drop line position

[canuck]

I have 1000 taps that run on gravity, last year i vented the end of each lateral,I also looped the drop line below the lateral to form a "p" trap, My supplier told me this would held prevent bacteria getting in the tap hole. I did notice some mornings the sap would be slow to thaw in the drop. Would it be better to not have a loop in the drop and just tape higher up on the tree?Also how do you measure slope? I maintained a 1" slope on a 4' level on my mainline through the bush. Thanks , Dave

[whalems]

I am new to tubing but most posts I have read on here say Do Not VENT the lateral. you will lose all the natural vaccumm thus getting less sap. never heard of making a "P" trap in a drop line. Hope that helps. Mike

[Harken]

An inch on a 4' level would be 2% (25" per 100') or 2' per 100'. I set my gravity lines with an inch on 2' (4%) minimum. No sap yet, so time will tell how it works !

Ken

[canuck]

hey Ken , Where in Campbellford are you? I'm in Havelock

[ennismaple]

Bacteria will get in the taphole - from the sap backflowing into the tap from the lines. You want your droplines to drain freely and an unvented gravity line will outproduce a vented one over the course of the season - 35% more if my memory is correct. I think it was a Cornell University study but it may have been UVM too.

[peckfarm]

1000 taps on gravity or 100? If 1000, vacuum would pay for itself 3 times over in the first year and you would not have to worry about venting.

[Dave Puhl]

Talking about drop lines...does it matter how short/or long the tubing is fron the tap the the main line?

[mapleack]

Talking about drop lines...does it matter how short/or long the tubing is fron the tap the the main line?

You want it to be long enough to be able to reach the entire tree so as to spread around the damage from tapping. 30" long + is good standard. I've seen 12" long ones that always get tapped in the same little area, just shake my head.

[Dave Puhl]

I will try to explain my question...as the tree freezes.... the pull of sap is it pulling sap out of a short drop line...if so I may have been using to short of drops...let me say that I am using 5/16 as main line...I know that its not the best ...My lines run up the side of the bluff and are 20 -40 feet above the barrel that the line dumps into and up to 200 foot long...

[northwoods_forestry]

On gravity with a 5% or better slope I think 5/16" can generally handle 25 - 30 taps. More than that and you run the risk of maxing out the tubing during big runs and slow down the flow out of the tapholes.

As for length, I think your 200' should be fine. I've certainly got longer laterals.

[sandgate_sap]

I am using tubing for the first time and am wondering about the drop line in a gravity fed system. If it is 30"-36" long and there is slack that hangs below the lateral line will the sap run up that slack because once it's full it'll just keep pushing it up and out? Thanks, Rob

[Tweegs]

I am using tubing for the first time and am wondering about the drop line in a gravity fed system. If it is 30"-36" long and there is slack that hangs below the lateral line will the sap run up that slack because once it's full it'll just keep pushing it up and out? Thanks, Rob

Sure, water will always find level.

Personally, I go to great lengths to avoid that though. Thought being, you never know how long that sap will sit in the tube.

Could be you go a few days without a run because the temps never drop below freezing.

Maybe that low spot is on the North side of the tree and that low point doesn’t thaw before the sap starts running…any number of things.

I like to see the sap get in the lateral as quick as it can, but that is my own personal preference.