what's your daily maintenance before startup and when you shut down?

[pierre]

it's my first year w/vacuum so i could use some tips on what to do as far as what do you do before startup and when you shut down at night .do you check your taps daily or tap them in cause they come loose or what???:)

[Brian Ryther]

Never turn it off

[vtmapleman]

I have a liquid cool vacuum system so I make sure that my water supply is ready to go - it is a fifty gallon barrell with 50/50 mix of water and anti-freeze. My pump is setup with a freezer thermostat that starts the pump when the outside temperature gets to 38 degree and shuts down when it drops to 28 degrees. Since my sugarhouse is only 200 feet from my house I check it every morning to be sure it starts properly. There are times when the sap starts to run prior to the pump starting so I just override the thermostat - same holds true when the sap stops flowing before the vacuum shuts off. I am not one to leave the vacuum on if the sap is not flowing. Also, daily I will check/walk the sugar bush looking for leaks.

[pierre]

Do the taps come loose or just occasionally?

[Russell Lampron]

Do the taps come loose or just occasionally?

I have more problems with squirrel chews than I do with taps loosening. I find an occasional hollow tree or cracked fitting but those are rare. Before I turn on the vacuum pump I check the oil level and belt tension.

[sjdoyon]

Walk all the lines each morning under vacuum to identify potential leaks. Make repairs as needed. No issues with the taps, installed Check Valves. Most folks don't bother to walk everyday, as you know, trees/limbs fall all the time and the animals are busy. Spend your time prepping outside the sugarhouse.

[pierre]

thanks for the replies

[Jeff E]

One more reply!

Make sure you set time aside to check for vacuum leaks when the sap is flowing. It is a LOT easier to troubleshoot your system when sap is moving through the lines. It also helps when checking mainlines to proper slope, no sags, etc.

[Brent]

Do the taps come loose or just occasionally?

I believe that many taps come loose after a real hard freeze and need hammering back in.
I start the pump and watch the vacuum guage right at the pump. If the vac does not come up within a few minutes, I know I have and ice problem on the releaser or some other problem with the lines. Trees down, squirrels etc. I have shut offs way out in the bush so I can monitor the pressure on each of our 3 legs and isolate the problem faster than hiking every line to find it.

I leave the pump on until well after freeze up at night to try to get as much sap out of the lines as possible so it will thaw faster in the AM. Not sure if it really helps, but it feels good.

If I had the time, ie finished the boil, which almost never happens, I'd open up the top end of each mainline and let the vac empty the mailines before I shut down.

Every season there are a few nights when the stars all align and the temp hovers at or just above freezing and the sap runs all night. Watch for that and don't miss it. You'll get as much or more at night than on an average day .