Milk tanks

dar31

Any advise or comments on make of tanks.
Muller Packo, dairymaster direct expansion tanks
Pros / cons
Ordering in the next week

Timmaay

dar31 wrote: »

Any advise or comments on make of tanks.
Muller Packo, dairymaster direct expansion tanks
Pros / cons
Ordering in the next week

Ordered an 11kL darikool here awhile back from a crowd in cork, it was coming in the most competitive from any quotes I got for that size tank. Only slightly disadvantaged is it only has a 2 1/2 hp compressor, if I'm regularly filling the tank I'll probably need to fit a 2nd compressor, however I'm along way from anyway filling it yet, i decided to splash out on a nice big plate cooler instead.

dar31

When will ya have it in.
Didn't prove Dairy kool, had decided on one of the 3 above
Big variance in recommended compressors, will have 3 phase going in, and compressors ranged from 2*5hp, 2*7.5hp to 1*10 Hp.
Most likely a industrial spec plate cooler going in as well,
Do lads have a separate water heater for tank, wash requirement 150-200 l

st1979

Timmaay wrote: »

Ordered an 11kL darikool here awhile back from a crowd in cork, it was coming in the most competitive from any quotes I got for that size tank. Only slightly disadvantaged is it only has a 2 1/2 hp compressor, if I'm regularly filling the tank I'll probably need to fit a 2nd compressor, however I'm along way from anyway filling it yet, i decided to splash out on a nice big plate cooler instead.

Snap. Have same darikool 11000 litre but twin compressors. What I liked was it is the biggest tank for the lenght. They are short fat and tall. Other tanks were longer narrower and not as tall. Plus a 20 year guarantee on the heat exchanger part in tank (cant think of the part name)
The flooded evaporation system is very good to cool milk fast

Sam Kade

I will be getting a secondhand tank at the end of the year I was told the best tank was packo, they give least trouble.

Timmaay

dar31 wrote: »

When will ya have it in.
Didn't prove Dairy kool, had decided on one of the 3 above
Big variance in recommended compressors, will have 3 phase going in, and compressors ranged from 2*5hp, 2*7.5hp to 1*10 Hp.
Most likely a industrial spec plate cooler going in as well,
Do lads have a separate water heater for tank, wash requirement 150-200 l

I'm just waiting for the grant to be confirmed, only send that in in dec tho! And I'll be short on space from early April at a guess!! The tank can be installed fairly quick once I contact them, its getting the grant confirmed that is my only problem. If i here nothing by say march 1st I'll be on the phone to Glanbia telling them to either collect my milk every 2nd day or pull some strings to fast track the application!

Timmaay

Sam Kade wrote: »

I will be getting a secondhand tank at the end of the year I was told the best tank was packo, they give least trouble.

I priced up afew 2nd hand and it was a no brainer to go new with the grant.

dar31

Timmaay wrote: »

I'm just waiting for the grant to be confirmed, only send that in in dec tho! And I'll be short on space from early April at a guess!! The tank can be installed fairly quick once I contact them, its getting the grant confirmed that is my only problem. If i here nothing by say march 1st I'll be on the phone to Glanbia telling them to either collect my milk every 2nd day or pull some strings to fast track the application!

I wouldn't get to concerned about 3 day collections for next year, they will still pick up your milk.
New tank will only be for future max numbers for 2 day collections not overly concerned by 3 / 3.5 day collections
Planning on new parlour in 3-5 yrs so will move or change tank then, depending on situation at the time

Deepsouthwest

dar31 wrote: »

Any advise or comments on make of tanks.
Muller Packo, dairymaster direct expansion tanks
Pros / cons
Ordering in the next week

Put in a dairymaster 12,750L direct expansion back in may, seems ok so far. Had a packo ice bank tank, which was also ok, nothing special. Involved in an effiency programme down here with Carbery(our milk buyer/processor). Will find out from them the difference over the last 6mts in cooling costs between the two and post it here. Wouldn't get too caught up in all the sales talk, most tanks sold in Ireland are just a lump of stainless steel all cooled by a cope land scroll compressors, except darikool who have the flooded system. If I had any advice it would be not to spend all your money on the tank, a good properly worked plate cooler is where the real savings are made.

dar31

Deepsouthwest wrote: »

Put in a dairymaster 12,750L direct expansion back in may, seems ok so far. Had a packo ice bank tank, which was also ok, nothing special. Involved in an effiency programme down here with Carbery(our milk buyer/processor). Will find out from them the difference over the last 6mts in cooling costs between the two and post it here. Wouldn't get too caught up in all the sales talk, most tanks sold in Ireland are just a lump of stainless steel all cooled by a cope land scroll compressors, except darikool who have the flooded system. If I had any advice it would be not to spend all your money on the tank, a good properly worked plate cooler is where the real savings are made.

