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Thread: Pump House design

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    NE PA (Pocono's)
    Posts
    1,426

    Default Pump House design

    Looking for some thoughts on building a pump house. It will be about 60 yards and 40 feet drop in elevation from sugarhouse and only house an electric releaser with a 3 phase submersible pump. Will support about 1000 taps. Vacuum pump will be left at sugarhouse. With this set up would I need a small overflow tank to drain my pump line during hard freezes or would it just drain back into releaser? I know to insulate it well and may use propane monitor for heat so I don’t need as much electricity feed run

    Any other thoughts or suggestions?

    Thanks
    Mike
    CDL 2x8
    Around 4000 taps
    Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
    Atlas Copco pumps
    Lapierre two post RO




    http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    I'm looking to do a PS too. My distance is more like 1500 ft. I figure I'll need a collection tank and separate pump and controls to push it back to the sugarhouse. The reason is that the sap in the pump line is too much for the electric releaser capacity. I could check valve it but then I'd have the freezing issue. Even with you're shorter push i think you'll need to do something about the freezing pump line.

    Right now i have a mechanical releaser and i pump it up with a little 2" honda pump which i typically do a couple of times a day (PIA). But I'm not convinced upgrading to electric will be any cheaper or trouble free.

    Still thinking about it for next season.
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    NE PA (Pocono's)
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    Default

    I have plenty of tank capacity at the sugarhouse and from everything I hear once you switch from mechanical to electric releasers you never go back. Getting prices on electric releasers over the next few weeks.
    CDL 2x8
    Around 4000 taps
    Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
    Atlas Copco pumps
    Lapierre two post RO




    http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    315

    Default

    I swapped to electric releasers last year and they are amazing. My only suggestion is to buy new. You never know what you are getting used. (Bad experience) in terms of pump houses/stations I have 3, I'll try to upload some to YouTube in the Am and I'll post a link.
    Remember to keep on ticking while the sap is dripping.
    2016- 50 buckets. Made 4 gallons.
    2022- 3900? taps + Smartrek! Made 1300 gallons.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Maplewalnut View Post
    I have plenty of tank capacity at the sugarhouse and from everything I hear once you switch from mechanical to electric releasers you never go back. Getting prices on electric releasers over the next few weeks.
    That's where I'm at too, but I'm not sure whether the pumpline would thaw before the wet lines. If it doesn't, will the pump and seals and everything be okay when trying to push against a frozen line. And other problems like sap running into the wet lines of even vacuum pump line.
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Fulton, NY
    Posts
    1,374

    Default

    Is running pump line underground practical for either of you? I've seen it done. It certainly presents its own problems. If it's running through the sugarbush, probably not an option, with trees, roots, etc
    Tim Whitens
    Willow Creek Farm
    Fulton, NY

    3000 on vacuum, 3hp 3ph Busch pump, 2567 Gast
    30X8 Leader oil-fired evap. w/ steamaway
    Airablo 1000 RO
    6 Alpacas

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sapman View Post
    Is running pump line underground practical for either of you? I've seen it done. It certainly presents its own problems. If it's running through the sugarbush, probably not an option, with trees, roots, etc
    I have heard about that. However, to do it right, the cost and challenges with an underground system far outweigh any benefit, unless you have the perfect site.

    Take my property for example,. You wouldn't get 3 ft of trench before encountering boulders. Besides a bigger excavator, now you need replacement material for pipe bedding, and your 12" wide trench is now 42" wide because of that boulder so you need even more imported bedding. You could end up spending 10 times more on pipe bedding than on pipe. And that scenario could turn out to be a minor issue. If that boulder is bedrock, then i need a blasting contractor.
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Northeastern Pa
    Posts
    432

    Default

    I think the issue you will run into is elevation. The pump in releaser has reduced flow when under high vacuum. They work great pumping into a tank but to pump up elevation I think there is a limit. A pump in a tank on the other will have only head pressure to fight against. I’m sure someone doing it will chime in. Craig

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

    Default

    Yes, Pump capacity becomes an issue and needs to be considered. High vacuum adds the equivalent of 30 ft more of elevation to lift the sap.
    Ken & Sherry
    Williston, VT
    16x34 Sugarhouse
    1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
    Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
    https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    South Colton, NY
    Posts
    642

    Default

    We release into a tank and the pump 1400 feet through a 1" above ground line and up about 30 feet with a half horse Grundfos.
    3,100 taps
    60 cfm flood
    HC2
    5 by 14 oil

    Brian

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