that I use it to move syrup from my draw off tank, thru the pump and a bypass valve sends it to the finisher. I also have a T in the line between my finisher draw off tank and the pump with a valve before the Tee. I then close the valve from finisher draw off and U connect another hose near the pump at another Tee, and I pump from barrels to the finisher. And of course, the pump moves HOT syrup from the finisher draw off thru the filter and either into a barrel or into the bottler. Thus wherever I need to move syrup in the sugarhouse the pump does the work if it's not in a barrel, if it's in a barrel I use a 4 wheel barrel hand truck by Morse, a model 160 with the large wheels, in case I need to move a full barrel between the sugarhouse and the shop but only if the tractor isn't available. When I use the fractor I use barrel a lifter from Horthern tool, it has 2 chains , a central loop, and a clamp to grab the rim of the barrel on the end of each 2' or so chain, Actually I have 3 of thos lifters, I used to rent storage space less than 1/4 mile away, and at times I needed to carry 3 barrels at a time suspended below my loader bucket

[BAP]

Awesome thanks for sharing - it looks like they confirmed it's not food grade or rated for the temp but CDL hasn't had any issues, but it voids the warranty.

Tempting to try it. I may also experiment with a peristaltic pump like this: https://a.co/d/aRbqonq

It's much lower flowrate but food grade and temp range is 176F. I'll keep you all posted if I try it and how it works.
Where does it say that it’s food grade? It just says that it is used in the food industry.

[DRoseum]

Which pump? The CDL Remco one is Not food grade - spec sheet says "not for potable water"

The peristaltic pump uses a Tygon A-60-F tube which is food grade.

[HansonJ]

https://bascommaple.com/products/1-2-electric-diaphragm-pump?_pos=5&_sid=184860b51&_ss=r
I bought one of these this past winter and had to buy some stainless fittings to make it work. What a game changer over the hand pump

Thanks for the info. That's pretty much what I was looking for. I appreciate all the help!