3/16 hybrid advice

[wurmdert]

I currently have 2 500ft 1/2 mainlines that carry 600 3/16 taps to one collection tank. When I installed this I didn't plan to add vacuum and just accept the drop off in vacuum on the lower trees. Now I'm thinking of adding a guzzler to boost the vacuum on the lower taps. Almost all the 3/16 line enter the mainline in one spot on the very top end of each main. With 1/2" I think it probably close to impossible to get all the dips out enough so the line doesn't fill with sap in some places. Should I just cut my losses and rip it down and replace with bigger main. Or should I run another 1/2in up as a dry line and connect it in just below where the 3/16 tie into the original mainline. I know I know I should plan for vacuum even if you don't plan on vacuum, but the hybrid idea wasn't around all that much when I installed.

[mol1jb]

You could just try it as is for a season and see how it performs. But putting up 2x 500 ft larger mains shouldnt be much cost. Another cheaper pump option would adding one shurflo per main.

[wurmdert]

You could just try it as is for a season and see how it performs. But putting up 2x 500 ft larger mains shouldnt be much cost. Another cheaper pump option would adding one shurflo per main.

DO you have any mainline running to your surflo or just 3/16 into a manifold

[mol1jb]

DO you have any mainline running to your surflo or just 3/16 into a manifold

Mine is running into a manifold at the pump but I have heard of plenty of people putting shurflo on a smaller main with good results. I have read of main lines with shurflo from 1/2 in to 1 in.

[mol1jb]

Or another option could be to take your 3/16 lines all the way to the tank and get rid of the mains all together. My 3/16 runs go another 400 ft after the last tap to get to my pump manifold and tank. That is at a 5% grade but with a pump on the tank end you could run with less slope and still have good success

[blissville maples]

I'd run another one inch main and use the 1/2 for wet line. Only good thing about half inch is it thaws quick. Other than that I try to use nothing less than 3/4". If you have 600 taps I wouldn't even mess around and maybe even go 1 1/4 especially if you will add any. I have 850 taps on 1 1/2 and I'm glad it's oversized. Also this year I ran some 1 1/4 and it doesn't fill and freeze solid like the smaller mains, it freezes maybe a half inch in bottom but over a longer distance which still let's vac thru and thaws quickly