Simple Tool Primes Pumps With Air

Simple Tool Primes Pumps With Air Innovation often begins with a simple idea, and for PPI Equipment, that spark led to the Air Primer. Designed to prime pumps quickly and efficiently, this stainless-steel unit can evacuate air from a 40-ft, 8-in. suction line in less than a minute. The PPI Air Primer was built specifically for manure pump priming in drag lining, offering a significant improvement over exhaust or hand primers. After numerous machining trials, the PPI team settled on a “one-size-fits-all” design. “In the manure industry for drag lining, every pump has a nearby compressor to blow out the lines, so we already have air at the site,” notes Bryson Jibben, PPI’s sales manager. “What we were surprised by was how many irrigation guys were interested. Many of them run it with an air compressor out of a service truck.” The primer features a 1-in. suction and discharge and a 3/4-in. inlet. Its precision-tapered design is factory-set to accommodate various product thicknesses. Customers can easily add the necessary fittings and adapters to match their setup. Jibben recommends installing a ball valve at the suction end to maintain the prime and make operation seamless. Manufactured in Illinois and shipped across North America, the PPI Air Primer is unique in the market. “I don’t know of any competitors,” Jibben says. “At minimum, there’s nothing like ours. Customers like them, and we’ve never had anyone return one.” The unit retails for $750 plus S&H. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, PPI Equipment, 1333 E. 1500 St., Quincy, Ill. 62305 (ph 217-440-2388; bryson@ppiequipment.com; www.ppiequipment.com).

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