Sap flow in tubing question

[mi-maple]

This is my first year running gravity sap lines. I know my setup is not perfect as I have a few small sags in some mainline, but I am collecting a good amount of sap. I don't think the sags are bad, I have propped a few spots with sticks. My ground is very flat but my lines are sloped. My question is should there be much sap in the lateral lines? I expected not much sap to stay in the lines that it would flow quite freely but the laterals are all full. I have about 70 taps on lines and collected about 75 gallons the last two days which I thought was descent. I have learned a lot though and I think next year I will redo it all a lot better. Thanks

[Russell Lampron]

When the sap is running the laterals will be full this is normal. If your mainline is on a wire like it should be you can tie it back to other trees to get the sags out and to keep it tight. Keep the sags out of the mainline and the laterals sloped down to the mainline and it won't puddle up on you.

[BreezyHill]

Pools of sap in a main line on gravity will create a back pressure situation. The tree is leaking sap into you drop and lateral. As the line fills there becomes a pressure against the tree. Check out rapid tie from cdl for a simple way to tie the mainline to trees near by and support the line to remove the sags.

Tying back to trees will tension the line as well.

Good Luck!

Ben

[eustis22]

is it normal for different laterals to run differently under the same conditions? one line has been going great guns since installation..the iother was fine but today just sat there...line looks full of sap....what could be the issue?