I have a pipe dream...

[DonMcJr]

Should I? 14 of my taps on Gravity around my house and garage right into the storage bin next to the evaporator...then on 10 on Buckets... Hmmm...:cool:

So with tubing...do you get less cause the tubes freeze at night or do they thaw pretty quick?

[SevenCreeksSap]

They seem to thaw pretty quick. I doubt if anyone ever regrets using tubing and not hauling as many buckets. I know I don't.

[spencer11]

i would go with tubing if you could, it really beats hauling buckets!

[DonMcJr]

I'm gonna do it with these 14 taps and see how it goes...:cool:

[DonMcJr]

Hopefully these gals don't mess me up... That tree in the far upper right corner is one tree and the main line has to go by here. My house is 10 feet infront of them...That's a screen shot from right now too I have a live cam on them...

[wiam]

Hopefully these gals don't mess me up... That tree in the far upper right corner is one tree and the main line has to go by here. My house is 10 feet infront of them...That's a screen shot from right now too I have a live cam on them...

I have quite a few of them around here. My experience is that at first they might bother tubing and fences, but they then get used to it and go under/over/around.

[DonMcJr]

Should I tap these trees a bit higher and make it so they go under it? I can run the mainline close to the house so they don't get near it and the lines from 2 trees to the mainline in that spot would have to be about 6 feet off the ground to make it so the deer go under it...actually I can also use a bit more line and run them to the side of the house then to the mainline and it would keep it away from their normal entry route.

[FDA]

6ft high, man you have some big deer there. I would run the mainline along the side of the house to support it.

[325abn]

Dont think you need a main line for 11 taps. Just run 5/16 and you will be GTG

[DonMcJr]

So I was gonna put a 20 foot mainline and run 10 taps into it and run the mainline into my storage container in the Sugarhhouse.

I'm a plumber and it just seems easier to me having one mainline going into the sugarhouse vs 11 smaller ones...

[325abn]

I think we may be saying the same thing. what do you plan on using for the 20Ft of main line?

[spud]

So I was gonna put a 20 foot mainline and run 10 taps into it and run the mainline into my storage container in the Sugarhhouse.

I'm a plumber and it just seems easier to me having one mainline going into the sugarhouse vs 11 smaller ones...

Don,

I would go with the mainline so you look professional and all. And then inside the sugar house I would have a 10HP two stage pump sucking the life out of those trees.:lol:

Spud

[DonMcJr]

Here's what I am thinking...

[Starting Small]

I would have each group of trees feed into a 5/16 line so only three lines are going to the mainline. Also with eleven taps your mainline can just be another 5/16 line. It would save you some money in two ways. One you would not have to buy 3/4 inch line and two by having each group feed into its own transport line to the mainline it would be alot less tubing to use. Just buy 14 tees and you should be all set. Good luck!

[DonMcJr]

I would have each group of trees feed into a 5/16 line so only three lines are going to the mainline. Also with eleven taps your mainline can just be another 5/16 line. It would save you some money in two ways. One you would not have to buy 3/4 inch line and two by having each group feed into its own transport line to the mainline it would be alot less tubing to use. Just buy 14 tees and you should be all set. Good luck!

I don't need a bigger mainline huh? I would think it would need it cause with a house sewer line if I run all fixtures 1 1/2 inch and run them all into a 1 1/2 inch main and run them all at once it will back up. Correct for the house drain would be a 3 inch mainline and at least 1 1/2 inch from each fixture to the 3 inch main...

[Starting Small]

I know there are more experienced people on here than I but as long as you have everything going downhill you may even get some natural vac with that many taps

[Starting Small]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3gCxJMzCPs

I think this guy had 40-50 lines on 5/16. It was helpful for me to see this. I am going to be running about 50 taps this year on gravity using 5/16. The most will be about 19 taps on one of my three 5/16 "mainline" dumping into a large barrel.

[DonMcJr]

Ok I'll watch that thanks!

[DonMcJr]

Got it all planned out... Droplines from the tree near the front of the house into a 5/16 lateral line and that to my 3/4 mainline. Then the next tree droplines into a lateral line to the main and finally the last tree same droplines to 5/16 lateral to main.

I have an injuried right arm that I need to have surgery on near mid-late April so carrying buckets might be out for me this year so these taps might be my only taps and once my arm is better ill have twice as many taps next year!

[maple flats]

If you will be going down hill, You'll be better having the 3 locations each on a 5/16 line, if the drop is very little you could go with your plan. I also was a plumber, don't think of this in plumbing terms until after the 5/16 laterals go into a main. For what you show I'd go just the small tubing. Gravity will generate some natural vacuum, about 1"/foot of drop but only if the lines are full. Less than full lines will not have any vacuum. With vac each inch of vac will increase the sap by about 5%.

[DonMcJr]

Ok I have been reading my " Maple Syrup Producers Manual and I found what you are saying...

" Natural Vacuum devolops when a column of liquid (sap) fills the tubing and moves slowly toward the mainline." The steeper the slope the better the vacuum.

The part throwing me off was "moving slowly toward the mainline" and then I found my answer, which is what you are saying...

" the lateral lines should have 10 to 15 taps each "

So its gonna all be 5/16 !

So my only question left is I have two 40 gallons storage containers. Just run 5/16 line to both with valves to isolate each container right? Or would it be better to say make a 3/4 inch manifold inside the sugar house and attach the 5/16 line from all the taps to that?

[maple flats]

Yes, in fact I have a friend who has 53 taps on a single 5/16" line with a real good slope (In fact too good when I had to climb it). The sap shoots out the end with some force to it. The whole issue here is the slope, the steeper the better.

[Brent]

Yes, in fact I have a friend who has 53 taps on a single 5/16" line with a real good slope (In fact too good when I had to climb it). The sap shoots out the end with some force to it. The whole issue here is the slope, the steeper the better.

This might mean getting out the step ladder to tap high and then not to worry about the visitors in the yard.

[DonMcJr]

Ordered all my fittings last night! Now the weather has to co-operate! Can't wait!

[vtwoody]

I don't need a bigger mainline huh? I would think it would need it cause with a house sewer line if I run all fixtures 1 1/2 inch and run them all into a 1 1/2 inch main and run them all at once it will back up. Correct for the house drain would be a 3 inch mainline and at least 1 1/2 inch from each fixture to the 3 inch main...

Hopefully, your sap lines won't be carrying anything close to the solids a house sewer line does! :)

[FDA]

Ordered all my fittings last night! Now the weather has to co-operate! Can't wait!

How are you going to run your tubing system ? What did you buy for fittings ?

[DonMcJr]

15 Taps on Gravity. Trying for Natural Vacuum with 5/16 hose. All the trees are around my house and the tube will go right into 2 40 gallon storage containers next to my half-pint evaporator.

I ordered alot of 5/16 Wyes and such. I'll video tape the whole setup process.