Milk Operation Purchase

[gdtowne]

This is kind of an open-ended question, but I am looking at buying basically an entire milking operation that was used until last year. It includes a 500 gallon vacuum tank, the vacuum pump with 3hp motor, some sort of pipe washer, stainless sink, and a total of 150' of 1 1/2" stainless pipe. He could not remember what kind of vacuum it was, other than he thought it included a 74 or 75 and perhaps the letters VP or HP, I think is what he said. I was just hoping that one of you might know what it could be, and what else I might need to turn this into an operable vacuum system. The tubing is already in place. Any help would be appreciated, or if anyone might need some stainless tubing, send me a PM.

Gerry

[mapleack]

If you're getting a great price, you might be getting a good package. You can run vacuum on tubing with a pump and a vacuum tank, but there are probably more cons than pros. The pro side is you get vacuum without needing a releaser. Yes it will get you vacuum on your tubing, but only 15 inches of vac or so. Thats all the tanks are designed for, try going higher and the shiny tank will crush like a beer can under foot. The next is that you have to shut off the vacuum to empty the tank. Also, on sunny days the air inside mainlines gets warm to even hot. Using a vacuum tank instead of a releaser concentrates the hot air inside the tank, warming the sap and speeding up bacterial growth. Your best bet if the price is right is to get the pump and tank, and then add a vacuum releaser, sitting on top of the milk tank. You can run higher vacuum levels, (with the right pump) empty the tank while the vacuum is still working, and not concentrate that hot air inside the tank. You need to know how many CFM's the pump is rated for, the standard for a good tubing system is one CFM per 100 taps.
Good luck.

[KenWP]

The 150 feet of SS pipe should be full of holes by the way unless its just the pipeing from the stalls themselves. Is it a pipe washer it's self or the whole washing system for the milking machines. If so its made to wash both the suction cups and the pipe line system.

[gdtowne]

I haven't actually seen any of this yet, and hope to go look at it tomorrow afternoon, and hopefully answer some questions I have. I am not sure about the piping, and frankly, I don't care, its just coming with the lot, and if I need to, there's always the scrap yard. As per the washer, it was an active dairy last spring, so I am assuming its the entire cleaner. I was wondering if perhaps I could convert this into a tubing washer, although I have no idea what the dairy washer does, what it is used for, or how it works. Just some interesting stuff that comes with the tank I guess.

Gerry

[brookledge]

As for the vac pump a De Laval 75 is rated for 12-18 CFM depending on the size of the motor and the rpm of the pump
With out knowing the cost of the package I can't tell you if it is a deal or not
Good luck
Keith

[Haynes Forest Products]

Sell the SS on Ebay sold some and got about $75.00 for 50lbs vac pipe. Or cut the pipe up and make hydrometer cups.

[maplecrest]

my guess is if a vp and 3 hp it is a 76. most pipeline systems had the model 76 pump heads. if you flood that pump you should be able to maintain 19 inches. if the tank is a sunset 18 inchs is the highest manufactor says to go if zero tank no worries on crushing

[gdtowne]

The deal fell through. The guy was a little gun-shy when I told him I was going to drive down and look at it before I sent him a check, where he lived, four states to the south. All seemed a little fishy to start with, and I don't need to be sending checks all willy-nilly around to anyone. Thank you for any help that was offered.

Gerry

[southdevonbeef]

I called on this milk system deal a few days ago and wanted to get some specifics on the vac pump from the guy. He told me what he told you but said the pump was a surge. He did not know specifics on it and was to get back to me after his renter at the farm looked for a model number. That was 4 days ago and he never got back to me. I think I'd stay away from this one.

[gdtowne]

Agreed, he was very angry over the phone with me (yesterday), and had said he had another buyer. So don't be surprised if he finally comes through. All I wanted to do was give him my money, and take the tank he was no longer using. Oh well, his loss.

Gerry