What is this? Balance tank????

Catalytic · #1 08/10/11, 02:02 AM

So while son and I were out cutting wood for the stanchion, I noticed this doohickey hanging in the shed. What is it? Could it be used as a balance tank for a milker??? (Mind you, I've no idea what a balance tank is, I just know it's the part that confused the crap out of me when I read a site about creating your own electric milker...)

What is this? Balance tank???? - Cattle

Catalytic · #2 08/10/11, 02:07 AM

http://www.freewebs.com/cottoneyeddo...rownmilker.htm is the site I read about building your own milker, the balance tank confuses the heck outta me.

sammyd · #3 08/10/11, 05:52 AM

that is something for an air line not a vacuum line, the gauge is in PSI not inches of vacuum.

**Ross** · #4 08/10/11, 06:53 AM

I agree with Sammy it looks like a water trap/pressure regulator maybe for spray painting.

Cheryl aka JM · #5 08/10/11, 07:04 AM

Sammy defined a balance tank for me here:
vacuum pump for milker

your doohicky looks like a balance tank to me other than the pressure guage not having the same numbers~ maybe you could change the guage? But then by the time you do that~ I built my balance tank out of a mason jar covered with duct tape (in case the jar break glass won't go everywhere) I drilled holes in the canning lid for the pressure guage and two vacuum lines (one line in and one line out) and sealed around the holes with hot glue.

Catalytic · #6 08/10/11, 06:14 PM

Could someone walk me through making a balance tank? What parts I need and such? My son has built a PVC potato gun, so I'm sure he can help me figure this out! I will be milking one animal at a time most likely, goats and cow(s) in the future. And maybe a recommendation on a decent, cheap pump? I would prefer a DeLaval type bucket over a Surge, I know I can pick those up on eBay.

sammyd · #7 08/10/11, 08:26 PM

get a chunk of 6" PVC about 1.5 foot long and 2 caps.
Glue the caps on the pipe and then drill and tap 5 holes..
1-for the connection to the vacuum pump
2-for the connection to the bucket these should be on opposite ends of the pipe
3 on what is the bottom for a drain of some sort. this one would work OK http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/BAL...ZC8?Pid=search
You will need to drain it after each milking.
4 -on top for a vacuum gage
5-on top for some sort of vacuum control, or you could skip this and use the drain cock to regulate the vacuum level....
It's not much of a balance tank but for use on a one bucket system it should be serviceable.