Stubby spout placement

[gearpump]

I am in the process of replacing my 5/16 spouts with the 7/16 stubbies so I can use the 5/16 adapters and I was wondering what to do with the spouts at the end of season. I am using the cup tees and the spout will not plug into them to seal them over the summer. I guess the easiest thing to do is leave the adapter on at the end, but I was hoping to take them in and wash them. Any thoughts?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[brookledge]

You definately don't want to leave the spouts hanging because as Kevin said the insects love themand they will be plugged up in the spring. Can't you use a tee that will allow the stubby tap to plug it? I know the type of tap your talking about but just not sure if they make a tee that will plug it.
Otherwise use the red plastic plugs that were used prior to tees having plugs on them
Keith

[mountainvan]

I got two thoughts for you... You could get spout plugs from leader and swap the 5/16 with the plugs when you tap and again when you clean up, or you could leave the adaptors on till late fall/ winter and when you walk the tubing before sugaring season bring in the adaptors, sterilize them, and then put them back when you tap. Insects won't be a problem in the winter. I do the 1st, but I have the blue 7/16 on some of my lines, not the stubbys.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Marty,

I am pretty sure they make the tees for the stubby spouts. I would hate to change 500 tees, but if I changed, I would likely change tees also to advoid this problem.

[royalmaple]

I have about 1/2 the cup tees like you marty and the other 1/2 is I think from IPL and they are a two step T, so they work fine if you happen to leave the reducer on or if you had straight 5/16 spouts, or if you are removing the reducer and are left with the stubby they slip down over the small taper and still fit a little further down on the T and fit snugly.

But that would mean changing T's.

[royalmaple]

I just looked in bascoms catalog and the ones I have look like the ones on page 25, it is a leader tee with two stage plug. They are handy.

[802maple]

If I understand you right the tee that you have does fit the stubby further down so why couldn't you just cut off the small part with a pair of nippers

[802maple]

Sorry got mixed up with who had the problem

[802maple]

If you have a Leader catalog, on the top of page 22,part number 4778p should work. I have used these before for other applications and they worked fine

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[802maple]

That is why we went with the straight ones, also they are much easier to clean

[gearpump]

I think what I need is a spout reducer fitting that is a plug and has a tubing clip to attach the drop to the laterial in the off season. I did try a few of the double pin tees, but quickly swore I would never use them again after getting completely soaked from washing the lines and trying to plug the drop on the tee. The cup tees are much more forgiving and I usually hit the hole on the first try. Also none of my tubing is on vacuume so leakers are not a big problem. I have tried the hard blue plugs that fit inside to spout, but have found that they are splitting the spouts open at the tip. It would be a better plan to have a plug cover the outside part of spout that the reducer fits on because I have noticed that this is where the varmits like to leave their mark.

Marty

[Russell Lampron]

Marty,

Are the stubbys that you are using the Lapierre stubbys? What does Lapierre recommend for a tee or plug?

Russ

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

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[gearpump]

The stubbies and reducers I am using are the Lapierre ones. The tees they have are the 2-stage pins and the cup tees. I noticed they have a snap on spout plug with tubing clip. This might work, but I sure wish they had one that fits over the outside of the stubbie spout. Time to build my own injection mold for spout plugs.

Marty