# Syrup Pump and IBC Tote



## dtp

I have a couple pumps that attach to IBC totes. I keep it simple. The pump sits on the back of the flatbed. The tote sits about 18 inches from the pump. I put boards in the stake pockets to keep the hose from sliding off when it is layed flat on the bed between yards.


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## RAK

My hose from tote to pump is 4 feet. 2 straps will hold a tote. No baffles needed.


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## davidsbees

Hey Rich I made up a ibc pump and hose reel combo works great.


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## Ian

One of my trucks has a wooden bed, the other a diamond plate steel. The totes slide around easier on the diamond plate steel. Wood is best


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## davidsbees

I put down a rubber mat on my diamond plate bed and no more shifting.


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## TNValleyBeeK

What kind of pump are you guys using? Are they just trash pumps, or more of a syrup pump?


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## davidsbees

One inch bronze gear pump with a one inch pressure relief valve


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## Ben Little

Don't you find the bronze gear pumps are way too expensive? I use a 1" Jabsco 777-9001 for honey and they are half the price of the gear pumps and they are very serviceable. http://www.pumpvendor.com/Jabsco_777-9001.html


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## davidsbees

I'm paying around $325 for the bronze pump an they easily pump over 80 psi. I see it as a better choice IMHO.


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## swarm_trapper

could you show your pump set up David? And where you get your pumps?


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## Ben Little

davidsbees said:


> I'm paying around $325 for the bronze pump an they easily pump over 80 psi. I see it as a better choice IMHO.


That's way cheaper than what I have even heard of for a bronze gear pump. Most prices average 900-1000 bucks around Our province. Gear pump for sure at that price :thumbsup:


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## davidsbees

I build about a dozen a year


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## zhiv9

davidsbees said:


> One inch bronze gear pump with a one inch pressure relief valve


Is it an adjustable pressure relief? What do you set it at?

Thanks


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## davidsbees

It is adjustable and I set it around 60-80 psi


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## DavidZ

I'm no where near being a commersh type setup, 
have to ask, what is this used for, feeding the bees?


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## sakhoney

ebays full of these pumps


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## HarryVanderpool

I am well known for "over securing" cargo.
But as you can see, I have strapped the front tote to the headboard (boom frame) and then ran 2 sets of straps from the headboard around both totes.
V-boards and straps and camlock straps from the bottom of the rear totes to the bed.
I have never noticed any movement of the totes secured in this fashon.









I have been using this set-up for several years and really like it.
You can run the pump or fill buckets as needed.
The large hose just swings up onto the bed for transport.
Also, the end of the 1" suction hose has a ball valve.
That allows you to remove the pump when you are done with it, coil the suction hose under the totes and still dispense syrup.

Not shown is the 24 foot 1" hose for filling feeders.
The pump is a 1" gear pump with a 5 / 1 reduction in pullys.
This works well. I have no complaints.


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## Sadler91

I don't even own that many straps Harry lol


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## zhiv9

HarryVanderpool said:


> The pump is a 1" gear pump with a 5 / 1 reduction in pullys.


Could you post a closer pic of the pump? Are you using a pressure relief valve as well? I am assuming these are plumbed in similar to a hydraulic setup with the overflow dumping to tank


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## HarryVanderpool

zhiv9 said:


> Could you post a closer pic of the pump? Are you using a pressure relief valve as well? I am assuming these are plumbed in similar to a hydraulic setup with the overflow dumping to tank


Yes and yes.
If you look at the first picture in post # 18 closely, you will see the return line coming straight up out of the pressure relief valve and snaking up the back of the rear tank to return.


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## zhiv9

Great! Thanks Harry


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## swarm_trapper

Harry How fast is that pump with 60degree HFCS (type 55)?


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## HarryVanderpool

swarm_trapper said:


> Harry How fast is that pump with 60degree HFCS (type 55)?


Sorry, I don't know.
I use sucrose Type O, 64% solids.
That is the only syrup that my set-up has ever pumped.


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## sqkcrk

I have that same pump system. It looks like mine anyway. Did you get yours from Mann Lake like I did?


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## HarryVanderpool

No. I made mine from scratch.


