Tapping under vacuum with dirty lines

[Haynes Forest Products]

So here is my situation and solution. I tap 1700 trees on 9 mainlines with 2 different collection areas on releasers. I don't clean my lines or flush them and pull my taps and let them dangle in the wind. I tap under vacuum because I like the sound of all the leaks slowly getting fixed and watching the vacuum level rise as I get closer to finishing the section I'm on.

Now here is the problem and my solution to it. I tap and allow the cage tank to fill up with nasty sap and snots. I then dump everything that I collect and wait till its clear and then call it as to when I will save what I have. Because I take a few days to tap the entire bush even up to 3 because of conditions, time and repairs. The dilemma is that within 2 hrs I have 250 tap mainline producing nice clear 4% sap and there is 200 gallons of it in the cage tank. Then I open up the next mainline and I pollute the sap and this goes on for 9 mainlines over 2-3 days. I figure I lose about 500 gallons of sap it the season if conditions are right.

My solution is I have a 225 gallon water tank that can handle the vacuum. I will temporarily install it between the mainline and sap ladders with a site glass and good float check valve. Ill collect all the crap in the tank and once its clear Ill reconnect the mainline to the sap ladder and go on to the next mainline.

Ill be able to start collecting clean sap sooner without polluting my clean cage collection tank and relax during the tapping process. What do other people do under these conditions.

[Tweegs]

There is an article in the June/July issue of the Maple News from Cornell regarding Tapping Timing.
They ran a study on syrup yields vs. 3 tapping dates; 10-Jan, 22 Feb and 16-mar.
They concluded that tapping in March produced the lowest yield, yet tapping in Jan produced a yield only slightly lower that those tapped in Feb.

They also stated that the early run sap was only 1% and jumped to 2% at the start of the heavy sap flow on 22 FEB.

Based on this info, I think I will probably tap the end of January and use that very early 1% sap to clear the lines.
I normally tap last week of FEB, but if the CV’s are going to keep me in good shape, there’s the potential to catch a couple of mid FEB runs, AND I get to clear the lines with sap I generally wouldn’t process, I don’t see a down-side.

[Maple Man 85]

I'd recommend tapping while the trees are still frozen... Reason being that you'll create a cleaner tap hole than if you wait till the tree begins to thaw (less likely to have mico leaks from tears in the bark or wood fibers). Then when the trees begin to leak the amount you have to toss is minimal. If you're worried about having problems finding vacuum leaks put valves on each line and open them 1 at a time while watching the vac gauge. It's a huge time saver in the leak finding game also for when an animal or tree takes out a main line so it can be fixed without shutting down vacuum).

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

I'd recommend tapping while the trees are still frozen... Reason being that you'll create a cleaner tap hole than if you wait till the tree begins to thaw (less likely to have mico leaks from tears in the bark or wood fibers). Then when the trees begin to leak the amount you have to toss is minimal. If you're worried about having problems finding vacuum leaks put valves on each line and open them 1 at a time while watching the vac gauge. It's a huge time saver in the leak finding game also for when an animal or tree takes out a main line so it can be fixed without shutting down vacuum).
All our tapping is done in temps below freezing as well. Actually, I prefer it below 20 degrees. Much cleaner and more sanitary. Tapping with the vacuum on is not a good idea either as all the bacteria in lines is slugged back and forth as droplines are uncapped and so on. It introduces bacteria into the taphole right away.
Neil

[Haynes Forest Products]

All my mainlines have isolation valves at the releaser so I do keep them separate during tapping. I also don't cap my taps so I don't get the surging and back sap slapping into the clean drop. We find more leaks, cuts and splits tapping under vacuum so that will continue.

I don't have the luxury of tapping early because when I get to Wisconsin its get the taps in and tanks soaking. I usually show up after the first run so I'm behind the 8ball.

[GeneralStark]

Just filter the sap and make the syrup....

[VT_K9]

There is a filter on the the RO, if you use a RO. We run our sap through a sap filter as we pump it to the sugarhouse. I am still okay with at least a few hours of letting the sap run with plans of flushing it. We will get more junk when the freeze thaw cycle comes and the small amount of ice helps scrub the lines.

Mike

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have filters to get the snots out it's poluting the releasers and collection tanks with the fermented sap.I dont want to cook mu first 1,000 gallons of sap being mixed with 400 gallons of fermented swill.

[GeneralStark]

Dilution is the solution to pollution.... I have been very impressed with the first syrup of each season despite minimal rinsing of the lines. It's usually a nice Amber Rich on the dark side. You should try it...

[Haynes Forest Products]

Never thought about it that way its a catchy phrase. I suppose I'm not dealing with moldy sap as much as just spoiled sap.