Simple video of my 3/16 gravity setup.

[psparr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQnQ-SZhBI0&feature=youtube_gdata_player I ran two runs of 3/16. Heres one of them. Tubing from d&g and fittings from McMaster carr.

[BlueberryHill]

Thanks for the video. I am certainly no expert on this so I want to point that out first. I am just trying my hand at it the first time myself. From what I have read, and what I see on your vid. I think there are a few things you could improve. Or, also very possible, I might be mistaken on some things myself and hopefully someone more knowledgeable can correct me.

At the top of the line where you have it tied off is there any cap or seal at the end of the line, or it is just pinched off at the "knot"? I would think that you would still have air seeping in there from the way I see it in the video. They probably make plugs that would fit. My setup has a "Y" fitting at the end to avoid an open line.

It looks like you have a handful of taps that are leaky. In the vid I can see sap saturated bark near the tap holes. I had a few of these myself and I think they are causing me to lose a lot of vac. My line that is pulling really good vac does not have any of these "sap stained" trees. My lower-performing line has a few and I suspect that it is the cause. I need to figure out the best way to correct that still.

I have a vac gauge on mine and it was easy to install at the top of my line with a Tee. It's great because it lets you know how things are really going. I have 2 lines that both look like they are running good. One had 25# of vac last might and the other had 8-9# only. Without the gauges I don't think I would be able to tell the difference really. I know that line with the lower vac needs some attention somewhere. Here is the gauge it was $7 well spent.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087UBDZQ/ref=ox_sc_imb_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Another thing that I read was not advisable was the tee that you have in the line where the 2 lines branch off from one another. From what I am told that can be a bottleneck of sorts for you and it would be best to just run 2 separate parallel lines all the way down to your collection tank from that point where you have the tee right now. I would be interested in knowing the vac reading at the top of each line as it is now. And then set up the 2 parallel lines and check the reading again to see if it helps.

Good luck! Looks like the setup as you have it now is still running pretty good. Looks like the sap is trucking right along through your lines. Interested to see how much sap you collect off of those 20 taps when it is all said and done at the end of the season.

[steve J]

Well sap was certainly moving I am with Blueberry on the way your end tree is tied off it looks like its an open end which would allow bacteria into the system and cause holes to dry up?

[adk1]

so you are using the 3/16" line as a mainline then. If you havent capped off the end of the line you should. meaning, cap off the 3/16" tubing at your head tree (top tree) so it doesnt allow any air in it.

[jmayerl]

You must have the end if the line closed off. Also some of the trees are tapped at the same height as the 3/16 line and are being pulled very hard on the spout by the mainline. The maineline should have been run near the tree and and the drop line should be 24-36" above that.

[adk1]

"You must have the end if the line closed off." ????

[jmayerl]

"You must have the end if the line closed off." ????

Yes. What don't you understand? You must close of the end of the line on all tubing but it is especially important on a system in which you are attempting to create natural vacuum. A simple overhand knot will allow plenty of air to enter the system an therefore NO vacuum is created.

[MN Jake]

Look closer, there's a cap on the tag end!!!!!!!!!!

[whalems]

I see a cap as well

[BlueberryHill]

Oh yeah, I see the plug now that I looked closer. Sorry to create all the hubbub.

[psparr]

Yes theres a plug. I had the leak issue last year with those taps. I may be wrong, but I think they only leak after a good freeze. Seems to me like the outermost part of the tree thaws and forces sap out around the tap. Once the temps come up it stops. Secondly I had some problems with my homemade two hand tool. It was slicing through the tubing and causing a vacuum leak. You could hear a distinct sucking sound. Once that problem was solved I couldnt hear anything around the fittings or taps. Not to say they arent leaking.
I have another line that I just set up over the weekend with a vacuum guage. It has a total of 19 taps on that run. Most of the bigger trees were still froze up and the guage was reading 14.

One thing I haven't bought yet is a good tapping bit. That may be my issue.

[Randy Brutkoski]

no comment

[adk1]

Yes. What don't you understand? You must close of the end of the line on all tubing but it is especially important on a system in which you are attempting to create natural vacuum. A simple overhand knot will allow plenty of air to enter the system an therefore NO vacuum is created.

Ok, so basically what I said in the post before. I think the "if" word messed me up or somethin

[lakeview maple]

Great video ,thanks for sharing ,hope you have a great season. Al

[maple flats]

Everyplace you see fast moving bubbles you must fix the leak. In a tight (no leaks) system the bubbles move slow. I'd start at the top and fix each leak as I worked downhill. While the top end looks rather level, you drop farther down should make it work.

[maplehillbros7179]

I'm surprised it flows nice wanna try it out this year.