Rapi-Fix and Black Plastic Mainlines

[saphead]

Just curious if anyone has tried this combination.Stretch out blk. plastic mainline and Rapi-Fix side ties.Also wonder about Rapi-tube vs. blk. plastic in how much tension can be applied.
Thanks,Craig

[Kev]

why would you want to use black plastic in the first place? solar heat the sap?

[3rdgen.maple]

Same reason why most of us use it. Its alot cheaper and the few short weeks of sap season being in the spring it probably thaws out faster. I see no ill effects in the short amount of time tubing is actually used. Did I mention its alot cheaper.

[farmall h]

Been using black 160 psi tubing since the early '80s. I have used the gray 3/4" maple tubing and still have a short stretch installed but it seems to be prone to cracks. Just seems to get brittle over time. Maybe there is somebody else out their that has installed this line of tubing?

[PerryW]

I installed my 100 PSI 3/4" black plastic mainlines in in 1988 and they still look and feel brand new. While I am in the woods (where solar heating is less of an issuse) ,so far this year I've made 60 gallons of Fancy and 30 gallons of Medium (first Dark Amber was today), so it doesn't appear to affect my grade.

[GeneralStark]

This fall I put up 2500 ft. of 3/4" CDL Blue mainline pipe with pipe tensioners (chinese finger cuffs) and the Rapi-tube side tie strapping (also available through Forestry Supply).

It worked great this season but I have good slope. In one spot on warm days it sagged a bit but the vacuum seemed to pull the sap through.

My 1" wet and dry mainlines are on wire.

I'll post pics soon as I think wireless systems with good slope a totally viable. The set-up is much quicker than with wire.

[markct]

i know that last year with black mainline on sunny days my sap temp in the zero tank would often be as much as 20 degrees over the air temp outside. this year i redid much of my tubing and now only about maybe a quarter of my mainlines are black still, the rest are leader 30p blue, and i never saw sap temps that were more than 5 degrees above the air temp so i think it definaly helps keep the sap cool and i like that you can see the sap running in it

[IPL Technical Support]

This fall I put up 2500 ft. of 3/4" CDL Blue mainline pipe with pipe tensioners (chinese finger cuffs) and the Rapi-tube side tie strapping (also available through Forestry Supply).
[...]



I just want to clarify the situation about the strapping sold by Forestry Supply. I often see comments like GeneralStark's on the board and I just want to be sure that the Rapi-Tube fans are aware of this statement:

"IPL will honor the Rapi-Tube's warranty if and only if the system was installed with their branded Rapi-Fix."

It doesn't mean that another side tie strapping can't work, but we never tested it and we won't be able to cover the warranty of your system if it fails.

Thanks for sharing comments,
IPL Technical Support