Lunchbox Manifold

[mspina14]

This will be my 2nd year using a Lunchbox diaphragm pump on about 85 taps.

Last year, I noticed during heavy sap runs that sap backed up the 5/16 lines. I was using a star fitting on the Lunchbox that connected 3 separate lines to the pump.

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This year, I decided to make a manifold out of 1/2" clear rigid tubing about 2 feet long. I connected the three 3/16 sap lines to the manifold with T's. The manifold connects to the Lunchbox with a 3/8 quick connect fitting:

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It's been above freezing in southern Connecticut for about 24 hours. I will tap tomorrow and see how she works.

Mark

[Stiets]

Looks nice Mark. Let us know how it worked out. I put out a 3/16 line with 25 drops on natural gravity yesterday. Going to tap it this morning. I am considering getting a line on a vacuum pump next year for a run that's flat.

[mspina14]

Looks nice Mark. Let us know how it worked out. I put out a 3/16 line with 25 drops on natural gravity yesterday. Going to tap it this morning. I am considering getting a line on a vacuum pump next year for a run that's flat.

Thanks Stiets. My land is very flat. probably less than 1% slope in most areas. So using some kind of pump to generate vacuum is really the only option for me. All my maples are Reds. And they just don't run very well, if at all, on buckets. So even more of a reason to use vacuum for me.

I do find that when using a diaphragm pump, you really need to find and fix every single leak, no matter how small. Even a small leak in tubing will kill the vacuum. Also, I had a heck of a time last year tracking down vacuum leaks caused by hollow or semi-hollow trees. They're harder to pinpoint then a hole in the tubing.


Mark

[Bricklayer]

I have a lunchbox also.
I used a 1/2 or 3/4" can't remember exactly. Chunk of mainline with each line going to its own saddle. I've got it slightly sloped to the pump. Worked good last year. At the end of the year I installed 1/4" valves on each 5/16 line.
When I was tracking down leaks I would shut all all valves and let the pump cycle until it stopped. Then crack one valve and watch to see how the sap moved in the line and how the pump cycled.
With the lunchbox you'll know when you have a leak. The pump will cycle like crazy. Like a machine gun.
With this setup it's easier to know what line the leaks are in. When you know what line it is then you can go investigate.
I found crimping the line somewhere on the leaking line and listening to the pump helps too.
I just use a pair of welders clamps to crimp the line to block it. If the pump goes back to normal then you know the leak is farther down the line.