will a check valve help keep more constant pressure???

[red maples]

So just watching the releaser after it dumps. when it shuts back up it has to represurise the system or re-vacuum in our case so the sap shoot back up the lines and once the vacuum pressure is back in full the flow continues.

My question is if I put a check valve in the lines going into the manifold on the releaser in theory it stop the back flow and keep a more constant pressure in the lines until the pump catches up with air loss during the dump cycle which should happen quicker since its just the releaser resulting more sap correct? Just thinking.

any thoughts on this???

(I think My vacuum pump is getting on the small side for my operation and I will need to upgrade pretty soon not pulling quite enough air as fast as it needs to pull need a few more cfms.)

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Yes, it will help with backwards flow of sap when releaser tips. If you don't have a continuous flow releaser I would recommend installing check valves on all incoming lines into the releaser manifold. Neil

[Dill]

Upgrading your releaser will help too. The full size one is dumping a 1/4 of the time the hobby was so I'm maintaining higher vac levels. It seemed on some longer laterals that sap was going backwards as much as it was coming forwards with the hobby.

[red maples]

yes the full size holds more sap as well. so it will dump 1/4 of the time. I will pick up a couple tomorrow maybe nothing gonna be flowing tomorrow too cold and snow all day!!! I have 1 right at the vac pump which works good when I shut down I don't get back pressure and it holds everything tight in the lines. Thanks for the info.

[Russell Lampron]

So just watching the releaser after it dumps. when it shuts back up it has to represurise the system or re-vacuum in our case so the sap shoot back up the lines and once the vacuum pressure is back in full the flow continues.

My question is if I put a check valve in the lines going into the manifold on the releaser in theory it stop the back flow and keep a more constant pressure in the lines until the pump catches up with air loss during the dump cycle which should happen quicker since its just the releaser resulting more sap correct? Just thinking.

any thoughts on this???

(I think My vacuum pump is getting on the small side for my operation and I will need to upgrade pretty soon not pulling quite enough air as fast as it needs to pull need a few more cfms.)

Not sure about the hobby releasers but my Lapierre horizontal releaser has a flap that closes off the secondary chamber when it dumps. That flap is the check valve. The Bernard single that I used to have had a flap like that too.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Not sure about the hobby releasers but my Lapierre horizontal releaser has a flap that closes off the secondary chamber when it dumps. That flap is the check valve. The Bernard single that I used to have had a flap like that too.Until we put check valves on the incoming lines on our releasers that were not continuous vac., there was always backwards flow for a second when the releaser tipped. Check valves made a big difference. We use them on horizontal releasers and upright releasers- both single and double. This year I bought one of the continuous vac. bernard horizontals rated for 5000 taps. Even with sap running over 1000 gph and releaser tripping more than once a min. I notice no backwards flow in lines. Every releaser I purchase from now on will be continuous vac.(worth the extra few hundred bucks)

[red maples]

yes mine has the second flap check vaalve separating the manifold from the bottom canister but when it re-pressurizes you still get the air gap to push sap back up the lines. and it takes a little bit not very long but the lines have to re pressureize as well. I watched it and I can loose 1.5 inches of vac every time it dumps. that is running 24.5 to 26.5" dending on outside pressure. usually its right around 25 though. sO If I can eliminate the back pressure in the lines that quick jolt, then it will keep more consistant vac pressure in the lines where its needed.

[GeneralStark]

I am using a hobby releaser as well and installed check valves on both the wet and dry lines where they come into the manifold. This does reduce the "backflow" on the woods side of the system when the releaser dumps. I have been measuring vac. levels in the woods and they stay constant when the releaser trips. The one disadvantage I have noticed this season, is when the pump is shut off when things are freezing up, the check valves (both in the releaser and on the lines) close as my system is so tight it will hold vac for several hours. Then, the lines are unable to drain and then freeze. This is not a huge issue as the dry line takes over when things thaw the sap starts running again. The long term plan is to run vac. 24/7 (and start using an electric releaser) so this should not be an issue, but it is sort of a pain at times. I may install a T and valve in the wet line upstream of the check valve to release vac pressure after the pump is shut off.

[The Sweet Spot]

Would having vacuum on till things freeze pull the remaining sap out of the lines?

[Russell Lampron]

Would having vacuum on till things freeze pull the remaining sap out of the lines?

No the sap usually freezes in the mainlines first which blocks the vacuum to the laterals.

[Uncle Tucker]

Any thoughts on connecting the vac line to the dry line and the releaser supply? It might take longer for the releaser to = vac levels but guarantees consistent constant levels.

[unc23win]

Any thoughts on connecting the vac line to the dry line and the releaser supply? It might take longer for the releaser to = vac levels but guarantees consistent constant levels.

Wouldn't that be the same as having a booster? The dry line out the top the wet line out the bottom both connected to the releaser.

[red maples]

I am using a hobby releaser as well and installed check valves on both the wet and dry lines where they come into the manifold. This does reduce the "backflow" on the woods side of the system when the releaser dumps. I have been measuring vac. levels in the woods and they stay constant when the releaser trips. The one disadvantage I have noticed this season, is when the pump is shut off when things are freezing up, the check valves (both in the releaser and on the lines) close as my system is so tight it will hold vac for several hours. Then, the lines are unable to drain and then freeze. This is not a huge issue as the dry line takes over when things thaw the sap starts running again. The long term plan is to run vac. 24/7 (and start using an electric releaser) so this should not be an issue, but it is sort of a pain at times. I may install a T and valve in the wet line upstream of the check valve to release vac pressure after the pump is shut off.

Yes I have noticed this. I installed it when it was a little warmer out but it increased my sap quite a bit. I thought of putting a T with a valve as well so I could drain things too but I leave the vac pump on until things freeze up. the problem with the hobby with the dry line and wet line, you get wierd air leaks at the releaser if the pressure changes and the elblow freezes up and flap doesn't close then things back up. So hopefully I can fix that problem by getting a better releaser for next season. I don't need the vac to run 24/7 I see no need for that. because you still need to clean the ice out and service the releaser almost daily. and my pump is 200 feet from the house anyway. no big deal. Bu tI am gonna hold on to my hobby and use it else where in the future.

[GeneralStark]

I agree that the releaser will do weird things when freezing and then thawing. I have my releaser in a box on the main storage tank, and I use a heatlamp at night to heat the box and I have had much less issue with the releaser this season since I started doing this.