I must be going nuts... Say, can you guys help me??

[motowbrowne]

Alright, I have been running about 100 taps on 5/16 gravity line. I've always been disappointed with its performance. Next year, it's all getting torn out and replaced with 3/16 (plus I'll switch about 200 of my buckets to 3/16 also:))

Some of what's on gravity tubing now doesn't have much drop to the tank. There's good slope, but the lowest taps are only a few feet higher than the tank. I may try to lower the tank 4-5' for next year, but can't do it now. Anyway, I figured that since I don't have all the desired drop, I'd run a shurflo to maximize performance on these lower taps.

Well, long story short, we're having a pretty poor season. Since we've been tapped out, we've had way too many warm days and nights and now things are really drying up. The buckets are doing the poorest, and the line is a little better. So... In a last ditch effort to save the season and try to get closer to a 75% crop, I just ordered 2 shurflo 2088 diaphragm pumps on Amazon. 2 day shipping has them to me by Tuesday. I figured that if I'm gonna run them next year anyway, I'd might as well buy them now and see if I can get something more out of my gravity line.

And now my question: what do I need to buy before Tuesday to run this stuff? Currently I have 4 5/16 lines running right into my tank. I understand what to do to power the pump, but I'm wondering about plumbing the lines. Will Ace or fleet farm have barbed fittings to make a manifold? I don't want to spend a bunch on this project since most of it will likely not be reused next year, so I'm trying to keep it real simple. Any ideas would be great. Right now I'm thinking that I'll find some barbed fittings and get them mounted up in some PVC pipe and run a flexible hose from there to the pump. Is this gonna do the job for me?

The ten day forecast looks good. If I can get a little vacuum running without spending an arm and a leg,I might be able to partially salvage the season here. It sure would be nice to sell a little more syrup to help fund my total overhaul for next year.

Thanks in advance!

[pls009]

I found brass barbed fittings at Menards and made a cheap pvc manifold. Will try to send a photo. 13896

[MISugarDaddy]

If you are going to run flexible hose, be sure to buy the braided hose!!! I initially used clear 1/2" hose to connect to my pumps and because of the amount of vacuum I got (24") the hose collapsed. I replaced it with braided 1/2" and it works great now and still holding 24" on 61 taps with it.
Gary

[maple flats]

Even a full line plumbing supply (where plumbers go) should have 5/16 barb x 1/4 MPT (male pipe thread) adapters, in brass. From there you can make a manifold. I got those to add vacuum gauges, bought them from West Virginia Mapler. It might be possible a big box store may have them too but not as likely (Fleet, Lowes, Home Depot).
If you have a tap and die set, it usually includes 1/4" pipe thread tap. With that, drill the right size hole in a PVC pipe and thread it, then use teflon tape or thread dope on the threads and screw it in. Far cheaper than buying all the parts to glue fittings in to get to the 1/4" female thread you will need to attach the brass adapters.

[motowbrowne]

Even a full line plumbing supply (where plumbers go) should have 5/16 barb x 1/4 MPT (male pipe thread) adapters, in brass. From there you can make a manifold. I got those to add vacuum gauges, bought them from West Virginia Mapler. It might be possible a big box store may have them too but not as likely (Fleet, Lowes, Home Depot).
If you have a tap and die set, it usually includes 1/4" pipe thread tap. With that, drill the right size hole in a PVC pipe and thread it, then use teflon tape or thread dope on the threads and screw it in. Far cheaper than buying all the parts to glue fittings in to get to the 1/4" female thread you will need to attach the brass adapters.

That's a great idea! Thanks, Dave.

And thanks to the rest of you as well! I know it's a bit of a long shot, but I'm gonna plug this stuff in and see what happens!

[motowbrowne]

I ordered my 2 Shurflo 2088 pumps at 3:00am Sunday. Free 2 day shipping with Amazon prime. First they told me that I'll have them by Tuesday. Now they say I'll have them by Monday night at 8:00. That's 41 hours, 21 of which occurred on a Sunday. I'm very impressed. I'll hopefully get the plumbing done this morning and get a pump in service by Wednesday Tuesday at noon.

My tapholes on that tubing are 3 weeks old, but seem to be hanging in there. I'm crossing my fingers to make a few more gallons out of that woods still. We sell all our syrup retail, so a few gallons would definitely help pay for all new tubing for next year.

I'm really looking forward to having vacuum next year. I'm really tired of trying my hardest to figure out the best time to tap, and then three weeks later wishing we had waited to tap because the forecast seems to only get better while our tapholes only get worse.

[woodey24]

Does running the line do the same as a vacuum? I am having the issue that my taps from 3-4 weeks ago are fading on me. I was concerned that the hose I used was too big and letting air get inside the tap when it was warmer. Only want to make syrup for ourselves and gifts so not as worried, but want to get what we can.

[motowbrowne]

Does running the line do the same as a vacuum? I am having the issue that my taps from 3-4 weeks ago are fading on me. I was concerned that the hose I used was too big and letting air get inside the tap when it was warmer. Only want to make syrup for ourselves and gifts so not as worried, but want to get what we can.

I'm far from an expert, but I think you're exactly right. Unless you are providing consistent vacuum at the taphole, air and bacterial contamination can get in and trigger the response to close the wound.

Vacuum probably doesn't stop it completely, but dramatically delays the drying of the taphole by reducing the contamination. I think any tubing except this new 3/16 installed with proper drop in elevation and enough taps to fill the line will let air back in.

[motowbrowne]

Alright, 45 hours after ordering a Shurflo pump online it has been delivered, plumbed and installed!!! I walked the lines and checked for leaks. Not quite sure what it's pulling, but it's doing something, which I couldn't say yesterday. Keeping my fingers crossed for a full tank in the morning!!

[woodey24]

I'm for sure letting air back in.... My hose isn't real snug on the tap, its 3/8 I think. Definitely going to try the tubing next year, just to lower the amount of buckets I need. I haven't learned enough to try vacuum. I wouldn't have power to supply a pump. Baby steps..... I also have seen where your not supposed to re-use the plastic taps?

[motowbrowne]

I'm for sure letting air back in.... My hose isn't real snug on the tap, its 3/8 I think. Definitely going to try the tubing next year, just to lower the amount of buckets I need. I haven't learned enough to try vacuum. I wouldn't have power to supply a pump. Baby steps..... I also have seen where your not supposed to re-use the plastic taps?

You certainly can reuse them. If you're selling syrup and making it on a medium to large scale, it's worth putting in new taps every year because the research shows that each tap produces enough extra sap with a new tap that it more than pays for the new tap. Simple cost benefit equation.

Do you have relatively steep slopes where you're tapping? The new 3/16 tubing makes vacuum without any pump or extra plumbing. Just tap the trees and run it down the hill.

If you don't have enough slope, these Shurflo pumps really are slick. You can run them off a deep cycle battery and swap batteries, or even throw a solar panel out there.

I ran 100 taps on 5/16 gravity tubing with modest slope for the last 4 years and I was consistently disappointed with its performance.