elevation

[PATheron]

Guys- Found out today that im about 1900' above sea level. I know from some of the posts that couple of you are walking encyclopedias on vac so how will that affect the vac levels that I can provide with my ring pump? Pumps 59 cfm 5hp electric, lines tight and oversized. Theron

[royalmaple]

Optimum for your alt above sealevel would be 27.82inches at 51 degrees, reduce for cooler temp.

[Parker]

Wow,, that pretty high,,all the stuff I tap is between 500' and 1000',,when do people start tapping in your area and when does the season end on an average year?

[PATheron]

Parker- Im not sure we really have a set time. Our years have been so terrible that its hard to decide when to tap. Lately well have a long warm spell in january and you wonder whether to tap or not. The weather is usually all over the place. Usually I just watch the local guys that have been doing it a long time and tap when they do. I do know one thing my place is high and im in a cold dip between two hills. I usually have snow after everyone else doesnt. I think my trees might run longer than usuall becouse usually when I quit there still dripping like crazy. I wonder if my trees bud out a little later. Im going to just tap I think when the other guys do and see what happens. Now Ill be equipped to boil everything so ill see when it actually stops. If it stays cold this winter I think ill tap valentines day like these guys are saying or if its still froze ill watch the weather like a hawk. Dont want to miss any drips. Theron

[maplecrest]

Theron, at that elevation, and the snow hanging around you should outlast most others in your area. with the price of dark being what they say, boil every last drop. you will know when to stop when the sap turns to rope

[Russell Lampron]

Even the ropey syrup will get you a commercial price. I sold some to Bascoms last spring.

Russ

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Theron,

I am a few hundred miles south of you and it seems this winter so far has been a lot more like normal. Let's hope it stays that way as the Decembers and Januarys have been crazy the last couple of years.

[New Hope Mapleman]

Out of curiosity how much do you think 500' in elevation change throughout the woods is affecting us. I know sap runs at the top when nothing is running down at the bottom. It does pose some trouble for me as the sap will most often still freeze in the blue wet line, and ends up running down the black dry line. I guess thats a benefit of the dual lines, but it gets annoying when you know what the purpose of the dry is.

Any imput from someone who has a similiar situation would help!

[maplecrest]

i also have that problem, when you think it is froze up and sap is still running in. i hike the mountain and find the taps off the north side still running off the top, due to the difference in temp or wind. sometimes i willl walk in the sugar house in the morning and find a tank full thinking it was froze up, that is way i do not shut the vac off

[gmcooper]

For those of you that do not shut off the Vac when it gets to freezing what do you do with slush filling up the releaser? I have had that happen a couple times. The float stops working and what sap that comes in after that goes right thru the Vac pump. I have also had releaser fill with ice and slush on startup in mornings where vac was off in eveing but sap ran for a time afterwards. When pump starts frozen sap and slush gushed into releaser and jammed the float. I always watch everything for a while when starting in the am but my uncle fills in for me some days and he apparently does not always watch for any problems.
Our sugar bush is mostly west slope and the coolest shadiest section is at the bottom. I knew when we first tapped there that would be an issue.

[PATheron]

Guys- I went on google earth and found that at my house its about 1700' and the top of my bush is 1800'. I was going by what my uncle told me his place is that was the 1900'. This is what ive found in the past. My trees next to the house wont be running. Everything seems real frozen. Id tap part way up the hill and they would run like heck. Most of my trees are on the hill where they run better although some are lower near the house. At the house its in the bottom of the dip between the hills. I think some of mine are going to run different too. Im also wondering about leaving the pump on. Some say leave it on all time, some say temp switch? Theron

[maplecrest]

well you can wrap a heat tape around the releaser, and put a dairy moisture trap between the releaser and pump. i have taken the sweatshrit off my back and wrapped it around the releaser to keep the wind off it. or use your judgement as to how cold it is going to get and shut it off. everyday is different.