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Thread: Remote Sap Pumping

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Rock Creek, OH
    Posts
    430

    Default Remote Sap Pumping

    What are the best practices for pushing sap out of a remote sugarbush? Only vacuum available at the tank. This is a new application and looking for the most reliable technology without having to deal with gas engines.

    We are bringing vacuum from one ravine to another ravine to start a 1500 tap operation from scratch. We have enough CFM's to drop in a tank and releaser. We are looking for insight on how to push the sap out with an automatic float set-up. Is there such a thing? Is there a 12V option with solar recharge? Is there a sap transfer pump that operates on vacuum?

    About 50 foot of rise and a distance of 2000 feet downhill.

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Thetford, VT
    Posts
    450

    Default

    The concerns with an automatic float might be freezing and how long to thaw. We have two "sap shacks" and unfortunately both are down hill from the sugarhouse. One is 750' all down hill and the other is 1200' away with about 8-900' down hill. Both rises are about 60'. We use 1 1/2" blk poly to pump from the 750' side and will be installing 2" blk poly to pump from the 1200' side. The 750' run will leave about 75 gallons of sap in the line when pumping is done. We haul that out in a cube tank on forks on the tractor. The other side is expected to leave about 115 gallons of sap in the line when pumping is done. We will haul that out the same way. Smaller pump line will result in less sap left behind, but take a lot longer. The 2" pump and line will move almost 2x the sap the 1 1/2" pump and line will. We have pumps at each station and the pumps can be moved to the other station if one fails.

    Each station has a small solar panel which charges a 12v battery and we use that to run the monitoring system for the tank depth. We will add a couple 12 v flood lights at each area to help with nighttime work. I would think it would take quite the system to run a pump effectively. Plus a good design to leave it low maintenance.

    Good luck,

    Mike
    Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    I know nothing about them, but I think it is Lapierre who offers a vacuum powered transfer pump.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    I just checked, Lapierre does offer 3 choices of vacuum powered pumps. Click on the performance chart on their site to help you decide if one would be feasible for what you need. It looks like they require plenty of vacuum.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
    Posts
    6,391

    Default

    Here is the performance chart Dave was referring to.

    http://www.equipementsderabliere.ela...84/files/2.pdf
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

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