pumping and storing milk into calf feeders

dungfly

I want to design and build a system that collects milk and pumps it into jfc calf group feeders. I was thinking of using twenty plastic 200 gallon drums with with pipes at bottom connected to a small pump. Where the milk is pumped via hose with a trigger into calf feeders. The pump is a 240 volt so not sure how to ensure safety when pumping liquids with such voltage if there is fault.any ideas?

IPFree

Great question! If anyone has more ideas how best to do it. A neighbor here is broke from carrying buckets up and down his modern bigger parlour setup.
We've been toying with the idea of a quad sprayer pump or 240v, but any centrifugal pump will crush the butterfat and may cause scouring issues? I think.

Definitely a market out there for some clever company/entrepreneur? The trollies are great if you've a dumpline.

As for safety with 240v pump, I think if it's a sealed unit it should be ok but I'm no electrician. Hope it works and thanks for the post dungfly.

bbam

I'd be thinking you'd be better without a 240v operation both from convenience and safety perspectives. Going out an trailing 240v leads, no doubt you'll be in a hurry, it could end badly.

How about the pump that adds to a drill. Then use a decent cordless drill that could be charged between feeding a. It would give much more freedom.

trixi2011

you can use an engine sort pump have one here on an 1000 l tank have a hose with a petrol type trigger also have a litter counter on the trigger works well it is mounted on the back 0f an old trailer

dungfly

trixi2011 wrote: »

you can use an engine sort pump have one here on an 1000 l tank have a hose with a petrol type trigger also have a litter counter on the trigger works well it is mounted on the back 0f an old trailer

What do you mean by an "engine sort pump"? Any chance of a picture? Sounds very interesting.

dungfly

IPFree wrote: »

Great question! If anyone has more ideas how best to do it. A neighbor here is broke from carrying buckets up and down his modern bigger parlour setup.
We've been toying with the idea of a quad sprayer pump or 240v, but any centrifugal pump will crush the butterfat and may cause scouring issues? I think.

Definitely a market out there for some clever company/entrepreneur? The trollies are great if you've a dumpline.

As for safety with 240v pump, I think if it's a sealed unit it should be ok but I'm no electrician. Hope it works and thanks for the post dungfly.

Centrifugal pump damages butter fat? See this link, Dairymaster use them, I presume they modify? Any info on what pumps are acceptable for pumping milk?
http://www.dairymaster.ie/milking-parlors/advanced-technologies/all-swiftflo-parlor-components/centrifugal-milk-pumps/

case885

Would the pump lidl sell be any good? Always thought of setting it up to test it out.

dungfly

case885 wrote: »

Would the pump lidl sell be any good? Always thought of setting it up to test it out.

I plan on using the below Lidl pump plumbed beneath a 200l barrel. I want to have a trigger flow just like a petrol pump. How can this be done safely? Should I use a step down voltage for the flex to the trigger or can this be done safelt some other way?

http://www.lidl-service.com/cps/rde/SID-33B09C0A-A172CA81/lsp/hs.xsl/product.html?id=7446436&title=Waterpomp%20voor%20thuisgebruik

case885

dungfly wrote: »

I plan on using the below Lidl pump plumbed beneath a 200l barrel. I want to have a trigger flow just like a petrol pump. How can this be done safely? Should I use a step down voltage for the flex to the trigger or can this be done safelt some other way?

http://www.lidl-service.com/cps/rde/SID-33B09C0A-A172CA81/lsp/hs.xsl/product.html?id=7446436&title=Waterpomp%20voor%20thuisgebruik

Can you not just put a tap on the end?

trixi2011

dungfly wrote: »

What do you mean by an "engine sort pump"? Any chance of a picture? Sounds very interesting.

its like a pump for pumping out water have seen them used before in Ireland for pumping out water from flooded areas, there just a Honda enigine with a pump on it. You can also buy submersible electrical pumps which you drop in to the barrel and works on a float switch, used one of these before I got the engine type. sorry have no picture as its not on the farm at present

dungfly

case885 wrote: »

Can you not just put a tap on the end?

My initial reply was going to be of course not...but if it was used and did work then it would solve any safety issues with regard to trailing leads and fancy triggers. I reckon there are two options here.