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## swarm_trapper

Harry do you know how fast it will pump the sucrose? thanks


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## DavidZ

reminds me of a gold dredge pump, any one ever check those out?

and I did some research into syrup pumps, now I know.


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## HarryVanderpool

swarm_trapper said:


> Harry do you know how fast it will pump the sucrose? thanks


No clue.
I run the engine just above idle a tad bit and it fills feeders fast enough for me.
You CAN run the engine faster if you want to.
Here is one of our guys with the engine running at full speed using two nozzles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx9TwM4Pmhc


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## Rader Sidetrack

HarryVanderpool said:


> Here is one of our guys with the engine running at full speed using two nozzles ...


Hmmm ... I wonder how much sucrose Type O was needed to make that video.


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## johnbeejohn

At first I thought u posted wrong link haha


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## swarm_trapper

lol Nice Harry


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## MTN-Bees

Thanks David: You have some great pumps and it gives me some ideas.

Thanks everyone for the input- I have some ideas to work with.

Harry: What do you use to hold your 2x4 spreader boards together?

Any thoughts on running 2 totes side by side, rather then front to back?


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## jim lyon

MTN-Bees said:


> Any thoughts on running 2 totes side by side, rather then front to back?


Thats what we do. One horizontal strap around the back of them, two straps over and stakes in stake pockets as extra insurance to keep them from even thinking about sliding. Pump is strapped on directly behind making sure its situated so the exhaust doesn't discharge directly on a tote or a hose and the recoil starter can be accessed without getting on the truck.


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## sqkcrk

I worked with a guy about 6 weeks ago who has two totes side by side with piping that brings both outlets into one before it goes through the pump. He has a nice reel for his 100 feet of hose too. Once you get to a certain size operation you can, and maybe need to, have a dedicated Syrup Truck.


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## MTN-Bees

Thanks Jim: That's pretty close to the setup I'm working on now. The debate I'm having is putting the pump up against the totes or running the pump off the back of the truck. If the pump and hose is at the rear of the truck I can stretch it to the sides and rear. 

Mark: The setup you saw- was the hose reel running off the side or rear of the truck?

Sadly- I don't see a dedicated syrup truck in my future. I'm glad to have the one I'm running with now.


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## sqkcrk

The side. The pump system was on one side of the back of the truck bed and the reel the other.


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## jim lyon

MTN-Bees said:


> Thanks Jim: That's pretty close to the setup I'm working on now. The debate I'm having is putting the pump up against the totes or running the pump off the back of the truck. If the pump and hose is at the rear of the truck I can stretch it to the sides and rear.
> 
> Mark: The setup you saw- was the hose reel running off the side or rear of the truck?
> 
> Sadly- I don't see a dedicated syrup truck in my future. I'm glad to have the one I'm running with now.


I usually have it set up on my 1 ton with a 9' bed which leaves 4 to 5' to haul misc. stuff. No reel just a 50' hose that we typically hang on the passenger side though it can easily be pulled over the bed if needed. The whole setup can be loaded and secured in maybe 15 minutes so the truck isn't exactly dedicated to just being a feed wagon but at certain times of the year that's pretty much what it becomes.


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## HarryVanderpool

jim lyon said:


> I usually have it set up on my 1 ton with a 9' bed which leaves 4 to 5' to haul misc. stuff.


That makes perfect sense with your truck. The tanks are very near your rear wheels.
We have the extended frame on our trucks.
Hauling them side by side would place a lot of stress on the frame unless you had them well back, away from the head board, nearer the rear wheels.
As it is, we always pump the front tank first, then the rear.
Maybe it makes no difference, but I always try to go easy on our rigs.


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## MTN-Bees

Just when you thought you had things set :scratch:

Good Point Harry- I have a long bed truck also. I'm going to look at having the totes closer to the rear axle.


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## hex0rz

Question, how does placing them towards the rear help? 

I always understood that the further away you place something the more leverage your creating. Hence why a 5th wheel hitch is over the rear axle. Watch a heavy bumper pull trailer get hooked up to a vehicle. 1k pound tongue weight turns into allot of leverage.


