Re: New concept GM high density field
 

since you are putting out 8 bar I pretty much take it is a centrifugal pump and not a positive displacement pump. being a centrifugal pump I would THINK there is very little pump wear on your inside of your pump unless it has been pumping rocks or concrete. and it sounds like this pump is running fine except for a bit of air which won't hurt anything [might run a long time like that]. I also assume it has been a long time since it was new. even so I don't see to much internal wear. could be wrong. shaft seals and or suction.

I don't believe I would run it up much higher than what you are already running it at.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Centrifugal, yes!
Here are a recent photo of the beast. It starts and runs great.
Remember, we border the jungle

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Wow! That is a beast! Haha.

Louis, it seems you have increased your upstream operations substantially over the last year. I'm interested to know if you have had to make any modifications or improvements to the downstream operations (fruit removal from the field, processing, packing) when it comes off in larger volumes and maybe within a tighter window than historically?

Thanks!

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Our volume is still steady as it has been for the last six months since the first three fields started fruiting. Another four fields are on the way but it will be another eight months before they can start to be harvested. Each field is about six hundred trees. We plan on doubling that total once more in the next two years, then we can harvest a full truckload once a week. It will still remain a nice and small operation, more concerned with fruit quality.
I recently posted in the "what did you harvest today" section our typical harvest. We get this every three weeks right now with some extras in between.
Banana plants do grow quite slowly and we also make our own plantlets.
This time allows us to master and permanently improve our knowledge and technique.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

nothing to be ashamed of there. that diesel will have plennnty of power for that setup. is that a transmission on the belt end of that pump. looks like a hydraulic pump. your post is in the way to tell what seals are in the pump. looks like the pump is in excellent shape on the outside, means its probably in good shape on the inside too. looks like oil on the bottom of the pump.

love the green rag on the hose bib.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Here is a close up of the centrifugal pump. The model is a Morita ME-5. I have the parts list that I got from a nice engineer in Japan. This photo is two years old, the suction hose has been changed since and the sealant paste replaced. The smaller hose goes out to cool the engine. The belts are new. The pulley on the engine is a 10 inch, on the pump is a 4 inch

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

one heck of a pump!

ok, dead in the center between your suction line and your pulley there is that square hole you can see the shaft. on the pump side of that hole there is a large nut with notches for a c style spanner wrench. your graphite packings are under that. by tightening up that nut you tighten up your packings as they wear. there should be a place near that nut to grease your packings. loosening that nut allows you to slide the nut back on the shaft and you can put in a new packing or replace the packings by pulling them out with a corkscrew type puller.

couldn't find a break down of that pump. so I am going by what I know. most pumps I am familiar with have two nuts to tighten the packing flange. but this one looks like it has one huge nut that takes a spanner which is more stupid proof. it looks like your packing nut is almost bottomed out so it will be needing some packing soon.

packing puller

graphite packing

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

I've been trying to upload the plan but there were some issues. It seems to be ok now. Many thanks for your knowledgeable input. Much appreciated, pumps is not my forte...

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

single stage turbine pump with transfer case and self priming pump and has a engage, disengage clutch.

you grease zerk is locate on the backside bottom of the pump. in other words on the near bottom of the pump just between the pump and before your packing nut on the plate ahead of your access housing.

grease daily one or two pumps will do it. be sure to grease right away after installing new packings.

use your spanner wrench to tighten the gland nut occasionally. do not over tighten it will burn out your shaft.

I do not know where to tell you to get graphite packing on your side of the world but it should be REAL easy to find. takes 2. you can cut your size by using a wood dowel, pvc or pipe by wrapping it around and cutting at a 45 degree angle. your dowel or pipe should be the same diameter as your shaft. you come up with one full round circle. size of packing can be determined by the size of your shaft and by unscrewing the gland nut and use a caliper to measure the outside of the step that goes into the pump. [don't know how exactly to describe it to you.] use the 2 measurements to figure your packing size. should be [around] 5/8 inch. course your going to be metric. for fast fix you can just shove 1 packing in but I would pull the old packings out most of the time and replace both. [could take 3 but your diagram shows 2.]

if you need me I will be here.

spanner wrench. just have your people build it like the top picture with the nubs out but it would probably be easier to build like the bottom picture, just have the nubs stick out like the top picture





if you need me I will be here. don't worry about your knowledge on pumps I have more of a greasy thumb than a green one.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Fantastic advice, thanks in a million!
I will look into this with my foreman, I think I know where I get find the packings, if not I will contact the maker in Japan.
Once we get down to performing this operation on the pump I will post a specific update. Any questions, I will contact you. :bananas_b

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

a few things I failed to mention; then I will shut up :ha:

I put this at the major part of your air leak.

your spanner wrench; put your nubs at a full 180 degrees on your gland nut. in other words on both sides of your gland nut. and then I would add a third [for strength and stability] on the bottom or [better put] in the middle at 90 degrees. make it to resemble a ladle.

also with your pulley configuration; I would definitely run at the rpm you have been running it at.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Just under five months in the ground and all is well. The GM are still shooting up, deleafing to three leaves has been steadily maintained and will now cease on the stems that have reached six feet as these are all first year mats. On second year plants in older fields, we continue deleafing to eight feet, aiming for an ideal eight to nine leaves at flowering.
The plants on the inside are growing the best, those on the outside of this rectangular field are all smaller in height by at least a foot. A kind of mild krummholz effect that can be clearly noted in this HD configuration. We have one more field already planted and another on the way as we approach the end of the rainy season. It will be interesting to compare the growth performance taking into account the transplanting date.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

great pic! love the view.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Cheers. From another angle. That stem on the right is over six feet tall.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Perfect spacing! Very similar to my spacing! Great job!

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

A third HD field was finished today. 850 GM planted on 1000 m2. All of them issued from our own macro-propagation beds then nursed in our hardening tent.
A beautiful sight once the irrigation is turned on. The rainy season seems over and the sky is now intensely blue.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Beautiful! Thank for posting these amazing pictures

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

all right free bananas for everybody.!

kind of late in the year your not worried about winter? I know you can get some cold weather.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

Quite right, it is of course always a small risk. That field is however less exposed from the northwesterly wind which can occasionally be cold as it passes over a nearby mountain. We had some leaf burn last year, in a more exposed field, but the plants recovered quickly.

Re: New concept GM high density field
 

I hope for a decent winter for you. yes in your case production is everything, got to get them in the ground and growing as fast as you can. katie bar the door.