sap pump from woods to road.

[southdevonbeef]

I'm looking for advice on what kind/style of pump to use to pump sap from the back of my woods to the road. This year we changed from using buckets to tubing with vacuum. My woods slope away from the road so we located the vacuum pump(SP22) and tank with releaser at the lowest point in the woods. The SP22 is powered with an electric motor/generator so I have power at the collection point. I need to pump the sap 900 to 1100 ft to the tanks at the road(600 and 500 gallon bulk tanks). From the collection point to the road there is a rise of about 35 to 40ft(based on topo map). The uphill rise begins at the collection point, goes steady for about 450 ft then goes downhill the last 500/600ft to the roadside tanks. Question.... I want a pump with float to push sap, what do I need for this situation and where do I buy it. thanks Mike

[Haynes Forest Products]

just buying enough wire to run a pump that can meet all your needs will cost the same as a good gas powerd pump. If Elec is your only method then start doing the homework. Everything will need to be freeze protected and self draining. You dont want a check valve in the line so sap would freeze. Most likly it would be a sump pump type that will sit in the tank so all the sap in the line can back drain after pump shut off. After the last pumping at freeze up will the remaining sap freeze and stop the float until thaw out?
If you use a externel pump can you keep it warm so wont need to be drained?

[southdevonbeef]

There is power at the collection point already, so I won't need to run any wire from the road back to where the vac pump/collection tank is. There will be a small shed which will house the SP22 with a panel box that will be connected to a generator that will power the SP22, a couple of lights and whatever type of pump that can push the sap up to the road. I'm not too concerned about the line that goes to the road freezing up, with the slope it should drain. But you make a good point about a float back at the collection point freezing. Maybe I should put a larger tank there and just pump it twice a day?

[maplwrks]

Your other option is a Lapierre vacuum operated piston pump--They run off your vacuum pump and will move sap that distance and lift easily.

[Haynes Forest Products]

So you want to suck the sap 1100 feet up to the collection point. you will have a float that will turn the pump on 1100 ft away. First I dont think you will find a pump that will pull 1100 ft of line up 35 ft that is a self priming pump. Second how will the float activate the pump to turn on.

[maplwrks]

Haynes, If you are responding to my last post---The Lapierre piston pump goes at the point of collection, then pumps up hill. I agree you would be hard pressed to find a pump that will pull 1000' with 35' of lift. This pump needs to be in a heated building, with a small collection tank to pull from. There are a lot of guys up here using these pumps to move sap out of remote locations.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I believe that Mike plans to put a pump at the location where his vacuum pump and releaser are located. From there it is 1100 feet to the road. The head that must be overcome is about 40 feet. Since he will have electric to run everything else there he is interested in an electric water pump to move the sap the 1100 feet to the road. What kind, size, style or whatever will do the job. A deep well pump? Could the pump be activated by a float switch so that when there is an accumulation of sap at the releaser tank, it would automatically be pumped to the larger tank at the road?

[maplemat1]

i use a wayne sprinkler booster pump i pump sap 1450 feet with about the same grades work great i have it hooked to a float switch . cost is about 149 $ at home depot or lowes .

[southdevonbeef]

Doug, your description of what I need to do is right on. I guess it helps to have spent time in my sugarbush. I like the idea of the $149 pump with float valve from Home Depot. That type of pump is kind of what I had in mind.

[backyardsugarer]

Spend $189 and get the 3/4 or 1 horse pump at home depot. You can use the half horse that comes with a float switch too. You can buy food grade garden hose at tractor supply and redcuce down to 3/4" at the pump to make sure you have the pressure to push it 1100 feet.

Chris

[JoshForget]

I'm thinking of doing the same thing with a water Taco 009 stainless pump to pump up to my evaporator from a collection point. I haven't thought out what would happen if the sap would freeze. The pump would be automatically powered through a float switch. If the pump rums dry the impeller is toast. Any ideas?

[S.S.S]

You could of used releaser with deep well pump inside.