Pumps for Sugar Syrup

**Tom G. Laury** · 04-21-2009, 10:18 PM

Are great but with a pressure tank you can hear the birds sing and the bees hum. With two vessels, one for air the other for syrup, regulated, compressor is unnecessary. No moving parts.

**JohnK and Sheri** · 04-21-2009, 10:23 PM

One of you guys with the pressure tank set up should post detailed pics.

Sheri

**Tom G. Laury** · 04-21-2009, 10:48 PM

Gotta get me a camera! Yeah Sheri you"re right. A thousand words.

**Chef Isaac** · 04-22-2009, 06:45 AM

I ended up going with a brass pump from Mann Lake.

I need to get a motor and want to look into a Honda motor. It would be nice to pick it up locally. I checked on craigslist andn othing there. Would a motor from a lawn mower work? Also.... where would one look to get a honda motor new locally?

**oldenglish** · 04-22-2009, 07:57 AM

I buy all my small engine stuff from these guys, I have had excellant service from them.
Service Proparts, http://65.101.96.233/

**Illinois** · 04-23-2009, 07:15 AM

4 a pressure tank can use an old waterheater tank. Can also fill tank by putting under mild vacuum and sucking syrup in.

**jean-marc** · 04-23-2009, 08:27 AM

That sound's like those bees are awfully thirsty.

Maybe you should have been there sooner.

Jean-Marc

**MapMan** · 04-23-2009, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by Chef Isaac

I ended up going with a brass pump from Mann Lake.

I need to get a motor and want to look into a Honda motor. It would be nice to pick it up locally. I checked on craigslist andn othing there. Would a motor from a lawn mower work? Also.... where would one look to get a honda motor new locally?

Chef, you gotta get out of the kitchen more, and start doing some reading of small engine/electrical motors, etc. manuals and mechanical works... not an insult here, just some advice...

In order to learn you need to start taking things apart, and try to put them back together (without extra parts). Necessity is the mother of invention. I know you want to pick folk's brains here (a treasure trove of info), but golly gee - do some research too!

MM

**Chef Isaac** · 04-23-2009, 12:10 PM

Map:

I totally agree. It too me 4 years of living in seattle to go to Pikes Place Market. I used to work all the time... we are talking 15 plus hours in a kitchen 5-6 days a week.

I do not take it harshly. I totally agree!

**iwombat** · 04-23-2009, 02:25 PM

Chef, that bronze pump takes a standard pulley and belt, right?

Look in CL for a benchtop drill press, you can usually find one for $50 or so. Remove the electric motor and run it off a power-inverter on your truck. You can put that whole rig together for under $100.

Shoot me an e-mail if you need some help.

**Keith Jarrett** · 04-23-2009, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by JohnK and Sheri

One of you guys with the pressure tank set up should post detailed pics.

Sheri

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s...t=100_0811.jpg

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s...t=100_0813.jpg

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s...t=100_0812.jpg

**MapMan** · 04-24-2009, 08:14 AM

Thanks Keith for posting those pictures. Looks like you either are a great welder, or you found someone who does a top-notch job. Cost you a pretty penny, but it looks like it is an indispensable unit.

MM

**BEES4U** · 04-24-2009, 08:36 AM

Great use of available materials !
And, No Moving Parts!

Ernie

**Keith Jarrett** · 04-24-2009, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by MapMan

Cost you a pretty penny,
MM

MM, not really... cost for hose & some fittings. And of course time (Labor.. for those of you in WA )

Before & after

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s...t=100_0090.jpg

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s...t=100_0819.jpg

This 5,000 tank was free, poured a concrete stand, cut off all the garbage on it, sanded it down to bare metal, prime it then had a coat of spray on insulation put on.

**irwin harlton** · 04-24-2009, 11:36 AM

What was the 5000 GALLON tank previously used for?

**Keith Jarrett** · 04-24-2009, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by irwin harlton

What was the 5000 GALLON tank previously used for?

Irwin, both tanks were old out dated propane tanks.

I told my wife, when I was welding fitting on the 5000 gallon tank, if she saw a huge mushroom cloud don't bother fixing me dinner.

**irwin harlton** · 04-25-2009, 04:33 PM

Was there any problem getting rid of the propane aroma, like it giving the syrup a bad taste, have stuck my nose in a old propane tank and the odor is quite noticeable ............ did you fill them with water while welding & cutting on them?

**Keith Jarrett** · 04-25-2009, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by irwin harlton

Was there any problem getting rid of the propane aroma, like it giving the syrup a bad taste,did you fill them with water while welding & cutting on them?

Irwin, there was a propane aroma, I did flush with water.

the cutting & welding part, I ran a truck exhaust pipe in the tank for about an hour before I started welding.

It's a cheap way to go for a feeding system & it pumps syrup fast.

**Terry G** · 04-25-2009, 09:10 PM

thanks for the info and pics.

I like the preasure tank idea. I am working on finishing building feeders for all my hives, and hav'nt thought about how I was going to fill them yet. I normaly use 250 gallon totes for for my sugar syrup, they are easy to move and load on my trucks. pump systems can be noisy and prone to problems.

What is the slosh issue like driving around with a propane tank 1/2 full of sugar. I remember driving around with 500 gallon tanks before we used totes, the truck would jerk back and forth a fair bit when they got about 1/2 full.

I am now considering a presurized 1000 gallon propane tank system due to this thread. I need to be able to carry enough sugar with me so that I do not need to go back to the shop and fill up.

mayby 2, 500 gallon propane tanks... it would be less sloshing...