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## jim lyon

hex0rz said:


> Question, how does placing them towards the rear help?
> 
> I always understood that the further away you place something the more leverage your creating. Hence why a 5th wheel hitch is over the rear axle. Watch a heavy bumper pull trailer get hooked up to a vehicle. 1k pound tongue weight turns into allot of leverage.


Ideally you want your duals handling around 2/3rds of the load. Harry's truck is a longer wheelbase regular cab, hence two totes directly behind the cab can perhaps put a bit more weight on the front axle than may be ideal. My one ton is a shorter wheelbase crew cab so the weight is shifted back closer to the rear axle and the balance works out better.


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## sqkcrk

Does it not makes sense then to put the two totes just ahead of the rear axle? Or over it?


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## MTN-Bees

Mark: When measured things out today, the totes end up with about 1/3 on the axle, the rest of the weight is toward to front of the truck if I'm running side by side. I set up my connections so I can run side by side or front to back.


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## davidsbees

Rich, if I have a lot of bees to feed I'll put the totes side by side and tie together. I loop the strap around one end of the metal cage along with with the mat you can place just a head of the rear axle. The pump/reel setup is made to bolt to the top of the tote or set on the bed.


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## MTN-Bees

Thanks David: One tote is all that is needed for the operation right now.

Although I might need 2 totes just to haul water to the yards. 

Water seems to go quick this time of year.


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## HarryVanderpool

MTN-Bees said:


> Although I might need 2 totes just to haul water to the yards.
> Water seems to go quick this time of year.


But in that case the totes could not be side by side or you would have an awfully lop-sided truck at times; right?


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## jim lyon

HarryVanderpool said:


> But in that case the totes could not be side by side or you would have an awfully lop-sided truck at times; right?


Depends on how you unload them or whether they are plumbed together. We pump individually and typically pump one down to around half then switch and pump the second all the way down.


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## Broke-T

I cut a hole in tote lid and placed a one way suction breaker made to go on vent pipe of septic lines. It allows the air into the tote but keeps syrup from sloshing out.

Johnny


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## Roland

I have a crazy question:

Why do you NOT use the PTO panel on your transmission to hook up a syrup pump? You would eliminate one engine and have more power available. My son and I also work on 73,000 GVW dump trucks, and that is how the hydraulic pump for the dump box is powered. I realize that for those of you with gasoline engines, it may not be a benefit, but the diesel owners might find it beneficial. The PTO can be air or cable operated, and years ago, they even used drive shafts and u-joints, so a McIver setup would be possible.

Crazy Roland


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## HarryVanderpool

Roland, I am happy with the 5.5 HP Honda and pump..
If I run the engine a little faster it will pump faster than I want to go.
Why would I need 440 Hp and 970 Ft Lbs of torque to pump syrup????
:kn:


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## Roland

I am glad you like you Honda. maybe your gas out thee is different than ours. Small gasoline engines have become very troublesome, especially when parked for most of the year. Running a PTO driven pump. sized so that the truck diesel can idle, would eliminate a gas can, and clean up the truck bed. I would go nuts listening to that Honda, and my sanity is shaky as it is.

Crazy Roland


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## HarryVanderpool

Roland said:


> I would go nuts listening to that Honda, and my sanity is shaky as it is. Crazy Roland


You know Roland, I would go nuts listening to my $70,000.00 truck running while I pump syrup!
Maybe we will both end up in the loony-bin down the road and we can take whacks at each other with our canes trying to figure this out! 

Actually, my little Honda has developed an occasional stalling problem.
I'll go through it thoroughly, end to end this winter.
It has worked perfect since 2004 with only oil changes.

But just to prove that I know where you're coming from:
We bought a new Ford F-550 with almost every single option on it.
One was the power-take-off option even though I have no idea if I'll ever use it for anything.


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## jim lyon

Love the 5.5 Hondas on our pumps. If they don't start first pull something is wrong. The only problem we have had is a couple times if one got left out in a hard rain we have gotten water in the engine through the muffler. We try to remember to keep them covered if they aren't in a building.


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## Markt

This is what we use... Seems to work well, I've since changed the 1" out line for a 1-1/2" one though. Basically we draw out of the smaller totes into the big one. You can fill a frame feeder in about 3 seconds. Should work with any sized tote though. It's kind of nice to be able to quickly set the whole syrup apparatus off and do something else with the truck.


