WX10 / WX15 Pump

[cbhansen]

Like many, I’ve used a WX15 for a few years to transfer sap from my truck tank but, as noted in the manual, these pumps are not for potable water so I think to fair to say they are not food grade. I would like to open this up for discussion. Perhaps Dr. Tim could chime in as I thought I remember reading that they used these transfer pumps.

Carl

[Russell Lampron]

When I bought my WX10 almost 20 years ago we didn't worry as much about things being made of food grade material. The amount of leaching that happens when you're pumping sap is probably in the parts per billion range if there's any. I'm going to continue using mine.

[DrTimPerkins]

Generally materials for sap/syrup should be "water potable" or "food-grade" and suitable for the intended purpose. Gasoline-powered water-potable pumps are available, but pricey. How stringently this is regulated seems to vary depending upon your location.

[n8hutch]

Generally materials for sap/syrup should be "water potable" or "food-grade" and suitable for the intended purpose. Gasoline-powered water-potable pumps are available, but pricey. How stringently this is regulated seems to vary depending upon your location.

This is why I have made it a priority to Have my woods tank high enough compared to my loading position so that I can just use Gravity to transfer my sap, no pumps to lug,drain,and or worry about contamination. I have a potable water pump at the sugarhouse.

This is not a solution for everyone obviously but whenever possible that's what I do. My Greatgrandfathers sugarhouse was setup in a manner so they never had to pump a thing. Try to learn from the old 'wise' people.

[DrTimPerkins]

My Greatgrandfathers sugarhouse was setup in a manner so they never had to pump a thing.

Clearly the best way if possible.

Try to learn from the old 'wise' people.

I hope to get to that point some day, both old and wise. Definitely working on the first...the second I'm not so sure about.

[johnallin]

This is why I have made it a priority to Have my woods tank high enough compared to my loading position so that I can just use Gravity to transfer my sap, no pumps to lug,drain,and or worry about contamination. I have a potable water pump at the sugarhouse.. .

I used a WX10 to transfer sap for 6 years but stopped last year. The aluminum impeller had corroded to the point that I couldn't clean it properly. It became encrusted with aluminum oxide which had a salty taste.

To remedy - with Fred's help - I installed a high vacuum system to bring all sap to the sugar house tank and then a Potable Water rated all-stainless Gould pump to move on up to head tank...
Still working on improving lifting sap the 15-20 rise with vacuum and want to look into installing sap lifter(s) this year.

Although it's a fine piece of machinery; I don't miss the gas powered Honda pump at all.

[Willstrtr]

While I agree with having everything as food grade as possible, I think we also need to open our eyes to the bigger picture. Water pumps in homes that have shallow wells are almost all made of cast iron. I know all Goulds shallow well pumps are and we drink that water on a daily basis. For those who have town/city water, most all of that pipe is Ductile iron. Heck in the next town over from here, the water main is so old that it still has lead poured joints!

My point is that while we can be careful with what we are producing, the amount of contamination from an aluminum pump is minuscule. Especially if you were pumping raw sap and going to boil the hell out of it and bring it well over sterilization temp before it is syrup..

Just my 2 cents..

[johnallin]

My point is that while we can be careful with what we are producing, the amount of contamination from an aluminum pump is minuscule. Especially if you were pumping raw sap and going to boil the hell out of it and bring it well over sterilization temp before it is syrup....

Boiling the hell out of your sap only concentrates the contaminate. In the case of metals - sterilizing means nothing, occasional fly or moth - not so bad.

[Bucket Head]

Are pumps with aluminum impellers or housings not recommended for sap because of possible off flavors? Has anyone else experienced an off taste because of their pump?
I have used a 1" aluminum housing pump for years with no flavor issues. Heck, there must be tens of thousands of aluminum pumps out there being used for sap transfer.
But if it's going to cause a problem, switching pumps might have to happen.

Steve

[n8hutch]

To me it's not what the pump is made of, cast iron, aluminum, stainless steel whatever is fine, it's how the pump is lubricated that would worry me, if I pump out my now 1600 gallon woods tank only to discover that I had a bearing Failure and I now have a oily sap tank and sap I am out what 3 or 4 thousand of potential gross income to save 4 or 500.00$ dollars on a pump. The Risk Reward is just not worth it to me.

Growing up we had a 2 stroke aluminum Transfer pump but my Grandfather also used and English Tin pan set too.

I also think that everything that you do in your particular process of making Syrup has an effect on Flavor so the more that you can do to limit the transfer of finite minerals, metals, plastics, cleaning chemicals, than the more your natural flavor can develop and come out of your syrup.