home made Releasers

[jrthe3]

has any one built a vacuum Releasers or dose anyone have plans

[tyrod2]

Go to search and type in home made releaser. Some guy name toby made one. Check it out. IT IS NEAT

[colt454]

I am looking for 2 releasers if any one has one they want to get rid of thank you

[colt454]

or how can i make one there has to be a way to do it cheaper

[PATheron]

Maybe you can find a zero tank and do it that way. Theron

[maple flats]

Another thread had a discussion about a homemade one that had no moving parts. Just a tall standpipe and a specific arrangement of what hooked where.

[jrthe3]

the releaser with the tall pipe will not work for me do not have the line that tall i have desided to build a electric releser my plan is to use about 3 feet of 12 inch PVC pipe put lexan covers on both ends with a float switch on the in side the switch will control two solenoid valves one will trun off vac the other will open and let the sap dump into a pump that is also controled by the float the pump will pump it in to the holding tank i think this will work what do all you vac guys think about this

[Haynes Forest Products]

What size solenoid valve will you use on the dump side. Sap will not want to drain without air vent. Im all for trying just make sure you start building now and give it a good workout. Another concern is when elec solenoids open they open quick and that rush of air can cause alot of strain on glue fittings. I think caps on the ends would be better and a sight tube would let you keep eye on levels.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Now ya got me thinkin...... The problem with SVs is the bigger they get the dynamics change. Small SVs have a small plunger that opens with a elec coil no big deal up to about 1/2". As they get bigger the use a diafram type and they have to be rated for VACUUM. Look on Ebay item no 330241129793. that is the type you want. A 1" sprinkler zone valve is about 15.00 but i dont think they would work with vacuum. Keep checking Ebay. I think the other problem will be with freezing you need a way to have the system open up if timer shuts it down so all sap drains from SVs and being metal they will freeze first. You could use a check valve for your dump valve and mount it vertical so it will close at low vac. If the vacuum pump quits the check will open. You can get PVC check valves from pond supply there cheap and range from 1/14 to 3" 35.00. Use a flapper type not a spring loaded one.

[jrthe3]

i like the cap idea will do that the sv on ebay are the same ones that i got made sure they were for vac befor a got them i plan on putting the pump and releaser in the part of my sugar house that is heated keep it about 40 degrees i was thinking about putting a 1/4 inch sv on top for air vent i was going to build a booster type thing h atached to the releaser all the wet and dry lines will go into the booster then the booster will hook to the releaser with a 2 inch line was going to put a check valve in the 2 inch line so when the the releaser dumps the check valve will close and it will keep the vac in the line will that work

i am going to use 1 inch sv on the dump side and 1 inch on the vac side

[802maple]

You don't need the valves, If someone in the area has a elecric releaser go have a look at it.

All you need is your cylinder as you mentioned, with a float switch that will run your pump. Out of the bottom of the cylinder run your feed line to your pump and on the discharge side you will need to put a check valve so that it won't suck air back and will alow sap to be pumped to your tank. Just before this check valve put a tee and a 1/2 inch return line back to the cylinder with a check valve that will not allow sap to be pumped back into the cylinder. This line will neutralize the pump with vacuum and allow the pump to prime and discharge the sap to your holding tank. Make sure all connections do not leak air and you are ready to go. This is how all of the electric relasers are built.

[royalmaple]

If I get a chance I'll take a picture of my electric releaser then you can go by that.

One other point is the float is inside a sleeve of pvc inside the main housing. SO that it is not effected by the splashing of the sap as it enters the main housing.