# Air feeding system



## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

I started the same. Upgraded the pump to a sotera 400. no messing with pressure.


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## Markt (Feb 8, 2012)

I built one out of a 200 gallon plastic tank with a steel cage liner a couple years back, I drilled the cap on top and attached an air compressor fitting with a gasket between it and the cap to the hole then stepped the gate valve on the front down to a garden hose size and used just a regular shut off valve on the end. It's very important to turn the regulator on your air compressor all the way off before you hook it up to the fitting then turn it up just enough that you can hear a little hissing through the line, don't think they read psi very accurately at the low end and the tank looks close to blowing even set that low, never had it happen yet, I still stand back though. You won't need a pump but you'll definitely need a generator, the compressor just won't put the volume of air in that you need unless it's running. I wound up with somewhere around 4 or 5 Gpm coming out of the garden hose, worked well enough but I've switched to a lot of barrel feeding for the expedience. Hope that helps


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

scokat said:


> any of you commercial keeps, have any pictures or drawings on how to set up a air pressure delivery system for feeding syrup.




http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/CNHoney/100_1230.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/CNHoney/100_1232.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/CNHoney/P1010113_zps005857b3.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/CNHoney/100_0812.jpg

This is a 5,000 gal tank & 500 gal, both can be pick up for next to nothing, with a air regulator the flow can be ajusted to any amount.
Good luck.


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## Markt (Feb 8, 2012)

I like the looks of that... Do you mix up the sugar water before it enters the 5000 gallon tank? How do you deal with sugar crystallizing on the walls of the tank when you can't open it?


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Markt said:


> How do you deal with sugar crystallizing on the walls of the tank when you can't open it?


Markt, we don't feed any syrup that will crystallize, some folks feed type 42 or 55 straight corn syrup that will crystallize, but we stay away from that stuff.


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## Markt (Feb 8, 2012)

I see. Thanks.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

Hey Markt, I suppose you could keep the tank heated, ours is fully insulated, but I would be concerned about HMF levels getting high. Would be something to think about though.


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Keith it looks like the air used to pressurize the tank whilst in the field is coming from the line off your air brakes. Don't the highway vehicle inspection guys and gals frown heavily upon that kind of stuff? Do you have a separate compressor stashed away somewhere?

Jean-Marc


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

W/ 50 hives I don't see why you need anything more than gravity and a fuel jug dedicated to and modified for use for filling feeders by hand. KISS


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## Theweber (Jan 17, 2012)

I work for a utility company we have air controlled hydrolic wench on our trucks. There is a regulator that hooks up to the air tank that cuts off at 90 psi. If there is an air leak on the winch controle. To keep from loosing the air supply. It is D.O.T. legal. I can get some info on it if you like.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

jean-marc said:


> Don't the highway vehicle inspection guys and gals frown heavily upon that kind of stuff? Jean-Marc


JM, the air line going to the syrup tank is hooked up to the trailer "glad hand" on the truck, so if your done feeding in the yard and you want to drive down the road to the next yard you would pull, dis-ingage the red botton (trailer air brakes) turn your air regulator "off ", dis-connect air line. This whole prosess takes about 15-20 seconds " on & off".


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Sounds slick. I am getting less and less tolerant of the noise created by pumps in the bee yard. This seems like a nice alternative.

Jean-Marc


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

jean-marc said:


> noise created by pumps Jean-Marc


JM, It may sound crazy in this business but, I don't even own a pump.

One other thing I forgot to mention is, use a ball valve, and weld an 8" extention on it (see pics). The last thing you want to use is a gas nozzle type.


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## Roland (Dec 14, 2008)

Jean-marc , to alleviate your fears, there are two brake systems on a class 8 truck. One applies air to a diaphragm(that applies the brakes) on the axle, supplied from the foot pedal. The other system works the opposite. When air is released, it no longer holds back a caged spring on the axle, which applies the brakes. Air is needed to release the spring brakes. When the foot brake system air is below the "oh poop" threshold(about 80 psi), like from a leak, the Yellow knob pops out, dumps the spring brake air, and the truck stops. 

No worries, with no air, the truck will not move.

Crazy Roland


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