Water pumps

[caseyssugarshack93]

What kind of pumps do you guys use to transport your sap? do u use the tanaka pumps that they sell at leader i thought the price was way to much and i was lookin at one thats just like it but its a honda wx10 or somting do u know if there self priming or give me some ideas of what you guys use


Thanks

nate

[gmcooper]

I've used a few simlar to the Tanaka pumps. My current one is from TSC. Bought it in an emergency (I broke the pump housing on my old one the first day of the season last year). Maybe the Tanaka pumps a bit faster but not enough to make up +$100 difference.

[caseyssugarshack93]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_48634_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1 would that be the pump your talking about ?

thanks for you help too.

[Parker]

I have an old tanaka 1" and a newer robbin 1.5",,both are pretty darn slow,,If you have much volume to move I would think about the "pacer" (2"?)pumps they have at TSC,,,same as what they sell at bascomes for about $300 less,,I am going to try to have one for the season

[caseyssugarshack93]

Do they make them gas?

[caseyssugarshack93]

Nevermind i just looked haha

i may get one of thoes ill have about 1500 taps so it would come in use

[tuckermtn]

we use the honda WX 10... I think...have been happy- except had to have the carb. replaced on it after 3 seasons...$90...ouch...

not sure if the ethanol is getting to the small pumps...could also be the fact that I didn't purge the fuel at the end of the season...

but otherwise a good pump...

[caseyssugarshack93]

alright thanks i think ill prob get a honda or a pacer i aint to sure yet. but i hear the ethnol is hurting alot of small engines, Eating the gaskets etc.

[Bucket Head]

I can not speak for the pumps offered by the forum host, I do not know what they have or what the prices are. I can speak for the other outfits and their pumps. Don't buy them from them! I don't know how they can ask the prices they ask for them. Unbeleiveable!

You can get many of the same pumps, as well as similar style pumps from your local farm store, industrial supply, Lowe's, etc.

We have three pumps we use. Two gasoline pumps and an electric one. The electric one is from Northern, a mail order catalog outfit. A Homelite 2-cycle pump from a local lawnmower shop. A Robin/Subaru 4-cycle gas pump from Harbor Freight. They are all 1" inlet/outlet. We Have a 2" 3HP gas pump but we do not use it.

Someone said previously that the small pumps are slow. Well, yes, when compared to bigger pumps. They are more than fine for what we do. We do not use the 2" pump because it is a lot bulkier, hoses too, than the little ones.

Everyone has to decide for themselves, but I can tell you it is easier to "wrestle" the 1" pumps and hoses than the larger ones. They are easier on the back.

I should add that we got the discharge hoses from Grainger. They are 50ft long and easily reach from our collection points back to the truck, and from the truck to the tank at home. Another thing to consider.

How far will you have to "wrestle" your pumps and hoses? Not much fun when its cold, snowing, raining, muddy, windy, your tired, the help did'nt show up, etc., etc.

Steve

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have 2 Tanakas and have used the one for several years and the other one I picked up on ebay brand new shipped to me for around $90. It was so old the mix ratio was 25 to 1 and it was called a TAZ by tanaka or something like that. It was brand new in original factory box with all accessories. I called Tanaka and spoke with them and they said 40 to 1 or 50 to 1 would be fine. Gas was a lot different back them was the reason for the low mix ratio. She had no idea how old the pump was but figured it was likely 20 years or more. It works great and I like it better than the new Tanaka.

Watch ebay, never know what you might find if you are patient. Either way, good place to pick up a good pump cheaper than anywhere else.

[peacemaker]

they say dont run them without adding the sta bil or it will make them run to hot

[caseyssugarshack93]

thanks,I was looking at northern last year and was thinking about getting a pump cause at leader they want like 500 bucks for a 1inch gas tanaka i was like i sure as hell aint paying that when i can get a honda for around 300 or somthing from northern alot cheaper.

You guys are alot of help

Thanks,

[caseyssugarshack93]

I was also looking at the tanaka pumps on ebay there about 330 on there so i aint to sure whats the best for me.

thanks again

nate

[peacemaker]

my only suggestion is this buy it locally so when it craps out u can shoot down and replace it instead of bailing it while u wait for northern or someone else to get this one and ship u the replacement ...

[caseyssugarshack93]

I was looking down at dames in plattsburgh ( you guys probably dont know where that is) but yeah and they have a honda 1inch pump onsale for 325.

[mountainvan]

I've used a tanaka, good pump till something went and it died. Then bought a honda 1 inch, good pump till something went. It's been sitting in the saphouse waiting to go to the repair shop. Then I got a mitsubishi at tsc, good pump, still running. Then I got a 2 inch pacer from tsc, empties my 200 gal tank in a minute or so. It is a bit heavy to carry over to the tanks so it lives at the saphouse and the 1 inch mitsi pumps out the tanks. The one mix is great for the mitsi too, no more measuring oil.

[Amber Gold]

[QUOTE=caseyssugarshack93;55631]http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay_10551_10001_48634_-1______?rFlag=true&cFlag=1 would that be the pump your talking about ? QUOTE]

I just bought that one 2 weeks ago. It's very, very light. I think it says 9 lbs, which would make it lighter than comparable pumps. Started it up no problem and it ran fine...but I haven't moved water yet. I probably won't be until I do a test fire in my evaporator and need to put water in my feed tank. Probably in the next week or two. I'll let you know what I find out. At that price it's worth buying two to have a spare.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I have several different pups I use. One is a small, light, 1" pump built by Robin. Handy to take with the gathering tank to empty various containers but a bit slow for large volumes. I also have several 2" pumps. Some Robins and some Jingdong (a chinese knockoff of a honda for 1/2 the price). I used one of these last year to pump sap about 1/2 mile to the sugarhouse. Total lift from the tank to the sugarhouse was about 40 feet. I used a 2" intake and reduced it to 1" pump line. Took about 6 minutes of pump time to empty 250 gallons. Drawback; Pump is heavy and was pretty much limited to a single location, also it is a good idea to have extra gas stored near the pump. Walking back out to get gas was not fun.

