Sap moving from bush to Sugar shack. Would this work???

[Green Bastard]

Gday, So I have about 75 taps on buckets about 400 feet into the bush up over the far side of the hill. Last year in my area we had about three feet of snow in the bush until almost the end of the season the snow made it almost impossible for the four wheeler to get in and out with out being stuck for long periods of time (Went through a winch cable). My idea may sound crazy but last year was hell gettin sap out of the bush so I thought of this idea if i put a 55 gallon tank on a stand hooked up to a 3/4" pipeline at the top of the hill and run it down the hill and across a slight slope to the sugar shack could I pour the sap that I collect into the 55 gal tank and open the shut off valve to let the sap run down through the pipeline to the sugar shack. Would the sap run down the pipeline? will the idea work? Any advice would be awesome. Thanks

[Mike's Sugar Shack]

Should work as long as is the line has a good slope to it.

[madmapler]

I believe it would. Heres how... Sap is 98% water. Water runs down hill. If you open the valve, I'm convinced you'll have good results.:confused:......Sorry comrade, could'nt resist. Maybe I misunderstood.:)

[GeneralStark]

I have been using a system like this for several years. As long as you have slope it will work, but don't expect the head pressure from the 55 gallon drum to move the sap through flat areas.

If you do this I would recommend using 1" water pipe instead of 3/4". Also, stretch the pipe tight. Hanging it on wire helps as well. I find that unless the slope is very steep, the 3/4 doesn't flow as well and any ice in the line easily restricts the flow. 1" seems to work much better. I use 5 gallon buckets with bulkhead fittings on the bottom that thread to fittings on the mainline as dump stations and I collect with a 5 gallon bucket. One 5 gallon bucket drains in much less time than it takes me to finish collecting 5 gallons worth.

[maple flats]

It will work, just make sure you don't have sags that will freeze when the low pockets don't drain. I had that issue even with a pump. My collection lines are supported and run good, but my transfer line from the woods tank to the road (900' away) had sags. Every time we had a hard freeze I had to wait an extra day when the sap started flowing again because the dips were frozen. That is being corrected this summer.

[jmayerl]

In the U.S. gravity pulls things down, not sure how things work in Canada.:cool:

[whitetail farms]

yes, your idea will work, many people do this its called a dumping station I've used one the last couple of years to move sap from about 150 buckets down a hill to the back of the sugar house I think it would be better off with 1 inch line also, another thing that help is one of those 250 gallon cage tanks with a valve then once your done collecting buckets open that valve and you'll be surprised the pressure coming out of the line, hope this help nick

[Big_Eddy]

Just be sure not to leave sap standing in the line. Valve (if any) at the top, not at the bottom. Always sloped, no sags or level spots. And FLAG the wires and pipes anywhere someone could walk into it so they don't hurt themselves or pull the line down.

You need about 1" drop every foot to be effective. 2" would be better. Better to get steeper closer to the outlet than to flatten out.

[Green Bastard]

The lines will be fairly steep but now I think Ill use the dumping station idea for the other section of the bush that is also on a hill and both these lines will meet up so can I then put a "y" fitting to connect those two together to another one inch pipeline that will run to the sugar shack? The line that has both dumping stations running to it is not on as steep as the first two lines but I could definitely get at least a foot drop for every ten feet. Thanks for all the advice so far

[Page Brook Maple]

When you have all the one inch pipe up for the mainline. Why not add 5/16 and have a simple gravity system?

[ennismaple]

When you have all the one inch pipe up for the mainline. Why not add 5/16 and have a simple gravity system?

BINGO - We have a winner!

[Michael Greer]

Be sure to put a lid on your dumping station or you'll be boiling a lot of rain and snow.

[jcb]

BINGO - We have a winner!

I agree with you on this

[Maplesapper]

it will work only to a point.
We had the best luck tying a 1/4 rope from the top of the hill to the bottom and then attaching the pipeline with zip ties to the rope to prevent sagging
We dump our buckets into a 5 gallon dump tank at the top of a monster hill and it flows down thru a 1/2 line, 440 long to the bottom of the hill.
Then we have to use a trash pump with an adapter, and push it out a 3/4 pipe, over 400 ft to the road.
And a breather at the top end to prevent the unintended vacuum effects of the dump tank