Removing water from drop lines

[mrnorthshore]

Can any one tell me if there is any problem with leaving a very small amount of clean water in the drop lines? I have 800 taps and after the season we rinsed out the tubing with clean water and turned on the vac and sucked water through the taps, but when we got done I went back through and saw that there was a very small amount of water left in the drop lines ( like 1 inch). I ran the vac for about 5-6 hours with the taps closed and it does not remove the little bit of water left. Is this something that I need to worry about trying to remove from the drop lines and if so, what is the best way to do this? thanks paul

[maple flats]

I'm removing mine by starting each main, 1 at a time, running the vac and have them all open. Then as each dries, starting at the pump end, I close it. Then the farther out drops progressively get more air flow. When I only have maybe 3-5 wet ones left, I move to the next main and start it, while still drying the first main. This sounds like a lot of work, but it is much faster than it sounds. After the second main is almost all dry I go back and check main #1, it is usually dry. I progress out this way to the end.
Any water left in the drop will in time mold or mildew, even though you flushed the line you never get 100% of the micro organisims. If there is no moisture in a closed system you get none. For the first time I didn't even clean the tubing, just pulled taps and dried as described. I read about a test this way with good results (Proctor or Cornell? I think but not sure)

[Jeff E]

I have done the rinse for 3 seasons now, and also will end up with a bit of water in some of the drops. I dont worry about it. The system never stays closed, as some drops get open as the months go by.
In the spring, the first couple of days the sap will have some 'floaters' that I catch as I filter the sap. The floaters have nothing to do with the water in the drops anyway.

In a nut shell, I like the rinse under vacuum method, and the water is not a problem.

[adk1]

I did the rinse with air injection. then shut the water off and just use the air. I get the majority out.

[mrnorthshore]

Thanks everyone, Dave your way sound like a lot more work but it might be a good way to do it, (no moisture no mold)!! I have 4 mains I might try 2 with drying and 2 with out and see what way is better, thanks guys

[RustyBuckets]

I would not worry for one second about a little bit of water left in your lines. The last I knew air held moisture unless something in the universe changed that is. So letting your pumps run hours on end trying to dry out your lines seems a little silly to me, while the whole time your sucking moisture in anyways.

[PerryW]

I unplug and drain any liquid in the drops if I'm walking by the tree off-season, but I don't make a special trip to the bush to do so.

[Brent]

Here is a link to an article published by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food detailing the use of
isoproplyl alcohol to sterilize tubing systems

The link is near the bottom of the page
http://duffyslanemaple.ca/Making-syrup/making-syrup.html

[sweetscotty]

you guys shouldn't be using water to rinse your lines, reason being is that the water that gets left behind becomes stagnate and will build algie in your tubing (kind of like a frog pond water) try using peroxide or isopropol alcohol if your state allows you. you would just pull out the spout suck about 4-6oz. then plug it on your tee go to the next and continue through the whole bush.

[Like Minded Farmer]

I liked the alcohol idea too, but in a webinar Steve Childs from Cornell mentioned that it has not been approved in the USA.

[Brent]

The alcohol treatment was fist tested and approved in Quebec. If anyone ever tested something maple well,
it was in Quebec.

It is now registered and approved in Ontario too, so I think you're on safe ground.