double diaphram vaccum pumps

[sap runner]

wondering what is the reason why hardly no one uses this kind of unit.Also anyone know where one could find a used one.What are the pros and cons.
Thanks for your time

[Haynes Forest Products]

Is it a vacuum pump or a diafram water pump that will self prime. Plus alot of single or double diafram pumps will pulsate during the operation so until you get into the triplex pumps you cant get rid of it unless you run a vac tank. Will it take the heat and is it hi vacuum ( HGs )

[Gary R]

We had a lenghty post on this last year. There is a maple vacuum system called a sap sucker. It is a double diapraghm pump with an electric motor on it. A few guy's have them and some of them like them. A guy in new England converts them to electric. Depending on the diapraghm material they pull about 15" and not many CFM's. You can find all kinds of them on Ebay. for a couple hundred bucks. However, all that I've seen are air operated. I think for the small producer, say under 300 taps, this would work ok. They provide vacuum at the tap hole and will pump all the sap up into a tank. No releaser needed. I have been meaning to email a couple manufactures. Give them specs of say 1000' of 3/4" main and 1000' of 5/16" and 20 feet of lift. Get there recommendations on pump size and material. This should cover many small producers. I don't have a need for vacuum so I haven't done it yet.

Other guy's have gone right to a dairy pump and dairy releaser. You get more vacuum and more CFM's. I think if a guy looked for the right deal you might get set up for $500.

[Haynes Forest Products]

So you need direct sap contact to the diaframs to cool the pump????? So its a liquid pump that creates vacuum as it removes the sap????

[DrTimPerkins]

So you need direct sap contact to the diaframs to cool the pump????? So its a liquid pump that creates vacuum as it removes the sap????

The system is called a "Sap Puller" I believe. It is basically a diaphram pump made to move liquid, but it will generate some vacuum....up to about 15" or so. Doesn't move much CFM, so attention to keeping the system very tight is necessary. Liquid is not necessary to cool the pump....it doesn't generate much heat. You can get them both in electric or gas powered versions.

[Gary R]

I might have had the name wrong. But, here's a picture of an electric one. I think these things are over $1000 new. Maybe you could find a used one cheap. In industry these are air operated. The two diaphrams face each other and an air shuttle moves a rod back and forth. These can be run dry. The rubber diaphram only moves up and down about and inch.

[DrTimPerkins]

I might have had the name wrong. But, here's a picture of an electric one. I think these things are over $1000 new. Maybe you could find a used one cheap. In industry these are air operated. The two diaphrams face each other and an air shuttle moves a rod back and forth. These can be run dry. The rubber diaphram only moves up and down about and inch.

They're not bad units, particularly for smaller bushes.
1. Change the diaphrams regularly (annually or every couple of years....depends upon storage conditions...if they have any cracks, replace them).
2. Install them at a angle so the sap drains from them well. That way they won't freeze up and destroy the diaphram.
3. Keep the system real tight. Vacuum about 15" Hg, but very low CFM, so this pump can't overcome much in the way of leaks.
4. No releaser needed, so cheaper and very simple to operate. Connect it and plug it in and let it go.

[maplemat1]

i had one for a few years till could afourd a vaccum pump .i got mine from sugarbush supply in mason ,mi . it only pulls 15 inchs and will push sap a long way you can just get the pump head or the whole pump and motor. sold mine to guy up in vermont . his system was on gravity he likes it alot

[sap runner]

If anyone has a double diaphram pump used let me know

[Gerryfamily5]

I used one for years to, it was a Sugarbush Supplies model wich is a Hypro diaphram head,it is an inexpensive way to get into vac.Like Dr. Perkins said freeze up is your biggest problem.will burst the diaphrams.I use mine now to was wash tubing will build up to 90 psi and move air so works well both ways.

[sap runner]

Thanks Gerry any ideas for a used one,you want to sell yours.The freeze up wont be a issue.

[Brent]

The original Sap Suckers were peristaltic pumps. Basically they had a hose laid inside a semi-circular holders with 2 or more rollings on arms that rotated. The had a gear reduction to reduce the 1800 rpm on a motor to about 15 or 20 rpm on the roller arm shaft. They work pretty good. I ran one last year and it pulled 21" on a 160 tap line.`You can run without a releaser because the discharge can be pumped directly into your storage tank. The hoses don't last forever and from what I've heard, you shouldn't start one up with ice in the lines.

Mine was 3/4 Hp and built like a brick latrine. I found a price on the manufacturers web site that indicated it was worth $6500 new. I've heard the Sap Suckers were about 1/3 of that price, but not available under the brand name any more. Mine could be up for grabs as I'm changing over to a Gates that I can run from the sugar shack with a releaser in the bush.

[Haynes Forest Products]

one way to get longer life out of the roller pump is to move the hose in the roller head as much as possible so it doesnt over work the tube/hose. I have a pump like that that has the roller with digital read out of the RPMs and reastat. It was used for pumping blood during operations. Cool thing is it never got close to the contaminates. Got it at a junk yard for $5.00 and cost someone big $$$$$$$$$

[Gerryfamily5]

Thanks Gerry any ideas for a used one,you want to sell yours.The freeze up wont be a issue.

Sorry I didn't respond I was in the hospital.I don't want to sell mine,but Sugarbush Supplies in Michigan still sells them I think.Mine has 2 heads and runs on gas,but you can get larger units,and electric as well.