Dumb vacuum ?

[peterjd89]

This may sound silly but why is there a dry line on a vacuum system. The only thing I can think is providing the same amount of vacuum to all the laterals. I under stand the set up and plumbing but wonder if you can get away without it. Any insight on this would be great thanks.

[psparr]

It certainly isn't required, just gives better vacuum to the farther trees.

[maple flats]

When you have no dry line the sap has to share the mainline with the gasses that are moving towards the pump, thus the line will only serve fewer taps. When you have a wet and a dry line, the sap can fill the wet line if the flow is great enough and the air and gases can go thru the dry line. A second benefit of a wet/dry system is if a wet line freezes up, the dry line can take what sap flows until the wet line thaws.

[peterjd89]

So the vacuum pump won't work as hard either ? Or will you just have the same amount of vacuum on all the laterals .

[peterjd89]

This is a great site thanks for all the information.

[VT_K9]

Dry line, I don't need a dry line. But my sap freezes in one area and it was not until I just read Dave's post above and I have a new idea...if that line still gives me trouble this year I may do a short dry line to help in the problem area.

Dry lines definitely are great or necessary in long runs or larger bushes where you maybe maxing out the tap to pipe ratio. I have one spot where the slope is pretty steep and then at the bottom of the 50' hill levels off and maintains a 5% or so slope. I still have max vac. (by using gauges) at the end of the mainline, but maybe there is some interference with turbulence. Either in sap flow or vac transfer. This year we are going to cut the mainline at the base of the slope. I will leave the lower portion alone (after putting a valve in the end) and let be it's own mainline to the releaser...all the hardware is there and it is done. The line from above will now run down the slope with less of an angle (higher off the ground at the bottom) and then run higher and somewhat parallel to the original mainline and have it's own entrance to the releaser.

While I believe we are not a very large tap number operation, we should be as efficient and effective with what we have. A dry line is not necessary, but I think I found a work around to help with a potential freeze spot and improve vacuum. Each improvement we have made has increased our sap/syrup levels. With about 330 taps last year we did 104 gallons of syrup.

Mike

[maple flats]

The biggest reason is to get better vacuum to the end of the line. While ideally this would be uniform throughout, it will still generally be a little less towards the end, unless the lines are all sized properly and you have NO LEAKS.