should i vent????

[SPILEDRIVER]

:cool::cool:im running tubeing into 5 and 15 gallon barrels with 5 to 7 taps per line/barrel,should my highest/last tap on each line be a vented spile? will it make a difference or not?ive been doing this for several years without venting with good success just wondering if the vent will be of any benefit?thanks

[ejmaple]

no, venting will not help, haveing a closed line will cause a natrual vacuume.

[Ausable]

:cool::cool:im running tubeing into 5 and 15 gallon barrels with 5 to 7 taps per line/barrel,should my highest/last tap on each line be a vented spile? will it make a difference or not?ive been doing this for several years without venting with good success just wondering if the vent will be of any benefit?thanks

Hey Spiledriver - A good question - Sounds like this is just a gravity feed setup -- no vacuum involved? If it works - why mess with it. Usually trees run slow enough - that the lines could burp themselves. - Then with the trees being under a slight pressure to cause the sap flow and the system is closed till the the sap hits the pail can't see why there would be a flow problem. If I did vent - would put a plastic tubing T in the highest line - invert the T and put about a 6" chunk of tube upward on the T -- this would be like a standpipe vent - keep from losing sap out the vent hole... Sounds goofy - right -- I do lots of goofy things -- sometimes they work --- Mike

[michiganfarmer2]

the bennefit to venting that I can think of, if there is any, is if you keep your lines perfectly sloped, and perfectly tight so there is no droops for sap to sit in, then the lines will stay drained, and wont freeze and plug up so when the sap starts runing the next day, it doeant have to wait for the lines to thaw for the sap to run to the collection barrel

[maple flats]

No, venting introduces bacteria into the line and eliminates any potential natural vacuum. Dr Tim had a number on one thread, I'm not sure what the # was but with a decent drop you can generate a few inches of vacuum.

[ennismaple]

There's lots of research been done on this topic and numerous threads on this site. In short - while it may appear venting helps by draining the line faster over the course of the season you'll get >25% more sap by not venting.

[Tweegs]

I vent only in one stand. I have about 15 silvers back there and because of the terrain I have very little slope, only enough to get it out of there if I tap the trees at arms reach over my head. I run 5/16ths tubing about 100 feet at right around a 1% grade, without the vent, the sap just sits there.

Because the area is low, wet, stumpy and unusually rough, the thought of taking a ladder back there to tap, and worse yet, to remove those taps when the area is flooded, is just something I’m not going to deal with. I figure I’ll get what I can and if they close up too soon, so be it. 1.5% silvers anyway.

Some wouldn’t bother with those trees, but hey, they’re maples, I’ll get a gallon or two of syrup out of them. :D

The rest of the bush is sealed up tight as I can get it.

[Haynes Forest Products]

The nice thing about venting is it makes us all feel better....OK back to the question if you vent the line and it gets a small obstruction in the line it wont push it out but will push the sap out the vent onto the ground letting you know that there is a problem. You might lose alot of sap but its a great way to find the tap line with the small incidental obstruction.............Tight taps, tubing and mainlines why create a leak:)

[TF Maple]

The nice thing about venting is it makes us all feel better....

I wanted to post that line...but Chuck beat me too it. Really funny.:lol: