what do you think of this mini releaser?

[mapleman3]

so I bought this on ebay, it's an old surge/bender receiver for 56 bucks, I figure I should be able to get this to work for my 125 taps in the back of the barn... I bet once I go through it it will do what I need.

anyone ever use these??

[mapleman3]

Ok, I'm bad, I just did a search(after the fact) and saw that Brookledge and Markcasper both have used these....

anyone still using them? any other tips?

[brookledge]

Jim
It will dump 1 gal per minute max.
You need 2 check valves one on the bottom and one on the mainline coming in so that when it is releasing you don't lose the vac in the bush.
Also it was designed to operate around 15" if you go higher you will need to add some weight on top of the float to compensate the increased vac.
Keith

[davey]

any trouble with the glass breaking due to ice on really cold days?

[caseyssugarshack93]

i think that is good for 100 taps or so, You should be alset with 125. i have a big one that holds 3 gallons, i think mines good for 250-300, Its on my photobucket mapleman3 mine had a check valve at the bottom and there is a stanless elbow with a flapper valve in it,\


just what i think

nate

[caseyssugarshack93]

http://s374.photobucket.com/albums/oo181/Caseyssugarshack93/Milk%20Releaser/?action=view&current=MilkReleaser002.jpg

heres the link

[markcasper]

You are fine with # of taps. I use 3 of them and all are running around 300 taps each. I have never broke one due to ice. Ice is not usually a problem as it will freeze in the line first, preventing the jar from filling up.

Fix your leeks or they will not work.

[Grade "A"]

I have one of those also, used it for 200 taps. Like others said you will have to play with the weight. I have mine fill with ice one night and it did not break. The only problem I had was ice would build up on the top were it closes the vacuum off and it would stick open, this would happen up to 40 deg.. If you had it some where warm it would work better.

[mapleman3]

It came today and looks cool, I wish I was ready to put it into use this season but I'll have it ready for 2010... I'll get it nice and cleaned up and the bracket painted.

it's such a small vacuum inlet, you just reduced down to that size? if I mount it above the tank, I just put a flapper check valve in the outlet tubing to the tank ? I'll check out all of your pics!

[caseyssugarshack93]

ill take some pics of the flapper valve for you. maybe yours isnt the same as the one i have... you could just use a check valve in the mainline right before it goes into the relaser.

[caseyssugarshack93]

There under milk releaser on photobucket mapleman3 I just uploaded them, I think the cheapest way for you would be to just buy a check valve i think that stainless elbow and stuff would get pricey i bought mine like that with the flapper, but the pictures are up. at the bottom of the releaser u can see the ball check valve when the float get up to the top it shuts the vac off so the check valve opens to dump the sap into your tank,

[markcasper]

They have plastic valves for them. You could still get them a few years ago. They say "Bender" on them. You need one at your outlet to the tank and one before on the line coming in.

I had problems with ice forming at temps to 36 degrees at the vacuum inlet. It don't take much to block the small air inlets. (I believe air under vacuum freezes at a higher temperature, thus caused freezing up at 34-35) If the air humidity is lower, the temp will be lower at which it won't work.

I was thinking of putting a wood box around mine and setting a small propane torch inside, just enough to keep it luke warm. 90% of the time they work well however. One other helpful hint is to keep the unit covered with plastic. Just a little rainwater on top to get sucked in will cause moisture to get where it shouldn't be.