Setting up a flat sugar bush for vacuum.

[Mark B]

Need advice please. Was a newbie to sugaring last year and new to the idea of vacuum. My uncle passed away last year, and I started working his small sugar bush. He had roughly 90 taps. He had run 5/16 lines with 5-6 taps per line and emptied into a 5-6 gallon collection bucket. The land is basically flat, but he started high and ran downhill to gain some natural gravity.

There are areas around the property that drop off to a small stream and a bog. To that end, I have reworked several of his runs (and added some of my own) to take advantage of the natural elevation change. Ill have to go out and measure, but there may be on average 5-8' of drop over a 20 - 30 foot line (with again 5-6 taps).

Christmas was good and I got enough in Amazon gift cards to by a shurflo 4008 and temp controller. I'd like to put an applicable 100 or so of the taps on vac this year. Do I need, or should I have a mainline to the shurflo. If so what size. I was wondering if 1/2" was adequate? Don't think a mainline will be more then 300-400'. Santa also gave me $$$ to Leader to buy needed supplies. I am thinking that 5/16 would be too small to adequately convey to the vacuum to the existing lines that I plan to use as lateral.

As far as a mainline might go, I've probably got about 6' - 8' of drop in elevation from where I would start my mainline to where I would set the pump for collection.

Lastly, how far would the 4008 be able to pump or push the sap if I tried to put my collection tank in a convenient location. Also should I use cv's on the taps on vac? I've read many threads so far hete, but none quite answered my questions. Thanks for any and all advice

[maple flats]

It sounds like your plans are OK. Before answering the questions, how many taps might this woods end up with after fully tapping the potential? That diaphragm pump will do well but you must realize that it does not fare well with ice. You want to shut the pump down when the temperature drops to 30 and do not start it again until the temp goes over 35 unless you have a means to prevent ice in the line from getting into the pump. As far as mainline, use 3/4" instead of 1/2", far more options for fittings and saddles and it will get more of the vacuum to the tap hole. While I use mostly CV taps, on first year lateral and drops I do not always, second year I either use CV or silver bearing taps (anti-bacterial).
I'll await your answer before going any further.

[Mark B]

Dave, thanks for the reply. I will have the inline filter which will help with ice and a temp control board to shut down and restart the pump. Probably fully utilized the section of wood I am setting up with vacuum. Will be no more then 1w0 taps. Any other trees are in other sections of the sugar bush not reachable by this setup. About half the lines and drops are existing. While I may replace some, will limit my cv's to the drops and lines I don't replace.

Thanks for the fast reply. I'm looking forward to more replies and learning. Mark

[maple flats]

There's a typo in your reply, but assuming 1w0 taps is either 120 or 130 taps, the 4008 should be able to handle that many. For the vacuum side of the pump I suggest 3/4" mains but for the output side you could use 1/2" line. Will the pump be a 12V or a 115V model? Either will work, the 12 requires a back up battery, one to use while the other charges, unless you can run AC out to it and charge with a small charger all the time, or connect a solar charger up. On the 115V model you need a power source at the pump, will an extension cord reach and have enough voltage to run the pump at that distance? Some say the 12V versions are more dependable, but my only experience is with a 115V model and that runs my hot water in the sugarhouse 3 years no issues..

[Mark B]

Dave, 120 is probably max for that section of wood. I bought the 12v version of the 4008 and planning on a matched appropriate power supply, as I can get an extension chord to my pump. Still wondering about how far I can pump to my holding tank. I'm thinking from the pump to where I was thinking approximately 40' and uphill 4-5'. Thxs, Mark

[Biz]

Last year I pumped from a holding tank to my sugarhouse with the 4008, through about 550' of 1/2" tubing with rise of maybe 20 ft. Worked OK but slow, it pumped at less than 1 gpm even though the 4008 is rated at 3gpm. The rise and friction losses slow it way down. I added a pump at the top of the line also so I had a push/pull system and that helped but only got me to maybe 1.5 gpm. You may do better if there is less of a rise and a shorter run, but I think the 3gpm rating is a best-case number. I used the same pump that was used for vacuum, just added some valving. Vacuum also dropped as you would expect.

For next year I am using a 5.5gpm Seaflo pump and going to automate it and link to my vacuum controller so it pumps the tank every few hours without me having to make the 1/4 mile round trip walk to the pump station multiple times a day to start/stop the pump and drain the line. Will see how it works out.

Dave

[maple flats]

40' and a rise of 5' should not be an issue. I don't have that pup's performance curve, but my guess is with that it should be able to pump between 1.5 and 2 gpm, x 60 min. = 90-120 gph thru the half inch. 120 should will not be too much for it. If in doubt, increase the transfer line to 3/4", that will cut the line friction a huge amount.

[mol1jb]

I just set up a main pump line for my bush that is powered by the shurflo 4048 (4gpm base) and the line is 3/4in and run about 200ft long with about 25ft rise. I tested it the other day and estimated close to 3gpm. Your estimated rise is fairly low so I wouldn't be surprised if you get in the 2-2.5gpm area with that pump.

[maple flats]

With any diaphragm pump you get better pumping if you keep liquid flowing thru the pump. This is often accomplished by using a return line (recirculation). To do that, try using a 3/16 back from the end tank to the inlet to the pump, you might even want to add a little 3/16 needle valve to reduce the flow. Then play with the setting (on the bypass) to determine which is the best for maximum vacuum and flow.

[Mark B]

Ill be checking with a local operation to see what help I can get. At the moment I don't have any 3/16" line. If I can find a piece and a fitting, ill plumb a recirc line. I do have 5/16", so this year may be a 5/16 with a needle valve. Don't know if I can come by a large holding tank, so I may plumb three or four 55 gallon cans together to be my holding tank. I'm headed out to a friends farm this week, to see what he has. Mark

[maple flats]

5/16 would work but you'd absolutely want a needle valve to regulate the flow. The idea is just that a diaphragm pump gets much better results if the diaphragm is kept wet, thus higher vacuum.

[Mark B]

I have another question? So I am back with revised numbers on the flat sugar bush. It looks like my 3/4" mainline with be 425-450'. The lines are split / tee'd in to 2 runs, one about 215' and the other about 225'. I was able to get about a 2% grade on the shorter one and 3% on the longer incoming line. Still thinking 110-120 taps. This will all be on a 12 volt shurflo. 4008. My holding tank will be about 75-80' away and up hill about 8-10' ft (including tank height). With the vacuum on this, will the shurflo still be able to move the sap up to the holding tank? I'm going to get my pump elevated to the height of my incoming mainlines. This will probably keep the lift to the holding tanks more on the 8' end. Thoughts? And yes I am still planning a recirculation line.