Best viable options for 3/16

[cjf12]

I have 400 taps on top of the mountain with potentially 1000 or so in the future. As of now all are run on 3/16 to 3/4 mainline. Main has great slope for 4000' but last leg must go across our right of way with difficult nieghbors. Leaving it permanent is not an option and lays on the ground as of now. This previous cold allowed some dips in the terrain to freeze solid. I spent 7 hrs Saturday trying to thaw line. Got it done but not interested in that again.
Even if I bury it there will be some dips in the line because of terrain and 3' is tough because our water from the spring is already there. If I add a vacuum to help evacuate sap after flow more than anything will that do the trick? Wishing now I would have considered a much larger main line for vacuum system but was cost prohibitive.
Curious if a vacuum on 3/4 line will actually draw out all the sap to eliminate any freezing with a 1000 taps on it and not ruin my production on those taps.

[maple flats]

Not if you still have low spots. In that case it would evacuate a portion of the low spots but not enough to eliminate the freezing. Likely the only solution is to raise the main enough on the uphill side to keep a slope across that area.

[Sugarmaker]

The difficult neighbor part would be what I would be most concerned about. Any way to by pass their property? Long term this difficult neighbor issue could be a stumbling block? You say you have water line running through the same right of way too? Yes freezing line doesnt sound like fun. Any chance you could disconnect it and drain during a freeze??
Good luck! Keep boiling
Regards,
Chris

[cjf12]

That may be the option. I could bury it but it would be shallow to avoid water line. My fear is if and when it freezes I will be done for the year.
So a vacuum would not draw all the sap out then? Bummer. Was hoping that would remedy it.

[mol1jb]

How much of the main can stay and how much must be removed every year? Can just the section of tubing and mainline wire that needs to removed be taken down or does the run have to be at or below ground level?

[cjf12]

Ground level is preferred. I put sch 40 pipe around it where they may drive over it with a truck or tractor. About 1000' is what is problematic. Just a few dips in the terrain to foul it up. Flows great. Just lays there when flows done.

[Maple Man 85]

I'd build a pump house at the bottom of your property and trench in the line from the pump house to the collection tank or sugarhouse. An electric releaser with a deep well pump will push sap 1000 feet no problem (just make sure the pump is sized correctly) if you can't run electric to the pump house run a small gas generator for the releaser and a small space heater (just to keep the releaser from freezing).

I'm currently pushing sap through a 2" pipe 1,400 feet long up hill to our sugarhouse with no issues. Just make sure the trenched pipe is below the frost line and sleeve where the pipe comes above the frost line into the pump house so you can run a heat tape if it ever does decide to freeze. I personally turn on the space heater for the pump house in January and haven't had to use the heat tape (but it's nice to have the insurance policy) also speaking of insurance policy if you're trenching put in a backup line just in case. It's cheap compared to not being able to get your sap or redoing the line.