stretching 12.5 high tensile (how Far)

[Shaun]

I will have to run wire and 3/4 to 1 inch mainline about 250 to 300 feet across an open feild to reach my sap house. How far can you go beteen posts before your main line will start to sag? I was thinking about putting in some treated 6x6's to anchor the line to.

[3rdgen.maple]

I will have to run wire and 3/4 to 1 inch mainline about 250 to 300 feet across an open feild to reach my sap house. How far can you go beteen posts before your main line will start to sag? I was thinking about putting in some treated 6x6's to anchor the line to.

Thats not really that long of a run. If you dont have a tree to anchor too on both ends then you dont have much choice but to put some heavy post in. The only concern I would have is all the tension on the mainline pulling the post inward over time. Bury them deep and anchor them good and then I would put 2 more post in behind the mainline anchor post and like you see on a corner telephone pole put a cable in to each post for extra security that would end up looking like a V. Then stretch the crap out of that mainline wire. With no side ties to keep the sags out Your probably going to have to stick a few small post under the mainline along the stretch to help support it. I would be searching for a couple good anchoring trees even if they are not as close as you would like it will save some time and labor. But you got to do what you got to do sometimes.

[maple flats]

What is the grade? The better the grade the farther you can go between supports.

[chipa]

I have 2 - 3/4 lines that go across a marsh that are 450 feet long. They are on 1/8 inch cable and the cable is tensioned with come alongs.I support one line (the wet line) in 3 spots to take some of sag out of it. The original line has been up for 10 years. I added a dry line 3 years ago and that was a great improvement.

[vtmapleman]

I have a 300' 3/4 iinch line that goes across one of my pastures that I put up in early Feb. The line is anchor on each end to a tree and every 15' I use 6' metal fence posts. I have about a 3 degree slope. You do need to be careful that the lowest point between post is not lower that that the next down hill support as the sap will freeze at these points.

[ennismaple]

Shaun,

I agree with vtmapleman - unless you have really good slope you need supports every 15' or so to get rid of the sags. We use both cedar rails cut from the swamp and 7' steel T-bars to support our mainlines. Do it right the first time and you won't be sorry!

[Shaun]

I see some basic tools from tractor supply for not a whole lot of money. Can someone tell me what tools are a nesessicty for placing this wire? Also do the ratchet tensioners for around 4$'s Get the wire tight enough.

[danno]

If using a 6x6 as an end anchor, I'd pound a post at a 45 degree angle just past the 6x6 and cable the 6x6 to the post. That way the cable will not pull the 6x6 in. I did something similar but used a 4' mobile home anchor 3 feet past the 6x6. Screwed the anchor all the way in and then cabled the anchor to the 6x6 with a tensioner and tensioned it tight.

I cross a pretty flat section before I enter my woods and have found much less sag on the line when tube is under vacuum. If the vac is off, the tube will want to sag. I'd side tie or support the tube every 25' or so.

Regarding tools, depends on how much wire you're gonna run. If over 500' I'd buy a spinning jennie for $75 from TCS to wind out the cable. I like the tree anchors over the ratchets. You can anchor right into the 6x6. Bring the cable around the anchor and tighten with a come-along, 4 wheeler or truck. I'd connect the tail of the cable to the main cable with crimps - also from TCS.

[brookledge]

Like Maple flats said the grade is the big key. As long as your main line is always sloping down you can stretch out your post. But think of it as a roller coaster. If your mainline has a lot of slight dips (even if still going down hill) it will cause the sap to speed up and then slow down. In a perfect world you could have a perfect slope but in the woods it is not going to happen. In areas that my slope is steeper I have fewer spots where the main line is held up and more on flatter spots.
Another thing you can do is get a site level. You can use it to see how you are doing espescially in flatter areas.
Keith

[802maple]

If it is on a flatter situation use plenty of support poles. If it sags lower then 3/4 of a inch lower then the lower pole it will not work as good in vacuum transfer.