Wet/Dry Line set up

[pls009]

I have never installed a Wet/Dry line before - only used a single wet line. When setting this up - how often do you tie these lines together? Any certain rule of thumb? Thanks

[wiam]

Connect them when a mainline connects to them.

[maple flats]

Every place a new mainline enters the system you tie them together. There are at least 2 methods. The old method which many still use, is to have a large chamber where the main enters, it enters at the middle, sometimes using a fitting like a tee that aims the sap downward, sap falls to the bottom and enters the wet line, the gases rise to the vacuum line. An example might be a wet line of 1.25", a dry line of 1.5" and a chamber of 2-3 or 4" and a foot tall, with a tee on top for the dry line and one on the bottom for the wet line.
A newer method is to have a Tee or Y in the main a few feet before the wet dry, with the side of the tee or y facing up. Attach a line to that, then curve over and enter the dry line, preferably with a Y, the main then continues to join the wet line, again preferably with a Y.
Either method separates the gases from the sap. I like method 2 for only for 1 reason, if a tree or large limb falls on the the wet/dry lines, the manifold in method 1 is more vulnerable than the T or Y, especially since mine are all SS fittings.

[Kh7722]

18032

This picture shows how ours are installed, like maple flats says use a y and connect mainline to top dry line, it helps transfer the vacuum evenly to each mainline through the 1.5” dryline. In the case that it might happen, it can also transfer sap through dryline if its that big of a run or ice dam somewhere, tees would be a little harder for sap to travel. Hope it helps a little
Kevin

[pls009]

Thanks Kevin! - That picture really helps me out! Do you make these connections every so many feet?



18032

This picture shows how ours are installed, like maple flats says use a y and connect mainline to top dry line, it helps transfer the vacuum evenly to each mainline through the 1.5” dryline. In the case that it might happen, it can also transfer sap through dryline if its that big of a run or ice dam somewhere, tees would be a little harder for sap to travel. Hope it helps a little
Kevin

[Kh7722]

We have six mainlines and at the point where each mainline connects to to wet/dry is where we make the connection. So to help keep the vacuum consistent at separate mainlines we do these. Better to have consistent vac everywhere than to not take the time and lose a few inches
Kevin

[Chris_In_Vermont]

18042180431804418045

Here's some of the different styles we use. The big one is a custom thing bringing 4 mainlines into the top end of a conductor system. Just imagine how many tees and Y's it would take to do 4 mainlines in one spot doing loopover connections.
They all have their merit. If you're doing single mainlines, the loopovers are nice, I still like a valve at a mainline so that's one more thing to cut in, with the prebuilt ones we do, we have valves at each mainline already. Some people use the blue canisters like a releaser, bringing 2-6 however many mainlines it takes in, looks kinda like a wagon wheel. The old style ones (couldn't find a picture, the monster quad manifold is the closest I could find) had a gauge which is handy for leak ID, but we've gotten away from the gauges. Our woods crew is trained well enough to narrow down leaks by ear, with the new style manifold we do (last two pics) we save on parts considerably, and no problematic gauges to leak and stop working. They used to be made out of PVC, I think leader still does that? Prone to breaking and cracking, we use to cut them in with plastic T's but they would bust and you have a conductor line in two pieces, so all SS pieces now, way more rugged.
Sorry about the sideways pics, can't seem to find a photo editor here, they were right when I uploaded them.

[maple flats]

Notice in the pictures that the manifolds are in SS pipe fittings, that makes them pretty much indestructible rather than in PVC which is cheap but can cost you a lot of lost sap if a tree or limb falls on them.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

PVC fittings also degrade over time in the sun.......like say 10 years. They are good for tubing splices and connectors but stainless on anything exposed is the way to go.

[Chris_In_Vermont]

Notice in the pictures that the manifolds are in SS pipe fittings, that makes them pretty much indestructible rather than in PVC which is cheap but can cost you a lot of lost sap if a tree or limb falls on them.

Yup they are very rugged. The new style we are using does a very good job of locking the air line and liquid line together. On one of our conductors we had the airline wire break at the anchor. Lost tension only until the first manifold, after that it was fine, the liquid line tension was holding the air line through the manifold. Impressive.