Dumping Station question

[SilverLeaf]

For those of you out there that use dumping stations and then let gravity drain the sap from there to your collection tank, how much slope in the line would you need between the dump station and the collection tank to make it work? (Assuming, of course, no sag in the line). Could it be done with 3% slope (or less?). Or would the flow slow down to such a trickle at this slope that it would be impractical?

I don't have a hill to work with here. Just trying to shorten the bucket-carrying distance for some of my farthest-flung trees. I think I could rig something up with 2-3% slope.

[Bucket Head]

The steeper the better. However, water runs downhill regardless of how steep the hill is. Gravity works 24 hours a day. As long as there is no sag in the line, even the slightest downhill line will take the sap away. Maybe not as fast as a steeper grade, but it will get the sap to where you want it.

Steve