Head

[Capthook]

Hello all...

I wanted to get feedback on the question of hydraulic head. I have a sugar bush on sloped terrain and plan to install a tubing system to collect the sap. The system will run ~ 1100 horizontal feet with a vertical drop of ~ 120 feet. Will this system have to much head and if so, what can I do about it.

Thanks

Mike

[Maple Ridge]

I have been to tubing classes and I am told that your main line needs to be around 5 Deg. If it is too steep, it would be like filling a liter bottle with water and dumping it out. Too steep and it gets air bound. The pros will need to tell you how to overcome the drop.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Yes its called zig zagging back and forth. Now I dont thinhk 120ft over 1100 ft is to much. Now tell me about having to much head:o

[maplwrks]

I think you will be OK--put it up and tap it!!!

[ennismaple]

Vacuum or gravity system?

If its a constant slope you're fine. If you have steep sections with flatter sections at the bottom the sap could possibly fill the pipe at the bottom but it won't air lock because there are gases released by the tree and you'll likely have enough micro leaks in the system to allow the slug of sap in the flatter section to drain. If you've on vacuum you simply use a wet/dry system to by-pass the flat section and interconnect your dryline with the wet line just upstream of the flat section.

[Brent]

There are some flatlanders here that would die for that much slope. Just say thank you God.

[maple flats]

Mainline should be 5% max but laterals can go as steep as possible. too steep in the mainline creates turbulance which warms the sap.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I would think you could overcome too much slope with a larger size mainline.