CapraLite Milking Machines Owner s Manual www.capralite.com Built by: Apparatus Mfg., Inc. 13 Commerce St Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
Page 2 Getting your Machine ready Your machine is almost ready to use. For ease of shipping we have removed the wheels, legs, and handle. A screwdriver, wrench, and pliers are all you will need to assemble it. Leg Assembly: Face open part of leg to the rear of machine. Slide into place. Insert bolt so that slotted head faces outside of machine (It looks better that way), secure with locking nut. Wheel Assembly: Slide wheel onto axle, so that the recessed side (it has 3 spokes) faces the outside of machine. Slide washer on, slip the cotter pin into hole, and bend it a little to secure.
CapraLite Page 3 Handle Assembly: Slide Handle into bracket at rear of machine, secure with 2 bolts and locking nuts. Hose Connections: Filter: Slide the short end of clear tubing over black nipple on the Vacuum Shut Off Valve.
CapraLite Page 4 Hose Connections: Slide the other end (longer) onto the black Pulsator Adaptor. Shown with Pulsator Removed Shown With Pulsator Slid on. Hose Connections: Milk Lines & Vacuum Lines The Milk line (s) are clear with a blue stripe. This illustrates connections for the 3 gallon pail set up as a single milker. Note : The Black Plug in the lid, so as not to loose vacuum. The Vacuum lines are the 2 clear attached lines with one having a black stripe.
Page 5 CapraLite Connections for the 3 gallon pail set up as a dual milker. Note : The Black Plug in the lid is removed and a white Milk Elbow Inlet is in its place. The vacuum splitter for the dual milker is slid onto the pulsator nipples. Install one set of vacuum lines to the upper barbed nipples, the other set to the lower barbed nipples. Connections for the larger pail are essentially the same. You will need to install the reducer coupling to the milk inlet on the lid to accommodate the smaller size of the milk lines. Note: The Pulsator adaptor is built into this lid. Simply slide the pulsator onto this adaptor. All nipples on lid and pulsator face the same direction.
Page 6 CapraLite Helpful Pictures
CapraLite Page 7 Guide for Cleaning your Milking machine After each milking rinse and dry the pail. Do not leave chlorinated water in the pail, it will corrode the spot welds and eventually leave holes. To rinse the hoses, press the inflation cups to the faucet, open up the valves and let the water run through. Hang them up to dry. Once or twice a week you should disconnect the milk hose and clean it thoroughly and assemble it again. We carry tube brushes, should you need them. NOTE: For cleaning, both hose valves must be completely open. The valve is open when the lever is in a position of being in line with the hose. Completely Open Completely Closed To disassemble valve for cleaning, place screwdriver in small slot under the blue valve and twist to pop it open. Some important DO S and DONT S to help you get the most efficient service from your Clear Plastic Milk Tubing. DO: Immediately after milking, rinse the tubing with water at 120 to 140 deg.f., until the water runs clear. If you sanitize with water chlorinated at 3 to 5%, you will have to rinse again with regular water afterward. DO: Use a tube brush for cleaning the inside of the Milk Hose once or twice a week; daily if you are a Grade A. For the silicone Inflation you will need a larger brush. We carry these brushes should you need them. DON T: Let the milk dry in the hose. DON T: Flush with water hotter than 165 deg. F. DON T: Soak in chlorinated water. DON T: Use abrasive cleaners or brushes.
CapraLite Page 8 Guide for Using Your Milking Machine: 1. Put the lid on the pail and snap shut with handle. 2. Check all hose connections, close both plastic valves. 3. Plug into a 110 Volt outlet and flip switch, machine should be buzzing. Now the vacuum gauge should go up to about 12 Hg. And the Pulsator should tictock every second. 4. When you are ready for milking, the goat should be on a milking stand, with its head locked in place. We keep the machine in front of the goat, (some people milk from behind). Switch on the machine, in 5 seconds the vacuum should read 12 Hg., and you can hear the Pulsator s rapid tic-tock. Hold one cup close to one teat and open the valve, it should suck the teat straight in, repeat with second cup and teat. Watch the flow of milk. If the milk is not flowing the teat is usually bent. As soon as milk stops flowing massage the udder vigorously and squeeze the milk towards the inflation. Using this method, very little milk is left in the udder. You can strip if you want, but this should not be necessary. As always Never over milk your goats.
CapraLite Page 9 Guide for troubleshooting your milking machine If the Motor runs, but you get little (less than 12 hg.), or no vacuum, and the Pulsator is ticking slowly or not at all, you may have a vacuum leak. Try the following: 1) Check all your Hose connections. 2) Close the vacuum shut off valve located between the Tank and Filter. Vacuum should rise to the 12 hg mark. 3) Check to see if the Vacuum Hose is connected from the Filter to the Pulsator Adaptor. (This is the most frequent malfunction). 4) Check to see that the Milk Hose is connected to the Pail Lid. 5) Make sure that the Plastic Milk Shutoff Valves are Completely Closed. 6) If the Lid is not seated properly on the Pail, you will loose vacuum. 7) After checking the above, open the Vacuum shut off Valve; the pulsator should be ticking rapidly. Note: Pulsators do not like freezing temperatures they may stop. Keep them warm & dry.
CapraLite Page 10 Maintenance Keep your unit clean (it will look better, & probably last longer too). Use soap and water or a stainless steel cleaner and or polish. Should you spray your unit with a garden hose, spray from the front only. You don t want to get water in the electric motor. We suggest if the White Filter Media becomes dirty or wet, replace it. Be sure to pack it loosely. Aquarium filter floss works well. Periodically unscrew the right knob on the front of the vacuum pump, remove filter and clean, or replace. Do not allow your Milk Bucket to overflow. If this happens milk will be sucked into the Vacuum Tank. Milk in the Vacuum tank becomes a smelly situation. Should this happen, flush it out by removing the vacuum hose from the Pulsator, hold the vacuum hose in a bucket of warm soapy water (about a gallon will due). Allow the water to be sucked into the Tank. Shake the machine; remove the drain plug to empty the Tank. Don t use Clorox (chlorine bleach). It will corrode your machine. At the end of the milking season, the Pulsator should be thoroughly cleaned. Dismantle the Pulsator, clean it in warm water, dry & reassemble. By doing these things, your machine should provide you with many years of service. Note: Tank drain plug in lower left corner. Do not spray water in motor. Vacuum Pump Filter on right side.
CapraLite Page 11 CapraLite Products PARTS AND ACCESSORIES We carry a full line of replacement parts in stock for your machine. These include 3 and 6 gallon pails, lids, pulsators, hoses, filters, valves, etc. If you own a single milker and would like to convert it to a dual milker, just contact us and we will advise you as to what parts you will need. If you need any items, have any questions, or perhaps an experience you would like to share, please give us a call. Guarantee We guarantee your CapraLite milking machine for 1 full year from date of purchase. This includes everything except for the milk lines and inflations.
CapraLite 13 Commerce St Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 Phone: 845-471-1456 Fax: 845-471-5130 www.capralite.com