Author Topic: Milking machine setup  (Read 4053 times)

BigCheese

  • Guest
Milking machine setup
« on: November 02, 2010, 10:40:47 PM »
Well, I have been away too long. Just opened 20+ tabs of threads I want to catch up on.

Been very busy preparing for winter and doing schoolwork. Plus we haven't been making cheese.  MY question today pertains to milking equipment. I know nothing about motors, but I know that there is a way to run a portable milker on a gas powered motor. Does anyone have any suggestions for a motor? What other equipment will I need. I have been using electric motors but want to look into the alternative. Our current motor is 3/4 hp.

Thanks in advance and thanks everyone for helping me so much. ALL of my cheeses from earlier this year (dont know about the PArm yet) turned out good, and people went crazy for my stilton!

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2010, 10:59:19 PM »
You need to hook it up to a pump and size it properly so that it pulls enough CFMs And then you need inflations, liners, milk and air lines, a bucket, pulsator, and misc seals and shutoffs and the like.

For how many cows at a time?

BigCheese

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2010, 11:14:28 PM »
You are my rock, LB. I have been gone for a month+ and sure enough, within 15 minutes your here helping me out.

I am familiar with all the milking parts but what I am unclear about is how the motor powers suction. Obviously (?) some vacuum in between. From the pulsator onward I am good to go, I just need to understand in between the pulsator and the motor. We are milking just one cow at a time, so 3/4 hp has served us well, although 1/2 is probably sufficient. This setup is for Costa Rica where I presume it will be easier to get a little honda motor than an electric vacuum pump, and the site is off-grid so the gas-powered has some advantages in that way as well.

Oh and uh, whats a CFM?

Thanks again!

linuxboy

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2010, 11:22:57 PM »
cubic feet of air per minute. Tells the strength of the vacuum. What you need is an old style pump and run a belt from the motor to the pump, or get an all-in-one type setup that has a pump built in with the motor. The all-in-ones are usually more expensive. If you get an old beast of a pump, so long as you change the oil, it will run forever.

Might be able to find one on ebay or from an old dairy.

You do need to size the pump to the size of the motor so the motor won't burn out.

BigCheese

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2010, 11:27:12 PM »
Well since this is going to Costa Rica, size and weight are a consideration. Maybe we should just send the electric porta-vac we have here as a backup. But with 3 Jerseys to milk twice a day, I like the security of a backup pump...

But they do make gas-powered all-in-one vacuum pumps?

coffee joe

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2010, 04:18:54 PM »
Hi from brazil.
We use a 3 HP Brigs and Stratton gas engine on a backup milker. The pump is a rebuilt westfalia from www.partsdepartmentonline.com in Connecticut. It was a real hassle to get to brazil, about 50 lb! You need to get the RPM down to about 1000, for this you use 2 pullies and V belts. 
to calculate the proper RPM, take RPM of motor, X size of pulley on motor / size of pulley on pump.
One major problem is the noise of the thing so it needs to be fairly well sheltered from the cows.
Since you have a small electric motor, a small generator will more easily attend your needs when the lights go out.   

BigCheese

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2010, 04:57:28 PM »
Thanks Joe! I think we will go with the electric, after shipping a calf to Costa Rica, I have no interest in figuring out how to get a big pump down there.

ConnieG

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2010, 05:37:10 PM »
Have you considered solar?

BigCheese

  • Guest
Re: Milking machine setup
« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2010, 05:46:44 PM »
We have both solar and micro-hydro there, but conservation is still key.