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## hex0rz

How's that one feel going down the road with no baffles.


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## EastSideBuzz

I have seen the mann lake syrup pumps a bit expensive. Buying the Jabsco would be a good option also. Does anyone have a scmatic of the connections needed to make it all work I have no problem doing amazon and assembling it all.


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## Roland

Yup, Harry, we are all pretty close to the edge, the key is staying away from those little things that get us closer.

I have been told that a diesel engine, unlike the gasoline ones that need a cool down on occasion, prefer to be started once in their life. Thermal cycles are not a diesels friend. I would be content to hear a diesel idle and pump syrup.

All that aside, I am glad you have found a combination you are comfortable with. I am trying to distance myself from gasoline as fast as I can. I am looking to convert the blower to LP, and the 77 one ton will get a turbo diesel and a Eaton-Fuller RT 6610 to replace the SBC 350 this winter. 

Crazy Roland


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## dtp

Markt, Is that a cover mounted to your headache rack?


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## HarryVanderpool

So today I specced out my little Honda 5.5 HP engine's ignition system to see if I could find the root cause of occasional stalling.
One of the measurements was on the spark plug cap.
You remove the cap from the end of the wire and test for resistance.
Supposed to be between 6.8K - 12 k ohms.
It tested in the mega ohms!!!!!!!

I called my favorite Motorcycle shop to see if they could sell me a spark plug cap.
The owner answered and told me something that you will not find on the internet or in the manual.
If you look down into the cap at the cup that snaps onto your spark plug there is a slot for a screwdriver.
Reach in and unscrew the cup and it and a resister drops out.
The point where the resister and the cup meet often get corroded.
Yep! Fixed!!! Didn't cost a penny.


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## Roland

Thank you Harry. I rest my case...

Crazy Roland


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## HarryVanderpool

Roland said:


> Thank you Harry. I rest my case...
> 
> Crazy Roland


I feel like I just got whacked with a cane.....


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## Vance G

Last summer I filled a lot of frame feeders in nucs without the pump. Gravity and a one inch hose with a gas pump filler head filled them fast enough. Admittedly the pump was faster.


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## Oldtimer

HarryVanderpool said:


> I am well known for "over securing" cargo.
> But as you can see, I have strapped the front tote to the headboard (boom frame) and then ran 2 sets of straps from the headboard around both totes.
> V-boards and straps and camlock straps from the bottom of the rear totes to the bed.
> I have never noticed any movement of the totes secured in this fashon.


Harry I see you've had that easyloader a while now, just wondering how it's been maintenance and reliability wise over the years, looks like it's got a bit of rust?


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## HarryVanderpool

First of all OT, let me say that it is "The cat's meow" in the boom world.
Once you have used this boom you would have little interest in others.
So I really like it and will never part with it.
That is the good part.....

Before I give you the not so good part, I have to let you know about my past occupation in industrial automation.
Before going full time into beekeeping, I spent 12 years retrofitting industrial machinery with automation and also in that role troubleshot many extremely complex industrial machines when they failed.
If I did not have that experience and skills, I think I would be very upset with this loader.
Fortunately, it came with very good schematics, both electrical and hydraulic.

I have beekeeper friends that are always mentioning, "the guy that does my welding" "the guy that does my wiring" "my hydraulic guy, etc...
My boom is not for them.

I do know that many good improvements have been made since mine was made (1998).
It may well be that the new ones work trouble free as they well should.

If I ever have the time, I will remove it, redo the entire control system, powder coat it, re-mount it, and never have another problem with it again.

Sounds like a great winter project.


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## Oldtimer

Thanks, yours is the Australian one right?

If so I have one on order. A little concerned about your comments, hoping you are correct about improvements having been made, take comfort in the fact yours is around 19 years old.

I was thinking of asking them to powder coat mine, it isn't made yet.


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## HarryVanderpool

Relax, OT
You're going to love it.
Ian has one also. Ask him about his experience.
I'll probably be buried with mine...


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## Oldtimer

Thanks


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## clyderoad

Oldtimer said:


> Thanks


OT your PM mailbox is full, please empty.


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## Oldtimer

Oops, emptied it.


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