sap transfer pumps

We are using the RULE brand 12 volt bilge pumps, running off the gathering vehicle battery. Dollar range depends on how fast you want to pump. I think the largest we have pumps 1 gallon/sec. (3700 GPH). It was $150 ish?? been several years. Yes they don't like slush, so we just put a slush screen prior to the pump. Generally very dependable marine grade units. If your boat was sinking you would want this thing to work:) And for gathering sap we have had good success. They are quiet too!
Regards,
Chris

Chris
Where do you get the Rule brand pumps? I have one landowner that gathers sap with his 4-wheeler and he wants an electric 12v pump. All he and I could find was around 4 gpm max. Some of those were $130
Mark

My wife collects in our Gator while I boil. She can't lift much over her shoulders so filling the tanks in the back of the Gator was a real problem. I got a Rule 2000 pump and rigged it to sit in a pail on the floor in front of the passenger seat. She collects 2 of the 5 gallon pails about 2/3 full and takes them back to the Gator, starts the pump and pours. By the time she picks up the second pail the pump has uploaded to the tank in the back of the Gator and she dumps in the second one. Five or 10 seconds later, the pump has emptied the transfer pail, she shuts off the pump and goes out to fill the gather pails again.

You can get the pumps from West Marine or lots of other places like that. Their primary use is as bilge pumps and they come in lots of sizes. Getting the 2000 size was a luck guess. It's about perfect for pumping up the 4 feet lift to the tanks on the back of the Gator fast enough that it doesn't slow you down.

Last season I took Chris' advice and got a Rule pump. 3700 model, and I'm very happy with it. I had a 12v recirculation pump, which was quiet and reliable, but not as fast as I would have liked. The Rule gets in done pretty quickly. Just do a search for Rule pumps- one hundred marine supply outfits will come up. Check everyone's prices and go from there. I ended upordering one from a supply in Mass. They were the cheapest at the time.

Steve

SeanD When I was using a bilge pump We stuck the pump in the tank with the elec cord taped to the hose. The next year we mounted the pump on a stick to get it flat on the bottom. Then we mounted it on a piece of PVC with a switch so you could control it from the tank. Next we put in a check valve so we didnt take showers putting it in the truck bed. Also look at a pump that will fit in the tank holes. If your going to be using it alot I would both a positive and ground wires from the battery and use the welding type plug ins For fast hookups. I HATE OPENING THE LID.

Thanks for the answers. It's something for me to think about. If I use collection tanks, it will open a lot of new taps for me in the years ahead.

Sean

GM,
I googled Rule bildge pumps and found the model 3700 for $199.
Chris

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gmcooper

Chris
Where do you get the Rule brand pumps? I have one landowner that gathers sap with his 4-wheeler and he wants an electric 12v pump. All he and I could find was around 4 gpm max. Some of those were $130
Mark

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Thanks Chris

I found the Rule model 3700 on amazon for just under $160.

Decisions, decisions. I hate to do this, but I'm going to use that four letter word that just may get some feathers ruffled.

Has anyone found a FOOD GRADE :o (sorry, guys) 12V pump that will move more than 5 gallons per minute? I know it's probably not possible to go 100% FG, but I want to make every feasible attempt to get close. You know, if one of these companies would make a food grade 12V high volume pump, they'd make a mint on us.

Mark

Of course they're food grade.

I've used them in bait boxes and they ate dozens of shrimp and they never got sick.