Sap Ladder video

[syrupbythesea]

Ok...trying to see if uploading this sap ladder video worked. I now have four SAP ladders on my mainline. This is the largest at ~16' and is the final stage to the sugarhouse. These ladders have completely changed my life in SAP collection! Thank you to all you sugarmakers that had great posts about your ladders in the past...helped me a ton!

https://youtu.be/yXoVVG37QkE

[maple flats]

How many taps is that for and how may 5/16 risers? I'm guessing as best I can tell, a 1" main with 30 risers.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

All I can say is wow!!! I really wish I had a piece of property I could run tubing and a pump, it would be awesome!!


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[BreezyHill]

1302013021

Try this next...this is my new design. Thaws faster than the 5/16 and runs longer than the 5/16 right next to it.
Cheaper to build and easier to build.

2" pvc manifold on top, 1/2" risers.

I have clear 2" for the next one. Plan is to build and install it this coming week.

[syrupbythesea]

How many taps is that for and how may 5/16 risers? I'm guessing as best I can tell, a 1" main with 30 risers.

Dave, I have over 300 taps coming in on that line. Based on everything I saw on Maple Trader I probably oversized that ladder. I have 6x 6 way 5/16" connectors on a 1" main line. This year I have a new Becker vacuum. The 4.25 VT with 20 amp 120v. I think it's a 1.5HP. Nothing in this industry comes with instructions so I was really happy that it worked great from day one. We were getting 23"....

[syrupbythesea]

1302013021

Try this next...this is my new design. Thaws faster than the 5/16 and runs longer than the 5/16 right next to it.
Cheaper to build and easier to build.

2" pvc manifold on top, 1/2" risers.

I have clear 2" for the next one. Plan is to build and install it this coming week.

Breezy hill...this looks much simpler! Can't wait to improve things each year. How much vacuum do you have and how many taps? Just curious

[syrupbythesea]

How many taps is that for and how may 5/16 risers? I'm guessing as best I can tell, a 1" main with 30 risers.

actually 36 risers on that one since it's the longest and end of the main line near the sugar house. My other ladders range from a single 5/16" riser to 18 depending on the number of taps. So far vacuum has been holding at 23"...probably have some small leaks to find...

[BreezyHill]

I can run 750 taps on a 73 D pump that will maintain around 29" if there are no leaks other than the injectors for the 12 ladders.

That ladder has around 350 taps on it. It is 14' I think tallest is 18shortest is 6' unless you count the 18" glass one on the releaser. That is the one that I learned the most watching how the sap moves in the riser and into the manifold. Then there was countless hours spent playing with the injector for it.

All my injectors together only put in about .2 cf of air into the system. I walk lines daily for a leak check, but you can tell with a ladder if you have a leak...the sap will rocket up the ladders.

Hint...slow flowing ladder will reduce the vac past the ladder.
Pooling sap in the main will also reduce the vac past the ladder.
even flowing risers are the most efficient.

Play around with blocking or pinching of a few risers and we what happens.
for a 1" I only run 18 max... The 3/4" main next to the 1/2 riser only has 6 risers and runs great with around 200 taps going up it.

I am changing over to all 1/2" risers on the high tap count ladders. 4 should be in this season if I ever get time.

[maple flats]

I have 2 along the line of how Breezy did his, but the are 3/4" risers and only have 2 up pipes. I have a valve on one upriser and with 60 taps on all but the fastest flow days, I leave the valve on the 1 riser shut. I do need to open it about 1/2 on the fastest flow days. This year I'm trying my first ladders of the type using 5/16 webs, just to compare. I've been using 1 upriser for each 15 taps on that section of main. My largest is 4 risers.