Shurflo setups - mainline or manifold?

[TrentonMaple]

I have about 75 taps on 3/16 and another 50 on 5/16. They are on two mainlines that converge centrally on a tank. 3/16 on the hill, east side, 5/16 on the flat southwestern side. All on gravity, or whatever vacuum the 3/16 creates. Each year the 3/16 runs great and the 5/16 is very sluggish.

I am using 1" black plastic water line as a mainline. The saddles have gotten worn out and need to be replaced.

I'm going to set up a vacuum with a Shurflo or two. Is there any consensus about which better - multiple lines converging onto a manifold next to the pump - or - using a traditional mainline with saddles which is connected to the pump?

If I go the mainline route, I was going to switch to smaller diameter mainline, probably 1/2" (which should be plenty to handle that number of taps.)
Smaller diameter mainline should promote better vacuum, correct?

The end of the mainline will need to be sealed, correct?

Thanks for any help!

[maple flats]

I find the DSD saddles easiest to get a good seal, but do not over tighten them, if one leaks just tighten it a little. To seal the far end I suggest you put a ball valve there. A barb style works best, but if you don't find a barbed 1/2" ball valve, use an IPS (iron pipe size, female threads) ball valve and a barb x MPT adapter (male pipe thread) Then as a safety a threaded plug is good. Put teflon thread tape or thread dope on all threaded fittings. Then after the season, use that valve to clean the line.

[Biz]

You probably aren't going to get any natural vacuum benefit from the smaller 1/2" mainline. The Shurflo pump should help a lot, especially on the flat side. Multiple lines is best if using 3/16 tubing but a properly set up mainline is probably better for the 5/16.

Dave

[zandstrafarms]

I'm bumping this thread as I have the same question and not sure it was really answered.
ok, so we are putting in a small vac system for about 100 taps this year (trial run, new to vac), and I stumbled upon this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNd2R964gU4&t=3s
hopefully that displays! otherwise type in "Shurflo 4008 maple sap vacuum pump setup - SOLAR POWERED" into youtube and you'll find it. Anyway, the guy shows 7 lines (5/16) running into a manifold (like described earlier). However, our maple supplier told us that was a bad way to go, and said we needed 3/4" mainline with 5/16 laterals. Also, the guy who ran 7 lines into the manifold said the line should always be FULL whereas our supplier said there should always be space in the mainline, both saying that creates the best vacuum. So WHICH is correct?! I'm so confused! Should I take the 500ft of 3/4 tubing back and get all 5/16, or what?? We plan to use the Surflow 4008 pump.

Thanks so much guys!

Suzanne

[jmayerl]

The video is of 3/16. Totally different than 5/16 and works completely different for completely different circumstances.

[Super Sapper]

Zandstrafarms, If you have good slope and plan to use conventional vac in the future with a dairy pump or similar I would go with a mainline and 5/16 laterals. If not and want to use the shurflo pump, I would use 3/16 into a manifold. Both systems can work very well if set up properly. The 3/16 is more forgiving of proper slope but less forgiving of leaks. I use 3 shurflo systems with 3/16 and am very happy with them.

[zandstrafarms]

why the manifold instead of the 3/4in mainline? So you are saying to just run all my laterals directly into a manifold?

[steve J]

so I am starting to assemble my shurflo pump set up and it says to hand tighten shurflo filter. My question is when I tighten to the point that its firm the basket strainer ends up at about 1 oclock vs. being stright down at 6 oclock. That does not seem right to me. if I back it back so basket is at 6 oclock than it seems loose and I sense it will kill vacuum?

[Biz]

I like to set the strainers up so the bowl is pointed up. Then I know it will not be full of sap at night and break. I'm sure they will do a good job at straining regardless of position, since the sap cannot bypass the strainer.

I like the Shurflo swivel type strainers. They are more expensive but you can set the orientation wherever you want, and it is easy to disconnect the pump if necessary.

Dave

[steve J]

Thanks Dave one more question I saw where it was suggested a 10 amp in line fuse be installed. should that go on line between temp gauge and pump? or on line from battery to temp gauge?

[CampHamp]

I have roughly the same number of taps with similar mix of 3/16 and 5/16 as you.

All my laterals run downhill (about 12 of them) into a 3/4” mainline that takes a more gentle slope to the collection spot. I actually have 2 mainlines that join just before the pump.

Manifold or mainline? Mainline is just a super-long manifold. If it is much cheaper to run thicker tube than multiple smaller tubes, then that is one factor and depends on your terrain. You already have money in your black 1”, right? You may gain vacuum with longer 3/16 runs, so that would be the counter-push towards a manifold solution. I run 2 of my 3/16 laterals parallel with the mainline for a good stretch to maximize vac on those.

I use the blue barbed Y-connectors (6 inlets) instead of saddles. They are great for never leaking but ice collects and packs at these junctures and adds to the thaw-out time.

If you go mainline, you want 3/4 or 1”, I think. You want air over sap the whole length, right into the pump. You want your pump chugging through air and sap simultaneously. This technique allows evacuation of air and prevents the pump from stalling on air pockets (a wet diaphragm will pull 28” and only 12” when dry).

I have not used a manifold, so I cannot directly compare differences in operation. I do know that I keep high vacuum the whole season and last year I bottled 77 gallons of syrup from 115 taps (a very high ratio). Those numbers even make me worry if I am pulling too much sugars out of the forest, but the trees seem healthy and I’ve been running like this for 6 years.

I wonder with those using a manifold solution, if there are issues with the manifold cracking (plastic pvc or metal) when sap freezes in them. I know my mainline backs-up frozen about 30 feet into the freeze but the tube can expand and not crack.

[Biz]

I would put the inline fuse close to the battery positive terminal. That way you are protected if anything accidently shorts.

Dave


Thanks Dave one more question I saw where it was suggested a 10 amp in line fuse be installed. should that go on line between temp gauge and pump? or on line from battery to temp gauge?

[steve J]

Harbor freight sells fairly small battery maintainers. Does anyone know rather they would work with a shuffling set up? I was going to use small charger that had a maintain mode but it seems a bit large for my tote.