1 - Tap at end of hose - simplest solution but if it works.
2 - Circulation loop - more complex but would require pressure relief

case885

dungfly wrote: »

My initial reply was going to be of course not...but if it was used and did work then it would solve any safety issues with regard to trailing leads and fancy triggers. I reckon there are two options here.

1 - Tap at end of hose - simplest solution but if it works.
2 - Circulation loop - more complex but would require pressure relief

Father has one of those lidl pumps to boost water pressure during milking, he also teed off a hose with a tap and it works perfect. Serious power on the hose when turned on.

C0N0R

We use a wee Honda pump I think, but the pump has to be below the milk as it won't suck only move if you know what I mean, don't suppose this would be any use to you? As mentioned have also used submersible pumps on float switches.

case885

C0N0R wrote: »

We use a wee Honda pump I think, but the pump has to be below the milk as it won't suck only move if you know what I mean, don't suppose this would be any use to you? As mentioned have also used submersible pumps on float switches.

I wouldn't like to be using a submersible pump with milk, i think the lidl pump is your best option one pipe sucking out the other pumping to calf shed.

bbam

case885 wrote: »

I wouldn't like to be using a submersible pump with milk, i think the lidl pump is your best option one pipe sucking out the other pumping to calf shed.

That pump is probably your best option..

I would still be hesitant as you'll be working off a 240v supply, it will work but just not ideal from a safety perspective.

I would highly recommend your plugged into a proper RCD protected socket. Not just protected by MCB's and definitely not by fuses.

MCB's and fuses just protect lines from overcurrent.
RCD's protect from an imbalance between live and neutral (usually earth leakage).

You could be seriously hurt before an MCB tripps and fuses on farms don't usually have a good rep for protecting much !!
An RCD will offer much better protection in the event of a short/damaged mains cable/any crazy stuff that happens from time to time.

You can even buy a little plug in RCD socket for handiness and saves rewiring.


BE SAFE !!

onyerbikepat

Can you raise the barrell and just use gravity for flow in the pipe. You'd be surprised with the flow.

Here's a milk pump for an IBC, 12V DC too so very safe.
http://www.condorpumps.com/pump/calf_milk_pump/10.9921/calf-milk-pump-kit-12v-for-IBC-tank-9501690650.html

Timmaay

onyerbikepat wrote: »

Can you raise the barrell and just use gravity for flow in the pipe. You'd be surprised with the flow.

Here's a milk pump for an IBC, 12V DC too so very safe.
http://www.condorpumps.com/pump/calf_milk_pump/10.9921/calf-milk-pump-kit-12v-for-IBC-tank-9501690650.html

But 1100quid :eek:

K.G.

Giving some thought to the setup for rearing calves this year and one option is a trolley but would prefer to set up a submersible pump in a barrel with a long hose(20to25metres) with a meter and nozzle for filling feeders.is it a runner.there is a slope in calf house which would make pulling trolley harder but just thought id pull up this thread to see what people are doing

Tail painter

We use an old sprayer with a diaphragm pump on a tractor. there is a trigger nozzle with a meter on it. when you shut off the trigger, the milk just recycles back into the sprayer. It might look extravagant but the calf sheds are 150m away.

JOAT

K.G. wrote: »

Giving some thought to the setup for rearing calves this year and one option is a trolley but would prefer to set up a submersible pump in a barrel with a long hose(20to25metres) with a meter and nozzle for filling feeders.is it a runner.there is a slope in calf house which would make pulling trolley harder but just thought id pull up this thread to see what people are doing

What I made up was a 200 litre barrel with a small frame around it and a pump fitted under it. The frame slides onto the transport box of the tractor. The barrel is filled at the parlour and taken to the calf house. There I have a hose with a tap permanently set up. Just plug in the pump inside the door of the shed, use a quick attach to attach the hose and walk around to each pen filling up the feeders. I used to have a flow meter but they kept giving trouble and getting damp so now I just use marks on the feeders. Flow meter was a mighty job when it worked but painful when it stopped!

What do lads do to get the milk out of the pit of the parlour??
Dump line would be mighty but not going to happen for another few years!