5/16 tubing cleaning!

[theguywiththename]

Just finished another 8 liters of syrup here and looked at the weather. looks like im going to pull taps friday and clean up sat/sun. Im hopping for another 4 liters yet. Im wondering for my 5/16 tubing as to whats the best way to clean it? I have to take it down as it blocks a field entrance. i can set it backup using a t stake and the backhoe at each end of the yard. I do have a 8.5cfm air compressor and lots of access to water from garden taps.

[Dave Puhl]

I just rinse mine right on the tree with a gallon jug with a piece of tubing with a hole drilled in the cap and I poke a small hole in the bottom to let air in after I turn it upside down... they drain out cause of the slope ..then I put each run in a 55gal barrel and in the shed out of the sun..I used to roll them out in the yard and hook up the water hose to them but couldn't get all the water out maybe should of tried the air compressor...

[Dave Lister]

This year I purchased a two gallon pesticide sprayer (the kind you use to spray fruit trees) for about twelve bucks at the local hardware store. I brought it home and gave it a very good cleaning in the sink with warm soapy water to remove any non-food grade oils that may have been sprayed on it during production. Once it was completely clean and dry I removed the spray tip and where that screwed on, I forced a one foot long piece of 5/16th tubing. I then filled it with hot water and pressurized it and then went from tap to tap, putting the tree end of the tap into the end of the tubing until it was snug and forced the hot water in each one. 5-10 seconds per tap flushed a lot of water in there. I had to refill it a few times, but all in all, it worked pretty slick.