delaval 78

[MillbrookMaple]

I am looking into using our milker pump for a sap vac. Its a 16 year old Delaval 78. It was used everyday for 4 years then we used it about 1 week a year since. Once in a while a heifer freshens before sale. If I use this for a sap vac what would I need to do to it to make it work well? We will plan to keep it in the barn and run a line out to the bush to a releaser down at the bush.

[Dennis H.]

High Vac!!! above 20"

So if you are going to use it for both you will have to have a way to adjust/switch between low vac for milking and high vac for sap sucking.

A few ball valves and some line and I can't see why it will not do both.

[brookledge]

really all you will need is a releasr or a vac. tank. Most dairy pumps are set up to run around 15"Hg. for dairy. In maple it has been determined that higher levels are benificial. But running at 15" is better than none. you might be able to use the glass releaser from the dairy set up in the maple if you want to adapt it. Otherwise once you have your releasr set up you are good to go.
Keith

[MillbrookMaple]

I figured I would make a separate connection for using it for sap. Then I can connect it back when an "emergency" arises. My father-in-law is just about ready to give up on dairy heifers anyway. I'll do some research on what it would take to adjust the vac level. Our barn has a huge tank with a flapper on the bottom out in the alleyway which I think is a moisture trap, I'll have to ask for clarification from the boss. I'm not sure if I should make my connection after that tank or right at the pump. I don't plan to run the sap through the glass releaser that we have since then we would have to pull the sap uphill for about 1600 feet of line. I figured the vac 1600 feet down to the releaser and tank would work well but asking it to pull the sap 1600 feet and up hill about 50-100 feet of elevation would be a little much.

[MillbrookMaple]

The other thing I was wondering is how this pump handles constant use. Back when my father-in-law was milking he ran it about 3-4 hours at a clip. Can this pump handle 24 hour use with no modifications? Thanks for everyone's help with this one.

[Dennis H.]

You can use the moisture trap at the pump or/and put a moisture trap at the releaser. to be on the safe side you shouldn't connect directly to the pump with out some sort of moisture trap.

You shouldn't have any trouble running it for long periods of time as long as you keep oil going to it and that you can keep it cool. The cooler the better.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Pumps are stupid they dont know how long they have been working. Now if you reach the max temp of the pump and motor after an Hr then it wont matter. If it climbs as the day goes on then you need to change the cooling system.