Pulling and plugging budded drops from 3/16 lateral without losing vacuum

[Suckmytap]

hi everyone - i have several 3/16 laterals on natural vacuum with ~25 taps per tree (800ft length, 30 ft vertical drop from last tap to tank). My laterals are mostly sugars but do have some reds mixed in. it's about that time of the season when the reds begin to bud but i should have another few weeks before the sugars bud. as i start to pull the reds from the laterals, how should i plug the pulled drop lines to maintain natural vacuum on the lateral line? My initial thoughts are to use a CDL end-hook to plug the drop line. The plug has barbs to form a seal and only costs $.20 per hook. do you think that is the easiest way? i assume that simply sticking the tap/dropline back into the tee plug will not form enough of a seal to maintain vacuum - is that correct? thanks for the help.

colt

[Woodsrover]

I think the T will do exactly that. Stuff them in good and I'm sure they'll hold vacuum.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I use the CDL signature 3/16 clear seasonal spouts and I'm about 20% reds and pulled all of them out a couple weeks ago due to them budding a month earlier than normal. The spouts seal good in the cups. In push them in hard and twist them to get them to seal good. Very little issues with loss of vac. I have 200 of the white maxflow spouts and they seal off decently but not as well as the polycarbonate signature spouts.

[Suckmytap]

thanks. i have leader T's and CDL white max flow spouts. do you think i am better off cutting the spout and plugging the drop line tubing directly to the T?

[Diesel Pro]

I have the CDL "health tee with cup and matching white spouts. I have not yet had to pull and plug, but hoping that the cups seal enough. If not I figured some of the orange disposable foam ear plugs should do the trick.

[Cedar Eater]

thanks. i have leader T's and CDL white max flow spouts. do you think i am better off cutting the spout and plugging the drop line tubing directly to the T?

If you don't plan to reuse the spile, it would probably be better to cut it off now and plug the line into the tee. The tees seem to grip tubing better than spiles.

[Russell Lampron]

If you are using cup tees the spouts should fit right in and seal without leaking. I use Leader cv2's and Leader cup tees with good results. If the tap and the tee are the same diameter you shouldn't have a problem.

[Daveg]

hi everyone - i have several 3/16 laterals on natural vacuum with ~25 taps per tree (800ft length, 30 ft vertical drop from last tap to tank). My laterals are mostly sugars but do have some reds mixed in. it's about that time of the season when the reds begin to bud but i should have another few weeks before the sugars bud. as i start to pull the reds from the laterals, how should i plug the pulled drop lines to maintain natural vacuum on the lateral line? My initial thoughts are to use a CDL end-hook to plug the drop line. The plug has barbs to form a seal and only costs $.20 per hook. do you think that is the easiest way? i assume that simply sticking the tap/dropline back into the tee plug will not form enough of a seal to maintain vacuum - is that correct? thanks for the help.

colt

25 taps per tree? I know; I know. I'm the editing officer.

[Suckmytap]

~25 taps per lateral not tree.....thanks for the advice everyone. sounds like i will just be cutting off the spile and plugging the drop line back into the T