It won't pump

[maple flats]

Today I am having fits with my sap pump. Yes, it starts! But it won't pump. I prime it and put the suction tube in the sap tank but when I run it the thing won't pump. It worked fine yesterday. I can't find any leak in the suction hose but think I may have to get or make up a new one. I even filled the suction hose after priming the pump but nothing. This is a Briggs 1HP 4 cycle and the thing starts and runs good, the pump is a plastic unit. I pulled the pump off the motor, it turns and feels right but I opened up every port and can not see the impeller to know if everything is ok. Everything seems to be out of view. I find nothing holding the thing together so I think it may be pressed together. Since this is a new pump this season I don't want to tinker too much BUT I got it from TSC and they really know nothing about them.

[Fred Henderson]

I am sure that those have an internal check valve, try flushing it with a graden hose at both the suction and discharge ports. Then try it again.

[HHM-07]

I have the exact same problem, mine was new last year i can't see anything wrong with it , but don't know much about them come on guys can,t you see we need your HELP!!!!

[maple flats]

They may but the only check valve i detect is a flapper that is on the inlet or suction port. That looks good from looking in and I see nothing stuck to it nor do I feel any roughness. However I will try flushing the entire pump body with a hose and see if that helps.

[maple flats]

Thanks Fred, I may have found it. I went to push water thru the pump with a garden hose and it would not go. I then took the suction line off the pump and it turns out there is ice in the suction line very near the pump end. When I was trying to get the pump to work earlier I thought I could see water getting to the pump (the suction line is clear) but apparently it was stopping a few inches from the pump. I now have the suction line thawing and will re-try a little later. If this turns out to be the problem I feel rather foolish, but a simple fix is always best. I will let you know later.

[Bill'sSugarShack]

Thanks Fred, I may have found it. I went to push water thru the pump with a garden hose and it would not go. I then took the suction line off the pump and it turns out there is ice in the suction line very near the pump end. When I was trying to get the pump to work earlier I thought I could see water getting to the pump (the suction line is clear) but apparently it was stopping a few inches from the pump. I now have the suction line thawing and will re-try a little later. If this turns out to be the problem I feel rather foolish, but a simple fix is always best. I will let you know later.

Was going to ask if you had ice in the pump or hose...
Gotten so i carry a small propane torch with me just incase...

[Fred Henderson]

If you have any kind of a restriction or an air leak in a centrifugal pump they will not pump any liquid. The shaft seal is good place for an air leak. However a pump like yours is by design self priming which means it has a very good shaft seal. It should always hvae some liquid in it before attempting to pump but if is does not prime and pump it should not be allowed to get the liquid hot.

[tapper]

I was pumping sap a few nights ago. It started out pumping ok but then stopped. Turns out the sap was so cold that it iced up the hose inlet. A couple buckets of very hot water off the preheater fixed that problem.
Pumps are troublesome enough add ice to the factor and it makes for a real headscratcher.

[maple flats]

might be we'll have to start making syrup during mosquito season so it won't freeze!!! I did get some ice out of the hose. I'm going to try it again tomorrow, mid morning since nothing ran today.

[DS Maple]

You are not alone with pump problems. Our 2" Pacer pump decided it was going to self-destruct this year, (which is only its second.) It worked fine when it was put away last year, in a heated building, but when it was fired up for the first year there was small amount of water shooting straight up from the pump housing. The next day this "small amount" turned into a geyser of sap shooting 7' in the air. Pacer is sending a new one free of charge, but until then we just keep band-aiding it with whatever heavy-duty glue we can get our hands on.

[danno]

As soon as I saw your thread - I thought - frozen line. I've been battling it the last couple of days. Got to keep that pump going full time or lines just freeze right up. That's why I like using the sump pump - just keep it submerged in sap full time so the pump does not freeze. When ever I stop the pump, have to pull the lines into the sugarhouse so they don't freeze - again. At least the sap is staying nice and fresh:)

[Sugarmaker]

Frozen bildge pump over here. We had so much ice chunks in the sap Thursday night that it plugged the impeller area and would not allow sap to be pumped. We dumped the containers into buckets and kept going. Lucky we did not have much of a run only 175 gal. Always have a fall back method if all else fails.

Regards,
Chris