Best option for vacuum to releaser

[jakeleveto]

I'm getting ready for my first year on vacuum, second year altogether, and need some advice. My sugar shack is about 200-250 feet away from my releaser, and I originally planned on running my Gast 0823 (see link below) in the shack with a line going to the releaser. I have 162 taps on the line, all at 3-5% grade. For some strange reason I thought that some extra 5/16th line would work from the pump to the releaser, but now I realize that it's going to choke the pump. Would it be wise to buy some extra 3/4th mainline and use that, or would I need a higher diameter pipe? Another option would be to buy a long extension cord and setup the pump outside next to the releaser. Any ideas? Thanks, looking forward to some warmer weather so I can try this out!

http://www.gastmfg.com/product_detail.aspx?ProductID=118&ProductTypeID=20

[morningstarfarm]

You need to run a dry line from your pump to your releaser...minimum of 3/4" although I would run 1" personally...

[mapleack]

At least 1", and be sure to put a safety trap at the releaser so you can't pull sap back the line to the pump.

[jakeleveto]

Thanks guys, going to work on this today so I'm ready later

[Joust7.1]

Jake,

I went through this same dilemma last year except my dump station was 750' away from electric power. I opted to run the pump near the sugar house so that I could run the pump off of electricity. I ran a 1.25" vac only line to my collection tank to a Bender Releaser. This seemed to make a lot more sense than running electricity out there. I could monitor the pump easier and if the vac dropped, I knew to go and check on my releaser. It stopped cycling a couple times last season (probably just need to have the sweet from the sap rinsed of the rod etc). This worked great for my setup and had the same vac in the woods as at the pump. I had about 160 taps on vac as well. I probably could have been fine with a 1" pipe, but not really sure since I didn't try it. Buying the 1.25" vac line one time and knowing it was more than adequate seemed to make a lot of sense. Good luck. What type of releaser are you running?

[jakeleveto]

Thanks for the advice, what you said makes sense. I'm glad I decided to run tubing to the shed instead of electricity to the dump station (lapierre hobby releaser). I ended up running a high tensile line and stringing some extra left over 3/4th tubing. I had a 100' and 130' piece laying around (figures that I ended up about 10' short). Hopefully it doesn't hurt my vacuum too much, if it does I'll buy some 1-1/4th and run that while I'm boiling.