[Russell Lampron]

I have a Honda WX 10 1" that I have been using since 2001 when I started sugaring. I have never had a problem with it. Lowes has a similar pump with the same engine on it. It is 4 cycle so that you don't have to mix oil with the gas.

If I had to replace it I would probably go to Tractor Supply and pick up one of the 2 cycle pumps that they have. Can't beat the price. I am going to be pumping sap about 1500' with a 40 or 50 foot rise to the sugar house this season. I may have to go to Tractor Supply to get one of the 2" pumps if my 1" pump can't handle it.

[Jim Brown]

Guys below is a web site we have bought two pumps and two generators from in the last three years. we have a small 2cycle 1 1/2 in and a 4 cycle 1 1/2 inch pumps both work great the 2 cycle in a lot lighter and we use it to tranfer from the tanks to the truck,weights about 5 pounds.There price are great and yes the stuff is made in China!. We have had no problems with it for three years.
just our two cents
Jim


www.generatordepot.us/

[Parker]

One thing I thought I might mention that I have found to be very helpful in terms of pumps,,,I have a bunch of diffrent tanks I pump out of during the season,,they are all differing distances from the truck,,,I have put the cam-lock quick connects on the inlet and outlet of my pumps and leave the discharge hose (made out of 1" mainline) at each tank,,one less hose to mess with,,,if I can I have a valve on the bottom of the tank with a cam-lock on it I hook right to the intake line of the pump,,,sevral tanks that I empty I just carry the pump to the tank-connect it to the 2 lines already in place,,open the tank valve (which primes the pump) and start pumping,,,,,works for me...

[royalmaple]

I got one of the honda wx pumps it is 4 stroke and doesn't need mixed gas which to me was well worth any extra money.

Recently I was at TSC and they had some 2" pumps that were pretty tremendous as far as the rating was concerned. They could pump 100+ feet in head, and the discharge rating was unreal. I'd say what I thought it was but I would only be guessing and be wrong. It was amazing and only about 300- 350 bucks with gas engine on the pumphead.

[caseyssugarshack93]

thanks i was thinking about getting a wx pump cause i have 4 differnt pick up stations and one 2 have 200 taps and one has 400 and this new one im hoping for about 600 so i should need a high volume pump right. it woudlnt be worth it unless i get a wicked run at the 600 tap bush but then again sugaring seasons been so bad around here you never know what your going to get

let me know what u think

thanks

nate

[paul]

We`ve been useing the pace pumps from northern hydrolics for the past 6 years they work well. One of our tanks is about 2000ft from the sugar house and it sends the sap right up no problem.

[caseyssugarshack93]

you guys are lucky to have sap sp close to ur sugarshack all mine are about 7 miles away and i go collect it yeah i have some maples near the sugarshack but only roadside for buckets.
i aint to sure what pump yet prob something like a pacer or a wx10 i hear the pacers are heavy and id be moving it alot cause i have 4 locations to collect

[brookledge]

I have a Honda WX15. It is still very light like the WX10 but pumps alot faster and I have larger tanks so the 1" is to slow for me.
Also what I noticed was the 4 stroke was much better on fuel. So over the course of a season it adds up to alot less gas then a 2 cycle
Keith

[caseyssugarshack93]

Is this a good pump http://www.generatordepot.us/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=92 It says its pumps 92 gals a min thats alot faster than the honda wx10 and its cheaper too.

Let me know what u think about it

thanks

[danno]

I have a two cycle homelite 125 that I would part with for $70 plus shipping. It runs great but leaks. Maybe lose a gallon or two for every 50 gallons pumped. If you don't mind losing a little sap, it would work fine. Or it may be able to be fixed with a new gasket or re-build kit.

I now exclusively use electric pumps. I have electric at the sap collection point and in the sugarhouse. I just find it so much easier and cleaner than gas pumps. Ofcourse, if you don't have electic, that's not an option.

pm if interested in the pump.

[brookledge]

Cassey
That pump looks ok I wonder if you can find a site that would have customer reviews on it. Otherwise not much more I can say
Keith

[caseyssugarshack93]

What about a sub pump anyone ever use thoes with a genarator thats what we did last year worked good but i was thinkin about getting a lil big bigger one maybe they have some good one at northerntool.com ?

seems like a pretty cheap way to get out of it and some of the pumps pump the same if not more than a gas pump?

thanks

[caseyssugarshack93]

i was thinkin aobut somting like this..http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200311787_200311787 its faster than a gas its 3000gph if thats overrater or not i dont know

but let me know what u think

i think its the cheapest way..

well thanks nate

[DS Maple]

We use a small Honda four stroke and a 2" pacer. The Honda is nice because it is light, but it takes a little while to pull the air out of the transfer hose and it really doesn't run very well, even after being serviced. The Pacer is bigger and heavier, but the self prime feature works great and it moves a lot of liquid fast. I did reduce the hose size to 1.5" so they are easier to move around. It still works well enough without having full 2" hoses all the way. I know someone else who actually buys the separate pacer pump and connects a 5.5hp Honda pump engine to it. This version blows my little 3.5hp briggs out of the water. Also, Pacer has been a good company to deal with in my opinion. Last year the plastic pump housing cracked and they shipped me a brand new one very quickly at no charge. I really couldn't complain.