You want a dry line all the way??

[Hopcia maple Farm]

I put tubing up for people for a side job, right now i have a customer with a new system he wants to put in. He seems to think that everything including lateral 3/4 inch mainlines need dry lines and a seprate vacuum saddle from the dry line to the 5/16 laterals. Has anyone ever tried this or heard of it?

[waysidemaple]

Never heard of that before. I think that might be a little bit of over kill, not to mention the cost of doubling saddles. The only way I could think of that helping is if your lateral mains have really bad slope causing alot of sags but even then I think it would be smarter and alot cheaper to just get slope. How many taps will be on the 3/4 inch lateral mains. If more than 250 (I think thats what Leader recommends for that size line) then maybe it would be worth while but again it would still, I think, be cheaper to just go with 1 inch lateral mains.

Scott

[Brian Ryther]

like this?
4930

[ToadHill]

The pictured system is an experimental system. I think it is something being done at Proctor Research. Dr. Perkins can probably chime in on this. It may lead to something new for our industry, but the way the tubing is in the photo would appear to create a problem for relocating the tap each year. With two lines hooked to each tap it makes moving the tap around the tree very restricted and will lead to cluster tapping, which will lead to damage to the tree and reduced production if done long term. I would wait until this research concludes and see if it leads to some new type of system design. Go with the current technology unless they just want to run an experiment.

[DrTimPerkins]

The pictured system is an experimental system. I think it is something being done at Proctor Research. Dr. Perkins can probably chime in on this.

Yes, and because this is still in the experimental phase, I won't comment other than to say that this (just one) approach still in testing and development. As Randy says, there are some potential drawbacks to the way this is pictured. Before we talk about things in any detail, we like to:
1. Understand the theoretical approach and what advantages and disadvantages it may bring.
2. Experimentally determine whether an approach results in higher sap yield.
3. Establish whether it is economical to use this practice.
4. Find the drawbacks and find ways to mitigate them.

One of the largest problems with this type of system is easy detection of air leaks, which are productivity killers on vacuum systems.

Of course you are absolutely free to experiment on your own, but do realize that it may come at a cost in terms of $ and lost sap yield.

Finally....we don't talk about some things until we can ascertain whether or not we need to protect the intellectual property through the patent application process.

[Brian Ryther]

The picture is of my own system. The drops should be long enough to avoid cluster taping. To find leaks a simple pair of needle nose vice grips to pinch closed the dry lateral and force all air through the wet laterial should expose most leaks. The added expense of extra saddles and tube is partialy off set by high tap count (10+) per laterial. So same amount of mainline as a strive for five system. In this system a flooded (wet) laterial line is a good thing. The sap should stay cooler, the volicity of the sap should help keep the line clear of gunk. The last thing in a tube system to thaw out is the laterial, the dry line should act as a sap conduit during these early day runs. At this point this is all (my) theory.

[Hopcia maple Farm]

Good thoughts guys. As of now i have about 500 done thiscway and about 500 more to do. I will have to let everyone know how this method works in the up coming season.