cost per omline tap

[Mike in NY]

4 yrs ago I was told 10 dollars per tap was about what I'd end up spending. Doing the math I think I am into my gravity line system for about 1800 bucks on around 400 taps or about 5 bucks a tap. Any one else care to venture a guess at their per tap cost?

[spencer11]

i assume mine was about 5 bucks a tap, i didnt use wire so it was a little cheaper

[Mark-NH]

All depends how far you go towards recommend practices. Strive for 5. Dry line. Stainless fittings. Multiple large main lines and of course vacuum. I wonder how much it cost per tap if you followed all this?

[Dave Y]

Cost to install tubing can vary. I depends on what you include. you have to install tanks, if you go to vacuum with the install you have to add pumps and extractors. For a straight gravity system it will cost you around 6dollars per tap. You will get approx. 33 taps per roll of tubing, plus your droplines. If you install vacuum it will be double.

[unc23win]

I actually made an Excel spreadsheet for this. With mine it is about $4.50 per tap for gravity with no calculatiosn for tanks pumps or wire for the mainline or mainline fittings just the basics. Yet I have it calculating the following

1. Using 1 check valve, 1 stubby, and 1 T cup per tap.
2. 20 feet of 5/16 per tap plus 2.5' per drop. Obviously varies on proximity of mainline.
3. 1 saddle per 5 taps. Strive for 5.
4. 1 straight fittting with hook for saddle loop.
4. 1 T fitting for every 10 taps.
5. 1 Y fitting for ever 5 taps. I find myself using more of these.
6. 25 taps per 100' of mainline. Mine is calculated using 3/4". This really depends on the woods.

[Sbascom]

If you are adding vacuum it makes a big difference on the number of taps. If you get a pump for 3,000 taps your tank and vacuum pump will be $$$ but if you have 6,000 taps the cost for the pump and tank will not be double. So it all depends on what you include in your cost. The tubing cost should be the same per tap on vacuum or gravity. Your mainline cost will be more for vacuum if you put in a dry line.

[ennismaple]

I actually made an Excel spreadsheet for this. With mine it is about $4.50 per tap for gravity with no calculatiosn for tanks pumps or wire for the mainline or mainline fittings just the basics.

Sounds right. I've always estimated it costs $5/tap to just put up 5/16" tubing and 3/4" mainline, including fittings - more if you average 3 0r 4 taps per lateral. This applies to extending existing mainlines to add more taps. Add the costs of tanks, releasers and vacuum pumps and it doubles the cost, depending on scale. A 500 gallon SS tank costs way more per gallon than a 3,000 gallon tank and a 10HP vacuum pump isn't 2x the cost of a 5Hp pump.

[adk1]

I am sure that I am more than that since I only have 140 taps on my line but about 4,000 feet of 5/16" line and 1,000 feet of mainline just to get it. although, I have $400 in 5/16" lateral line, $100 in dropline, and $200 in lateral line. So that is $700/140 = $5.00..wow, that is funny right there. although, that doesnt include any fittings at all.

[Mike in NY]

we average under 5 taps per saddle because we have many 2-3-4 tap saddles. But on the upper end of every mainline we have laterals with 10-12-15 taps on them. creative tapping with taps being 7-10 ft in the air. Still learning this line buisness but beats using a step ladder to remove buckets 9 ft in the air

[Tweegs]

I’m at $5.70/tap.

That’s 1500’ of ¾ main and wire, a bag of T’s, a bag of ends, a bag of hooks, 2 rolls of wire ties, 2000’ of 5/16, 200 spiles, 55 saddles, 5 ratchets, 5 gripples, 4 mainline connectors, and a few mistakes.

Now I knocked off 10 cents per tap from the total cost of everything above because I still have a number of T’s, hooks, ends and wire ties left over, plus about half a roll of 5/16.

The main cost driver here was having to go 1500 feet to get 200 taps.

[adk1]

I’m at $5.70/tap.

That’s 1500’ of ¾ main and wire, a bag of T’s, a bag of ends, a bag of hooks, 2 rolls of wire ties, 2000’ of 5/16, 200 spiles, 55 saddles, 5 ratchets, 5 gripples, 4 mainline connectors, and a few mistakes.

Now I knocked off 10 cents per tap from the total cost of everything above because I still have a number of T’s, hooks, ends and wire ties left over, plus about half a roll of 5/16.

The main cost driver here was having to go 1500 feet to get 200 taps.

I hear you there Tweegs! I had to got 1000' to get 140 taps! I didnt factor in the cost of anything other than my evap and the tubing