Max length of a 3/16 lateral

[christopherh]

Is there a maximum length for a 3/16 lateral?

[5050racing]

I just pulled my down and most are 700-800' but have heard of guys 1200' plus,I'm sure others will chime in. The reason I removed them is the deer,squirrels love to chew this compared to the 5/16 and 1/2 main I had in the same runs. I feel it will be easier to clean n reinstall instead of 25 or more repairs,remember this stuff need to be totally sealed to hold the vacuum and it's not easy pulling this back together since you stretch it tree to tree n it runs when it breaks. I do tie it up in places to help it from running when it's chewed in two. I'm just a little guy with 4 runs just what I have found from experience .

[motowbrowne]

I have several laterals around 1000' long. They pull good vacuum. Until the squirrels get to them anyway...

[maple flats]

I'm not sure there is a maximum as long as you have the slope, but there is a max. number of taps. I've read that 37 might be the max but I have one that is about 1200' long with 41 taps. I may split it into 2 next season.

[christopherh]

Great, all these answers are what Im looking for. Thanks!!

[Wanabe1972]

I'm running two that are over 1600 feet each. They are 800 from the tank to the first tap with 40 feet of rise and the the next 800 feet has another 30 feet of rise. 25 on one line and 20 on the other and they seem to run when nothing else is.

[Cedar Eater]

I don't think there's a maximum unless you run out of slope and have to collect on the other side of a long flat area without mechanical vacuum. I think there's an optimum and a range of acceptable for each slope or pumped vacuum setup. If I had a 3000' 15% downslope that would get the sap from 30 taps right to the sugar shack, I wouldn't hesitate to try it.