sap ladder question

[11-Nick]

I never knew what one was until tonite. I looked it up on YouTube. I understand the purpose is to lift sap but still looking for explanation. The lower and higher main lines are larger diameter. The actual ladder is smaller tubes. Is a ladder built only because the vacuum is less efficient at lifting the sap up the needed elevation change in the big main line (if it can do it at all), but the vacuum is able to lift the sap when it is split among all the smaller tubes? I don't understand the physics of why the multiple small lines are used instead if a constant run of main line.

[BreezyHill]

I have several Ladders ranging from 16" in the sugar house to 18' in the bush. One main has 7 ladders to raise sap in 112' of risers...the vertical tubes.

My Dad got tired of having to install before season a line and electric wires for a pump 250' from the sugar house to pump out a tank. So being a Surge Milk delaer he decided to raise the sap with a vacuum pump. It only had to go up about 14' so no big deal.

My sons and I started retubing the bush after two season off as I was way to busy to take on the entire operation after dad passed.

This season we added another main to harvest trees in a valley in the sugar bush that was never tapped due to its elevation. One main ladder lifts all taps out of the valley to a main that hooks to another main that harvests part of the rim of the valley.

I like the smaller riser tubes of 5/16 as thery are more efficient in lifting sap and they thaw much faster than my 1" risers. Shattered a check valve on one riser this season. So now that riser is going tomorrow am to be replaced by a 5 riser 1/2" size riser to see how it works. This was a dry line but we have increased our tape counts and the dry line is nearly 75% during peak flow. So this summer we will add another blue wet line. Currently my dry lines are all black as we freeze due to a brook and lines are oftern full of sap as the bush is still flowing when the cold settles into the brook for the evening.

1144311444

Ladders are just a tool that a producer uses to harvest product and in my case to save time and money. I turn on the vac pump(s) and the sap comes to the sugar house. Yes I have a 2000 gallon truck with a 3" pump but it doesn't touch sap. All my tanks are in the sugar house as of now and easy to wash as needed.

If I didn't need ladders I would not use them; but they are very eye catching from the road and people stop all the time to take pics and if we are in the woods it takes some explaining as to what is going on. Thank God it is a little dirt road.

Ben

[11-Nick]

I have several Ladders ranging from 16" in the sugar house to 18' in the bush. One main has 7 ladders to raise sap in 112' of risers...the vertical tubes.
So you have one pump, the one in the sugar house, that does all the work? No pumps or collection tanks anywhere in between? Can you give a guess as to how much elevation difference there is between that pump and the lowest tree you pump from?
I've never laid eyes on one, other than youtube, so I'm not really sure I understand them. I'd like to find one close home to go look at.
Do you leave all the tubes in place year round?
Thanks so much for your reply. This is so interesting.