Wet Dry systems on flat ground

[nymapleguy607]

Hi all,

I use a wet dry system 1"dry line and 3/4" wet line to bring most of my taps to my collection tanks. The wet dry line is approximately 800ft long, about 250 taps come the full 800ft, and the remaining 200 taps join about 150ft from the releaser. The line comes across the slope of the hill and has 1.5-2% slope. I have noticed that when sap freezes the wet line is nearly filled. Has anyone ever installed jumper between the wet and dry line to allow sap to jump over a frozen section? To be clear the wet dry line is connected to a booster manifold where the individual mainlines connect. There are no lateral connections from the booster until the 200 taps join.
Thanks
Jeff

[maple flats]

With a wet/dry system laterals should never enter the wet/dry, only have the laterals enter on mainlines. Then as each mainline joins the wet/dry they are designed so if the wet line is frozen, the sap can climb to and flow down in the dry line. I never heard of designing a wet/dry to have a "jumper" manifold but I see no reason it would not work. Make it like where s mainline would enter but without the mainline.
If you have sags that freeze as low pockets, try to eliminate the sags. If the lay of the land is too flat maybe you should make a sap ladder. However I've only used or heard of sap ladders in mainlines, not on wet/dry conductor systems. Maybe your mains need a sap ladder or 2 to be able to maintain a 2% slope on the wet /dry. If in fact you have 1.5-2% slope you should be able to eliminate the sags. Either tighter lines or maybe posts to maintain the slope.

[VT_K9]

Any thoughts on to going to a 1" or 1 1/4" wet line as an option? We don't have a wet/dry line now, but are considering it if we continue to be challenged with freezes in certain areas. In our new run we will have a 1 1/4" main trunk line with several shorter 1" (maybe 3/4" in a few spots) to use for the mainline so sap lines don't run into the main trunk line except near the height of the land.

We are phasing out our longer runs of 3/4" and going to 1". Our newest long run will be 1 1/4" with the other one being up-sized when the time comes. Definitely over sized, mainly to handle the freezes in the dips and allow the early morning sap to flow when the lines are frozen.

Mike

[maple flats]

I don't think a larger is indicated unless you will be adding more taps in the near future. When the forecast is going to a freeze, do you keep the pump on full time, or at least until sap flow stops?