Sizing a transfer pump

[nymapleguy607]

Does anybody know what would be an appropriate size pump to use to pump sap from my collection tank that is about 60 feet lower than my sap house and maybe 300 feet away? Forgot to say it would need to be gas powered
Jeff

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

The 1" pumps made by Homelite, Honda, Robin, etc will be adequate. May not be real fast but they will work ok. How much volume do you want to pump at any one time?

[nymapleguy607]

I don't plan on more than 200 gals at a time

[3rdgen.maple]

Stop by Harbour Freight and check out some of their pumps. Pretty cheap compared to the better known brands. For a few extra bucks you can get a better warranty on them as well.

[brookledge]

Definately based on the number of taps you have a 1" pump would be good. I have taken to 4 stroke instead of 2 stroke. They use far less gas and don't stink.
Look into a honda WX10
Keith

[vermaple]

If you are in this game for the duration I would go with a quality 2 cycle pump. Stay with a name brand for durability and dependability.(Nothing worse than a tank full of sap and a pump that won't run). I've used Tanaka pumps for years and never had a problem. They are more expensive, but they last. Every sugar maker has a can of chainsaw gas near the sugar house, minimize the number of gas cans around.

[Haynes Forest Products]

One of the main things to look at when going over the specs is HEAD that is the height the pump will push the liquid. It will show flow rate at from 0 to the max that it can pump. I gat a 4 cycle 5 HP briggs from HD about 5 years ago and it has never missed a day on the job. Its my sap transfer pump and if you go on line you can find filter baskets for them and its makes priming easy.

[Haynes Forest Products]

NYmapleguy Go on Ebay to "trash pumps" and check them out I would stick with new pumps. Remember when they say self priming that is a pump that is within a few feet of hight of the water level. The reason they call them trash pumps is because they can pump small amounts of trash thru them without damage. I would try and stick with the Briggs..I dont know much about the off brand motors. I have a China copy of a honda and it leaves a trail of nuts and bolts behind the gokart. It still runs but constant upkeep.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I agree with 2 thumbs up for Tanaka pumps. I have 2 of them and one of them is 7 years old and still on original spark plug and pull string and I have never done anything to either one. I picked up a 2nd one and it is about 3 years old. I bought it brand new on ebay shipped to my door for aprox $ 90. It was brand new in box and aprox 20 years old or more. It is so old, the pump mixture is 25 to 1, but I use 50 to 1 in it without any problems. I got it so cheap because it was called a Taz Tanaka or something like that. Never been touched, just replaced the fuel line after first season which cost me aprox $ 1 as it dripped some just due to drying out from sitting never used all those years.

FYI on gas mix, I called Tanaka after buying it and lady there told me 50 to 1 was fine to mix it same as newer pump because gas was so improved now over when it was manufactured and the lower quality of the gas was the reason for the 25 to 1. She had no idea how old it was other than probably at least 20 years or more, but I really like it better than the new one I bought 7 years ago even though it is a little bigger and not as compact.

If you are going to be doing this for the foreseeable future, spend a little extra and get something like a Honda or Tanaka, you won't be sorry and won't have to worry about it breaking down on you.