Did you go for the digi or cool control system, 2k extra seems a lot for the extra bit of control, some of the sales men don't half know how to talk, maybe it's worth the extra!
Did you look at other tanks, and what sold you on the dairy master

eddiemunk

Wudnt go dairymaster heard they are giving trouble id go Alfa Laval or packo myself two best tanks on the market

biddy2013

LOOKING for a tank here too, have grant approval. Do kilkenny still do milk tanks?

dar31

eddiemunk wrote: »

Wudnt go dairymaster heard they are giving trouble id go Alfa Laval or packo myself two best tanks on the market

What problems were there with the dairymaster tank, and how long ago, rep did say there was a few problems in the first few tanks as they are only making them 4 years

Kilkenny don't make tanks any more, old one is a Kilkenny ice bank

awaywithyou

dar31 wrote: »

What problems were there with the dairymaster tank, and how long ago, rep did say there was a few problems in the first few tanks as they are only making them 4 years

Kilkenny don't make tanks any more, old one is a Kilkenny ice bank

Dairymaster tanks are absolutely flying out the door of the factory in Kerry... You won't go wrong with a dairymaster tank but have someone in competition with them or they will fleece you

Deepsouthwest

dar31 wrote: »

Did you go for the digi or cool control system, 2k extra seems a lot for the extra bit of control, some of the sales men don't half know how to talk, maybe it's worth the extra!
Did you look at other tanks, and what sold you on the dairy master

Cool control system, 4k extra I thought when I was pricing it. Didn't think it was necessary, never got a txt from my last tank and didn't think I needed it either! Priced Liscarrol, Packo, Darikool, Darikool being the most competitive, but just felt the copeland scroll compressor was more proven, and local tank service man reckoned Dairymaster had the best wash system. Also, whether right or wrong I wanted to buy an Irish made tank, us farmers are long enough preaching about buy Irish. Just to finish, a friend of mine recently put in a tank, and this guy would really do the research, he went mueller,

funny man

biddy2013 wrote: »

LOOKING for a tank here too, have grant approval. Do kilkenny still do milk tanks?

Yea they still sell them contact Paddy Smee he's the owner, liscarroll make them and they are a good tank also. Keep away from dairymaster over priced compared to either of the above

biddy2013

funny man wrote: »

Yea they still sell them contact Paddy Smee he's the owner, liscarroll make them and they are a good tank also. Keep away from dairymaster over priced compared to either of the above

paddy smee is a pure gentleman, thanks

delaval

biddy2013 wrote: »

paddy smee is a pure gentleman, thanks

It's his daughter I dealt with, sound no messing like her old man. I'd deffo deal with them again.

Our old tank leaked and I was over a barrell, dealt with them as closest, they could've assaulted me but gave good price.

biddy2013

delaval wrote: »

It's his daughter I dealt with, sound no messing like her old man. I'd deffo deal with them again.

Our old tank leaked and I was over a barrell, dealt with them as closest, they could've assaulted me but gave good price.

can you pm me a number please... i bought my milk tank of them when i started out, they couldnt have been more helpful. i have 2 tanks now a 550 kilkenny and a 1000 gallon icebank, want to get rid and just have 1

Timmaay

dar31 wrote: »

I wouldn't get to concerned about 3 day collections for next year, they will still pick up your milk.
New tank will only be for future max numbers for 2 day collections not overly concerned by 3 / 3.5 day collections
Planning on new parlour in 3-5 yrs so will move or change tank then, depending on situation at the time

You still got just a 12 unit? , are you going to throw on afew more units meanwhile? Milking 80 in my 6uint does my head in, would be very awkward to put in more units and cowflow poor in anycase. So I'll throw up a new on while i got the grant also.

TopCon

A lot of people buy tanks based on cheapest price. I can never understand why.
I suppose the main reason is people don't know much about refrigeration. But should at least know the wash process.

Mueller have most efficient cooling system, good washer and all parts used are top quality. Hence they tend to be expensive. Certainly most expensive to produce anyway.

Packo/dairymaster/delaval not are not far behind. Using copeland scroll direct expansion. For me packo and dairymaster use the best wash systems.

Then you have liscarroll and darikool. Don't know much about new liscarrolls. Darikool 'flooded' evaporator system can work quite well as its basic not many components to go wrong. Washer not up to standard of others in my opinion.

