Would like to try vac

[Littlesap]

Hey guys,

I looked through the threads for some help getting started but everything looked like vac for expertsj - and I need vac for dummies. This is probably an off-season project but what do I need to get started? Where should I get the equipment and how much should I plan to spend? I only have 50-60 taps on gravity, could make that as many as 75 but not much more realistically. Any help would be great.

Thanks

[Littlesap]

One follow-up, I do not have power at my collection point. Could potentially run an extension cord.

[Jeff E]

For 75 taps, I dont think it is worth the trouble, expense.
You need a vacuum pump, releaser (to get sap out of the vacuum system) and a tight system.

You could possibly Rube together something with used dairy equipment. If you can get 12-15" of vac it may be worth it. The best results happen over 20" of vac.

[hurdmaple]

you could try to find a sapsucker pump like I am using. I have one on 65 taps and another on 85 taps . they are peristalitc or roller squeeze pumps. once I found the right hose they have been working great and you don"t need a releaser

[markct]

what might work best for you is if ya do like i did and find a used zero dairy vac tank. then no releaser is needed, just sap line in and vac line out. i have a 400 gal one on my 300 taps, pump it 2 times a day on good runs, havent had them lately! i also had the same problem of no power at the tank, and too far to run extension cord. so i have 700 ft of 1/2 black poly pipe carrying the vacuum from the pump near the barn to the tank down in the woods, had to cross 2 roads i need to use so it went thru the culverts underneath. its just carrying vac so pitch doesnt matter its just laid across the field and thru the ditch and culverts and i will roll it up in the off season. as for a pump for only 75 taps a refridgeration vac pump might work if found cheap used or chinese made new. or mcmaster carr has a small dry vane pump for around 350 bucks. i have a montgomery wards vac pump, tiny little thing, that as best i can tell is from the mid 1940s, but holds 15 in on my system when the leaks are taken care of. i know we had exchanged private messages already, if your still interested in coming to see friday just give me a call and let me know any time tonight or tommorow!

[madmantr]

Being brand new to this I found that gravity hasn't done me well here this year .What volume peristaltic pump should I be looking for for around 100 taps?how many ghp and what do the other numbers mean? Any help would be appreciated.
thanks

[red maples]

If you want to go cheapest then look around dairy farms. some guys use the bender dairy releasers that would be best for you. and used ones don't cost much and dairy milking pumps. you could get for cheap from a farm. look around and see what you can find!!!!

I have to say after my first year with my bb2 I am so glad I bought it the whole thing was about $900 including pump, motor, releaser, plumbing. but I would have made very little syrup this year without it!!! As most will say that when they switch from buckets or gravity.

[danno]

I have to say after my first year with my bb2 I am so glad I bought it the whole thing was about $900 including pump, motor, releaser, plumbing. but I would have made very little syrup this year without it!!! As most will say that when they switch from buckets or gravity.[/QUOTE]

DITTO. I don't care how few taps you have, if you can get vacuum on them, you will make for syrup and be happier when the gravity guys are looking at empty buckets. Dairy pumps can be found cheap - especially if you have now until next spring to look. The cost is the releaser. For under a 100 taps, keep your eyes open for a bender, unless you know you are going to expand.

I've collected 800 gallons of sap on vacuum in the last 24 hours and on my buckets - they are literally dry - not a drop.

[TF Maple]

So my bush is about 600 yards from my farm and I still have my huge vacuum pump from my 100 cow dairy farm. How far away do people run lines and how large does the line have to be and what kind of vacuum line would I use to reach the sugar bush? I would want to take up the line after the season is done, if possible.
It just seems like too long of a distance to me, to be worth the effort even though it means more sap. I assume if I ran this line then a releaser and sap tank could sit in the bush.

[Brent]

From what I've seen it's cheaper to run a 1" pipeline to the releaser than the cost of a good heavy guage wire. My 3/4 Hp Gast pump only loses about 2" running close to 1000 feet. If the number of taps was lower and the leakage was less, I think the loss would be even smaller.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I would get 1" black poly from a good supplier. The kind that doesnt kink when you unroll it. Running 1800ft is not a problem. Remember when you create a vacuum in the line IT HAS TO TRANSFER down the line. Vacuum cant get stuck in the line:o Evacuating the air/gas from a long line will have a lag in recovery time so a vessal at the end closest to the releaser is a good idea to smooth out the vacuum spikes. Littlesap look on ebay for a gast dry vane pump. A small 1/4 pump will work for you up tp 2-300 taps. Keep looking and bidding you can get a nice pump for $150.00. Next year all I will be running is 110 volt Gast dry vanes. They run 24/7 at 26':) without a regulator. And always remember its the HGs you want NOT alot of CFMs and a crappy hole ridden system.

[Moshers Maples]

Haynes,
what model are you looking at? I see many of them.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have one of the smaller vane pumps but the unit at 360237743478 is a great pump I can run 1150 taps with 2 releasers over a 20 acre bush. I didnt ask if the motor is included with the auction. I spent $225 for a new 1hp motor from Grainger. The total unit new is $800.00 This thing will do 2000 taps no problem. I dont see alot of good pumps on ebay right now. I would shy away from the piston pumps and go with the dry vane

[red maples]

I really don't know that much about vacuum pumps in general I am still learning. but I love this little piston pump. its durrable, doesn't get real hot I can still put my hand on it even after a 30 hour run. just change the oil once a week and it runs 24-27" Hg vac on a 1 HP motor on 250 taps!!! I will upgrade in few years but it works great for me now right now!!!

[red maples]

I really don't know that much about vacuum pumps in general I am still learning. but I love this little piston pump. its durrable, doesn't get real hot I can still put my hand on it even after a 30 hour run. just change the oil once a week and it runs 24-27" Hg vac on a 1 HP motor on 250 taps!!! I will upgrade in few years but it works great for me now right now!!!