Sticky Releaser...more help needed

[Maplewalnut]

Got my pump purring like a kitten and now the releaser is sticking. Have a single mechanical hobby version. Have had two problems. Read old posts and people seem split on lubing the releaser parts

1.)Seems like one of the first few dumps everyday the 'valve' between the top horizontal section and bottom vertical section does not let any sap down to the float area. It fills up the top section where the mains come in and then starts getting sucked up into the vacuum line

2.) Float sticks about once a day and does not dump... backs up into the top and again starts getting sucked up into the vacuum

On last question...anyway to prevent sap from being sucked up. Twice I have turned off the pump after I found the releaser sticking and drained almost a gallon of sap out of the moisture trap on the pump.

[bobbyjake]

When we have experienced this problem has always been because the pushrods that are activated by the vacuum pistons actually got sticky or gummed up. Once, it was just a fluke when sap dripped from the suction of the pump and got them sticky. The other time was because we (admittedly) stupidly cut a bunch of branches over the releaser because they were right in the way of pumping sap from the tank, and the branches dripped sap on the top of the releaser.

If this is your hang-up, some warm soap and water to clean it up could help.

We have found that lubricating those piston-rods with some food grade grease works good at preventing it from occurring.

Good Luck.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Get yourself a NEW pump weed srayer from H D $12.00 and put in hot water and when you collect just hose it down as its operating and when its releasing. Grease attracts dust and dust and grease cause alot of the hang ups. Regrease after cleaning.

[Maplewalnut]

Thanks all...what exactly do you grease? Admittedly, I haven't taken it apart to see how it works but will get a chnace coming up since it is suppose to get much colder over the weekend. Do you grease the float shaft and whats this about a piston???

[Haynes Forest Products]

On my doubble realeaser I have a piston/air cylinder that moves the tank selector lever. Mine has alot of wirlygigs that need to be lubed. Use KY jelly its food grade just dont use the flavord................heck use the warming kind it wont freeze up......Dano dont read this.

[Parker]

Minral oil also works pretty well

[paul]

I agree with Parker. we always use a little mineral oil on the 2 releasers we use it works good.

[maplecrest]

pam cooking spray

[Homestead Maple]

Food grade spray silicone from Grainger.

[Russell Lampron]

I sprayed some Pam on mine and it made things worse. Put a little lube on the float shaft and just clean everything else.

[Big John]

If you have power there forget the machanical style, put a pump on a float switch inside the releaser. If you run high vaccume the dumpers do not function right anyway!!

[PATheron]

I think the rod they are talking about lubing is the one coming up out of the releaser that float inside is on. I had some trouble with Matts single and I put a little pam on the rod where it comes out the top. Also another trick you can try. Take the top off and take the float and remove the plastic screw on it and put a bunch of rice in it for more weight. Not sure if its recommended but itll go down easier. I tried that only thing is I think the little o ring may wear at the top from the additional weight but what the heck only an o ring. I had trouble last year with my double not dumping and finally figured it out. I doubt this is your trouble but mine would fill the primary stage like you said and not dump and it was becouse I would turn down the vac pump at night becouse it would start cavatating and then the releaser wouldnt dump. It was becouse the vac on the tubing system was higher than what I had the pump putting out and when its like that it wont dump. Got to pull a spile or something to equalize the pressure. I didnt have any trouble with my releaser dumping normally and I was running 26-7 inches normally. Only when I set the pump back like I said. Hope helps. Theron

[Uncle Tucker]

I have a hobby releaser from Lapeier. I was having problems with it not dumping and sucking sap to the moisture trap. So I called and they said “yea we have been having problems with those and refunding peoples money”. I hope this helps anyone as frustrated as I was!!

[1poorsap]

how often do u guys grease the float rod

[red maples]

I posted about the new lapiere hobby releasers and andI did have the same problem and taped 2 coins(nickel and penny couldn't find a washer with the right weight) and it works perfectly like theron said it just needed a little extra weight.

[jacob obletz]

does any one have any experience with the sigle tank releasers from gilles bernard
would any one recomend it for a 800 tap system

[Russell Lampron]

Jacob a Bernard single is recommended for 500 taps at 18" of vacuum. You could put 800 on it and it will work fine most days. When you have a big run it won't be able to dump fast enough to keep up with the amount of sap coming in.

[maplwrks]

Poor Sap---use mineral oil on the float rod--do not use grease, as it will make it work even worse!

[Jim Brown]

Also the single Gillies have a habit of hanginup and losing all the vacuum at the time when you are 15 mile away. They will work perfect while you are standing there watching . I think Russ Lampron you are the one who told me to put 1#of dry rice in the float. I did it too all three of mine and we will see what this season brings.

Jim

[Beans Maple]

I had a Lapierre single releaser and also had problem with rod sticking. I found any grease or oil was only a temporary fix and after a day or so it was worse or as bad. I tok the rod out and used steel wool to clean the rod and the put in a more ridgid o-ring and used graphite dry dust as the lubricant. This worked very well. I would repeat the process 1-2 times per season and never had any more problems. I have since replaced that releaser with a Bernard double in 2009. Not a single problem last year with 1200 taps and 18"....so far not a single problem this year with 1400 taps and 24'' either.

[Uncle Tucker]

The thing I noticed about with the hobby releaser was at high “of vac the float would hang up, so I put stainless nuts on the float. However, this would make it fill to almost the top to dump, and sometimes not. I tried to find a happy medium but no luck. The other thing I noticed was when the float tripped that it sucked air in so fast that any moisture (or humidity) would FREEZE under the vacuuming of air rushing in to the chamber. This ice would not allow the float to seat and the manifold would over fill. The sap would make it to the moisture trap and shut down the system.

All other releasers have a piston that turns vacuum off and on to the main chamber.
No matter how much or what type of lube will not fix the ice problem.


I don’t know what changes they (Lapiere) made to the releaser, but I am skeptical. This is just my opinion please let me know if I am wrong.

[Russell Lampron]

Jim after trying the rice in mine it worked good for a while but still would stick at times. What I finally did to overcome that problem was bend the spring on the arm that has the roller on it so that it held the roller tighter to the arm that goes up and down. Didn't have any sticking problems after that.

Now I am having problems with it not dumping. The piston that gets pulled back and forth to vent the vacuum off when it dumps is icing up and freezing. I thought that I had had and fixed all of the problems that can be had with a Bernard single but I was wrong. Now I've got find another fix.

[themapleking]

i Had all those problems with single releaser. never could figure it out. Adjusted the spring, cleaned and lube the shaft adjusted the float. It still would stick 1/2 way in the dump position and suck sap into the pump. I went to a double releaser and I never had a problem with it. go figure