Vacuum Questions?

[DRod2]

I am very new to the maple syrup world and do not understand how a vacuum system works. I try to read your alls posts on the vacuum and I tend to hear three common things 1. a re leaser 2. dry line 3. the vacuum..... I am sure there is much much more to a system than this but I feel like I need the dummies guide or the intructional manual on how a vacuum system works? Your posts are usually questions as to how to tweak or make you system better not things like where to start when purchasing a vacuum or what factors go into finding a vacuum best for me?
I have a run of about 100 trees on it, it is on what I call "gravity" now but I notice alot of sap sitting in the lines and would really like to draw it out. Could you all either send me some pictures, articles, or suggestions to get started with accomplishing this? Thank you!

[Gary R]

I'll try help some. Sap flows out the tree when a negative pressure is on the outside of the tree compared to in the tree. By adding vacuum we provide this negative pressure more than mother nature can provide. Vacuum is usually measure as inches of Mercury (in./Hg). Atmospheric being "0" with absolute vacuum about 30"/Hg. The general rule of thumb is a 5% increase of sap for every inch of vacuum felt at the tree. Once we have sap in the lines under vacuum we need to release or extract it. If we didn't the sap would go into the vacuum pump and damage it. The releaser has a float and dumps the sap from the vacuum while maintaining vacuum on the lines. In your case a dry line would probably not be needed. It is a separate line that has vacuum only. This ensures good vacuum levels further up in the tubing system. I have a similar set up as you. A vacuum system could cost about $500 to $1500 for used equipment. It is best to spend time with a producer that has vacuum. It can get complicated and there is many ways of doing it.

[DRod2]

Thank you so much for the explanation. Very helpful for me to understand more of the physics. I am curious as the logistics of the set up itself. Does it go tubing then holding tank (with releaser above that ) and the vacuum on the other end of the holding tank?

Any brands/suction capacity you would suggest I look into?

Does "vacuum system" include the releaser?

Thanks again.

[highlandcattle]

I bought an extra tubing guide book by mistake, I'll be happy to sell it to you. We're new to this also. Went from buckets to tubing and vacuum this year! No idea what will work.

[Russell Lampron]

A vacuum system consist of a pump, a releaser and a holding tank. There are mechanical and electric releasers. I use a mechanical releaser so it is easier for me to explain it's operation. The vacuum pump is connected to the releaser to supply the system with vacuum. There is a separate chamber on the releaser where the mainline(s) attach to send vacuum to the trees and to bring sap flow to the releaser. The main chamber of the releaser has a float in it that trips a mechanism to release the vacuum and dump the sap when it is full. There is a flapper valve between the 2 chambers to seal off the second chamber to maintain vacuum in the woods when the releaser dumps. The releaser is set up over the holding tank and the sap drops into the tank when the releaser dumps. An electric releaser uses the same principles but has a switch that turns on a pump to empty it when it is full.

[maple flats]

Or some do it with a vacuum tank, no releaser needed. However vacuum tanks are limited to a specific vacuum level. For example, mine is good for 20" vacuum, If I go more I could implode to tank and make 1000 gal tank into a scrap pile. Other vac tanks may hold more or less than mine. To go with a higheevel I will need a releaser too.

[DRod2]

I bought an extra tubing guide book by mistake, I'll be happy to sell it to you. We're new to this also. Went from buckets to tubing and vacuum this year! No idea what will work.

Whats the name of the book?

[Gary R]

Drod2, go see Jim Cermac. He is a dealer about 10-15 miles south of you.

[jfroe939]

Assuming one needs it, how do you go about inserting a dry line into the system? I understand why it would be needed ( to make sure good, even vacuum is making it to all the laterals in the event sap flow or volume is particularly heavy), but what are the key input locations for connecting the dry line? I understand you'd leave one port out of your releaser as dry, but where then (how far up the line) do you connect it to? Do you only connect your dry line from the releaser at one location to your mainline farther up on the most far ends? Or is it multiple spots? thanks.

[wiam]

You only need a dry line if mainline is over 1000'. Then there is a manifold at each mainline that comes into the wet/dry system. Basically a T that goes into wet and dry line. Air goes up. Sap goes down. Under early morning wet line frozen conditions sap will come down dry line. Clear as mud??

Will

[highlandcattle]

Whats the name of the book?

Design, Installation and Maintenance of Plastic Tubing Systems. $29.00 and I'll pay shipping.