Is Variable Speed Milk Pump Worth it

sjt01

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
North Norfolk
For a 10 unit parlour a vs pump sounds like a big investment. In our old parlour, we simply put a stainless ball valve in line to restrict milk flow through the plate cooler. During milking valve half shut, When on wash down valve was open.
Worked great đź‘Ť
I would suggest a butterfly valve rather than a ball valve, which has dead areas that do not get cleaned properly
 

Triangle

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Dorset
We have 4 probes probably could rig something up with 3 seperate level controllers or a low speed setting fpr milk a high speed for wash but at the time we were in a pinch doing silage so it was quickest solution
 

jondear

Member
Location
Devon

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Monty

Member
We bought a variable speed pump from a farm sale a couple of years ago. It has an ABB inverter (0.75kw) with a 0.55kw motor on an old pump (delaval I think). This replaced a single phase fullwood pump which was rubbish by comparison. It's controlled by 2 probes and just flick a couple of switches to select the motor speed. The probes and accompanying control box isn't a good match since it needs a relay to turn the inverter on/off. Also the pump starts up slowly and builds up to full speed then stops a second later and the cycle starts all over again and cycles like this till the recieving jar is empty. If it could run constantly on a slower setting then it would work much better. But overall even on the full speed (50hz) setting it cools the milk better than with the old milk pump.
Anyway the previous owner had it set up very well with 3 plate coolers, 1 icebank tank and 1dx tank. The second and third plate cooler water was cooled from the outer jacket of the ice bank tank and apparently went into the milk tanks at around 3 degrees.

Looking online, Inverters are quite cheap. Under ÂŁ150 for one like ours. 3 phase motors are even cheaper still. If you can source a cheap milk pump from a farm sale with a control box then it wouldn't cost much at all to put together.
 

aidan

Member
Location
Ireland
We bought a variable speed pump from a farm sale a couple of years ago. It has an ABB inverter (0.75kw) with a 0.55kw motor on an old pump (delaval I think). This replaced a single phase fullwood pump which was rubbish by comparison. It's controlled by 2 probes and just flick a couple of switches to select the motor speed. The probes and accompanying control box isn't a good match since it needs a relay to turn the inverter on/off. Also the pump starts up slowly and builds up to full speed then stops a second later and the cycle starts all over again and cycles like this till the recieving jar is empty. If it could run constantly on a slower setting then it would work much better. But overall even on the full speed (50hz) setting it cools the milk better than with the old milk pump.
Anyway the previous owner had it set up very well with 3 plate coolers, 1 icebank tank and 1dx tank. The second and third plate cooler water was cooled from the outer jacket of the ice bank tank and apparently went into the milk tanks at around 3 degrees.

Looking online, Inverters are quite cheap. Under ÂŁ150 for one like ours. 3 phase motors are even cheaper still. If you can source a cheap milk pump from a farm sale with a control box then it wouldn't cost much at all to put together.

if you read the manual on your ABB inverter you will probably be able to figure out how to adjust max speed.

Alternatively call your dairy man see what he can do for you
 

Monty

Member
if you read the manual on your ABB inverter you will probably be able to figure out how to adjust max speed.

Alternatively call your dairy man see what he can do for you

We have 3 different speeds to select. I just use the fast one for evening milking and let the tank do the rest, then one of the slower settings for morning milking to cool it quicker before collection. It works quite well as it stands but could be improved
 

aidan

Member
Location
Ireland
We have 3 different speeds to select. I just use the fast one for evening milking and let the tank do the rest, then one of the slower settings for morning milking to cool it quicker before collection. It works quite well as it stands but could be improved

how many probes in your jar
 

Monty

Member
how many probes in your jar
Just 2. We have to be mindful letting the milk out of the parlour jars so the pump will cope on the slower settings. We have 2 recieveing jars and the probes are set right at the bottom to give more leeway. It would be much better with 3 probes or switches that adjust the pump to suit the level but given we only paid ÂŁ50 for the pump, inverter with waterproof case, 3 recieving jars and better solenoid valve for the water I can't complain too much.
 
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aidan

Member
Location
Ireland
Just 2. We have to be mindful letting the milk out of the parlour jars so the pump will cope on the slower settings. We have 2 recieveing jars and the probes are set right at the bottom to give more leeway. It would be much better with 3 probes or switches that adjust the pump to suit the level but given we only paid ÂŁ50 for the pump, inverter with waterproof case, 3 reciving jars and better solenoid valve for the water I can't complain too much.
how many units
 

aidan

Member
Location
Ireland
10 units. I think our pump set up would be easier to work with direct line to as you get a more consistent flow of milk into the dairy and just set the speed as low as you can get away with

abb stuff is v well rated and those probes are pretty reliable too

was wondering what is your backup plan if that inverter failed
 

sonalford3

Member
Arable Farmer
Thank information! I'm not an expert, but I believe my float has three-level controls, the bottom being on/off, the middle is to go from slow to fast pump when the receiver becomes full...actually, I'm not sure if/why there is another level option.
super mario bros
 

vantage

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembs
Thank information! I'm not an expert, but I believe my float has three-level controls, the bottom being on/off, the middle is to go from slow to fast pump when the receiver becomes full...actually, I'm not sure if/why there is another level option.
super mario bros
Top ones to tell you your vacuum pump is imminently going to drink milk, all the clusters will fall off the cows, they will all lift there tails and pandemonium will break out! :D
 
Very apt thread for us !! And some great tips .
I have been asking my parlour man (brother in law) about fitting the inverter 3 phase Milk pump ,for quite a few yrs !!
But we still put it through the choke valve , single phase milk pump and 2 plate coolers ,with water split between the 2 .
Simple as
He never gets around to it ,but having mused about ACR's with him recently ,second hand , and finding Fullwood 6 gallon jars getting more rare , plus the transfer levers getting more worn ,hes keen to fit direct to line for us and resite the vessel in the pit ,he has some 14 second hand acr's he know of, and we need 10 , and fitting the inverter and pump in the pit !
We have often joked about him doing all this , a few months before the cows actually go completely :D
 
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