Mainline- Downward Slope Importance ??

[TerryEspo]

Good Morning Everyone:

My mainline has drooped / stretched and had about a 40ft section that is close to level (no droop).

I did work on it and now it has a continual downhill slope to my Shurflo pump.

My question is...How important is having the mainline going downhill vs. level when on vacuum? Should I notice a difference with the sap flowing better now?

Input is appreciated.

Thank-you.

Terry

[doocat]

Tight, straight, and downhill is what I have always been told.

Craig

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Gravity makes the sap flow down the pipe, you want the vacuum to get the sap out of the tree. Slope on a main line is very important.

[Sugarmaker]

Craig couldn't have said it better. We had a guy from Canada give a talk in January and he should how vacuum surges when the lines do not have slop. Much improved if there is slop in the system.
Regards,
Chris

[TerryEspo]

I agree with what was answered, slope is good. Sap didn't run good at all here today, too cold. I also had to figure out some laterals that needed adjusting after lifting the mainline.

First year doing all tubing and still learning here.

I appreciate all who answered.

Thank-you.

Terry

[BreezyHill]

Terry,
Slope is crucial...too little and you have pools, too much and you get turbulence which will act like a dam. While a diaphragm pump is not quite the same animal as a vacuum pump slope is important to both systems.

In a vac pump you are removing the air to evacuate the system.

In a surflo style you can evacuate the liquid and the air to make vacuum. So if you can get the sap to the pump in a nice steady flow you will achieve better vac than if it comes in surges. The liquid is not as compressible as air is so the diaphragm will move it much easier where air will be compressed in order to force open the check valve system of the pump.

You can go down to 1% slope but a small sag will make a pool, where at 2% slope a small sag is less of an issue. Past 4-5% and turbulence is the issue.

Nothing is ever simple in syrup production. lol

Ben

[TerryEspo]

Thanks Ben:

Can you explain the turbulence theory to me/us please. I maybe have that issue going on. I see in my laterals sometimes that sap is flowing along and then stops moving for no reason.

Maybe my issue is trees are not flowing good yet, still cold trees I hope. Still not a decent run here this season, so I don't know how my Shurflo should be working, what output should look like etc.

I wish my city was an hour south, what a difference it would make. Lake Superior really plays a big part in my local weather.

I am losing my patience this year, lol.

Thanks.

Terry

[BreezyHill]

Sure Terry,

Turbulence can be caused by sap or air in the pic you will see an ice dam. There is an air leak that dammed my dry line a few days back, but before I could get a pic it was gone. So I put on the duct tape to seal the leak and try to get it to come back the next run...totally forgot to take off the tape but there it was this morning. Now I can slip in a new gasket.

Turbulance is when air or sap enters the main at high speed and causes the sap in the main to slow or even stop its flow. A Y is a better connection of laterial to the main as turbulence is reduced.

Think of a stop sign at a busy road way. If a car were to enter the road without stopping there would be a dramatic change in the traffic flow....stopping occurs and some cars would get around while others would go in odd directions and others would stop behind the point of disruption.

Likely not the issue you are having but could be ice dam.
11340

We had 6 this am and it didn't run well at all. 800 taps and got about 80 gallons. Fired up the pump and found a poly check valve on a 1" ladder riser had a spider web pattern and missing a couple small pieces. Got the duck tape and wrapped her up best I could to stop the leaking Time to put in the new smaller risers I guess.

Trees very cold here...should run tomorrow til Friday by the looks. Nice if it would freeze at night.

Ben

[RIFoster]

Even with a small dip and a pool, the head created by the tree higher up should push the sap out of the dip right?

[BreezyHill]

It will have some affect but you will always have some sap stuck in the dip.

Even when a drop is straight up and down you find them with sap in them when using a tee to connect to a 5/16 lateral

I stubbled onto the use of a y on a drop to have less sap in the drop...seems to act as a venturi and pulls the sap in to the stream better...like an on ramp vs a stop sign....better flow. Still some in the drop, just not as much...usually half as much.

[TerryEspo]

Thanks Ben:

Nice pics also.

Snowy cold here AGAIN today, the clock is ticking so slow for me.

I will go check lines soon, when its kinda a nice day, I am sure I have some more corrections to make.

Good luck everyone.

Terry