Wet line dry line

[western mainer]

Will a sap ladder work with a wet line dry line set up? if so do I need to do any thing difference?
Thanks Brian

[BreezyHill]

Will it work...Yes. There needs to be some micro air bubbles introduced into the main prior to the ladder to get a more efficient lift of the sap to make the ladder work really well. CDL has a design on using ladders in w/d lines with a modified whip; where the hip is much longer. How exactly are you looking to add a ladder?

[western mainer]

The lift is small about 3 feet. What I thinking was to use 2 - 6 stars, fittings I will have about 250 on this. Or what will work the best.
Brian

[unc23win]

You probably could lift 3 feet easily without creating a leak. Another method other than the stars is a dual line ladder. I have talked to a few guys who use them and like them a lot (I am installing 3). A dual line basically is set so that your wet line coming into the lift is divided into 2 with a T (some use a valve so they can use 1 line or 2 depending on flow) then you use elbows to go up and then elbows again to bring the lines horizontal again and then back to 1 again using another T. You connect the Dry line to it with a T.

[Maplewalnut]

unc

Where do you connect the dry line past the ladder? I have terminated my wet/dry lines prior to a sap ladder in two spots but would love to extend it further since one main goes another 500 feet past the ladder with about 150 taps on it

[maple flats]

I have both double vertical and single in my ladders, but only in my mains, the wet/dry have no ladders. On larger # taps I use the double as described above and with lower tap counts I just use an elbow, go vertical as needed, then another elbow and continue on. While I have several ladders in my 2 bushes, I don't have any that are more than 1 ladder in any mainline.
This being said, if there is any way you can get those taps without a ladder, do that. My ladders range from 30" up to 9' max. in climb. You must realize that if you go the single or double line they most be vertical or very close to vertical. The sap won't climb an incline well if at all.

[tuckermtn]

I have always been under the impression that if you have a wet/dry system beyond the sap ladder, you have to use a sap lift. perhaps I am wrong.

[Maplewalnut]

I have always been under the impression that if you have a wet/dry system beyond the sap ladder, you have to use a sap lift. perhaps I am wrong.

Eric- that was my understanding also.

[BreezyHill]

A picture is worth a thousand words...so check out cdls online catalogue-2013-usa.pdf. On page 50 there is a pic of the ladder tank and how to setup the lines.
If running spiders the max I have been able to run was 70. After that the line pools to much and things are not productive at vac transfer of lift efficiency. At 60 with a leaker you will see it dance the lift lines. That is to much leak. Close the valve on the leaker a smiggin.
I found it was best to work at peak flow and adjust to get the most vacuum at the last tap hole. I will be changing my lifts over to W/D to get more vac transfer and I have to add three or four ladders to get some trees back in production.
Currently the total lift is three ladders with the shortest at 14' and 16 on the other two if memory is working. Currently 100 on the ladders with another 250 planned but maybe more depending on how things survey out.
When I look at this it seems that the micro bubbles may have a tendancey to want to flow back to the whip of the dry line. So I am designing in a vertical "booster tank"/ separator tank to connect the dry line 20' prior to the ladder with the leaker after the sep tank.

[unc23win]

unc

Where do you connect the dry line past the ladder? I have terminated my wet/dry lines prior to a sap ladder in two spots but would love to extend it further since one main goes another 500 feet past the ladder with about 150 taps on it

I believe the easiest way to get the dry line past the ladder is to run another dry line bypassing the ladder (with a whip or booster). I am going to use 2 of my ladders to go across a drive and 1 to go over a hump. Dual lines are suppose to work quite well from what I have heard. To me it just sounds way more simple and why have a leak if it is not needed?

[western mainer]

My 3' lift is with in 10' of the releaser so with the 6 star spiders can I have to many of them lets say 50 per?
Brian

[unc23win]

If you are that close I would try it how Flats said 3' lift is not much at all and within that 10' of the releaser you should get good vac levels. Otherwise I think most people seem to do 50-70 taps per set of stars top and bottom make a set.

I am trying the dual line based on what I read in a text and talking Brian R on here who has tons of ladders he is doing all new ladders dual line and switching old star ladders out. I looked at all of his pictures on photo bucket then asked him and he said he prefers dual line and no leaks he has 3-4000 taps and is expanding.