newbie to running a vaccuum line?

[seandicare]

I decided to not boil myself this year and just help an old friend instead. he has been running vacuum for a few years, and expanded his taps by almost double. in past years he has been able to pull a 26lb vacuum on his lines, but this year it seems he can only get 12lb. all lines are leak free that we have found and getting nearly the same pressure at the top of his lot as at the pumphouse. to me (limited knowledge just more analytical mind) this says that the problem is with the pump not leaky line.

my question is could this drop in pressure just be due to the expanded tap count? he thought his pump could handle it, but wondering if he might have over estimated his pump.

[maple flats]

What are the CFM's of his pump? What are the size and lengths of his mains? There is an excellent resource to answer all aspects of tubing and vacuum. It is By Steve Childs, the Cornell Maple Specialist, and it is the New York State Maple Tubing and Vacuum System Notebook.
https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellmaple/files/2016/06/Tubing-Notebook-6th-edition-2fpl9ze.pdf
It has all the answers. The link will get you the entire notebook in PDF, I like it in print form, so I ordered one, but you or he could just use it from the link or even print out your own copy (lots of pages)

[seandicare]

thanks Maple Flats. well guess i should have waited to ask this.......ran the lines in the new section today. quite a few leakers (taps and saddles). got it up to 22.5lb vac...still another section to go,