A lot to be said for buying irish and in fairness to dairymaster they provide lots of jobs and shook up the bulk tank market a bit.

Feel free to pm me if you want info. I'm not connected to any. Beware of sales talk.

loveta

Bought a muller M3 9k lts twenty grand plus vat 40%grant left me out 12k don't know how good of value that is now but I liked the tank and prob got sucked into the sales talk but all the companies slated dari cool flood evaporate system said it was crude and a mess waiting to happen be they right or wrong I don't know but I am very happy with the new tank esp if the lorry is late quick wash time, tbc mostly round 3-5k so must be cleaning correct

dar31

Timmaay wrote: »

You still got just a 12 unit? , are you going to throw on afew more units meanwhile? Milking 80 in my 6uint does my head in, would be very awkward to put in more units and cowflow poor in anycase. So I'll throw up a new on while i got the grant also.

yea, still banging them through the 12 unit, put 230 through it at peak last year, before we started selling in any great quantity.
dont plan on extending existing parlour, and a new one is still 3-5 yrs out.
will wait and see how post 15 pans out, before committing to a new parlour

delaval

biddy2013 wrote: »

can you pm me a number please... i bought my milk tank of them when i started out, they couldnt have been more helpful. i have 2 tanks now a 550 kilkenny and a 1000 gallon icebank, want to get rid and just have 1

http://m.goldenpages.ie/detail/kilkenny-bulk-milk-tanks-kilkenny/1/

Sam Kade

Timmaay wrote: »

I priced up afew 2nd hand and it was a no brainer to go new with the grant.

4k L secondhand is 5k fitted. Do you have to be under 40 to get the grant?

Uibh Fhaile

Also looking at Delaval and Kilkenny. Have a Kilkenny ice bank at the moment, didn't give any trouble. Priced Delaval tank, 1100 euro between 9700 and 11000 litre tank. Maybe this increases running costs tho for the sake of extra unneeded capacity for now.

Are the new Kilkenny tanks as good as the other manufactures ?

Anyone consider putting in or already have put in a heat exchanger ?

Greengrass1

Depending on grant I will be putting in tank next yr. If not, the packo sales man that was here said he can get us a 5k litre tank at no cost provided we buy packo, to do us for a year until we can sort out money for a bigger one.
Haven't made a decision on ice bank or DX yet as our transformer here is too small if we put in bigger parlour aswell, and if we are going to be charged to upgrade it we meet might buy ice bank

awaywithyou

dar31 wrote: »

yea, still banging them through the 12 unit, put 230 through it at peak last year, before we started selling in any great quantity.
dont plan on extending existing parlour, and a new one is still 3-5 yrs out.
will wait and see how post 15 pans out, before committing to a new parlour

Why? If you plan on milking cows for a few yrs.. Would you not just go ahead with it?




230 cows in 12 unit must take forever.....

funny man

Uibh Fhaile wrote: »

Also looking at Delaval and Kilkenny. Have a Kilkenny ice bank at the moment, didn't give any trouble. Priced Delaval tank, 1100 euro between 9700 and 11000 litre tank. Maybe this increases running costs tho for the sake of extra unneeded capacity for now.

Are the new Kilkenny tanks as good as the other manufactures ?
Yes they are a well made tank, they were made by Liscarroll which is an Irish based company also and they sell the same tank under their own name.

Anyone consider putting in or already have put in a heat exchanger ?
in most cases you would get a better return from a cool plate.

my views above

funny man

TopCon wrote: »

A lot of people buy tanks based on cheapest price. I can never understand why.
I suppose the main reason is people don't know much about refrigeration. But should at least know the wash process.

Mueller have most efficient cooling system, good washer and all parts used are top quality. Hence they tend to be expensive. Certainly most expensive to produce anyway.

Packo/dairymaster/delaval not are not far behind. Using copeland scroll direct expansion. For me packo and dairymaster use the best wash systems.

Then you have liscarroll and darikool. Don't know much about new liscarrolls. Darikool 'flooded' evaporator system can work quite well as its basic not many components to go wrong. Washer not up to standard of others in my opinion.

A lot to be said for buying irish and in fairness to dairymaster they provide lots of jobs and shook up the bulk tank market a bit.

Feel free to pm me if you want info. I'm not connected to any. Beware of sales talk.

Muller is over priced over rated in my view.
Darikool flooded evaporator claim of cheaper running costs are un proven.
nearly all makes use Copeland scroll compressor units so I would put more emphasis on back up and keep electronics to a minimum no matter what tank make you choose.

delaval

Lads it's a stainless steel container, cooling system and washer unit

Service contract, it can phuck up weekly still won't cost you.