Positive Displacement Pump for Cleaning 3/16" Lines

[jackhdn]

Hi Folks,

Long time lurker here. I have approximately 900 taps on a steep site. I only sell sap. Have a double Guzzler (controlled by a Mountain Maple Controller) on about 2500' of 1" poly (cheap 110 psi black pipe) about 50 3/16" lines running into the mainline. This will be 4th and 5th year on the system depending on the location. The 3/16' is getting pretty nasty...

I have tried flushing lines with my well pump and air compressor as well as bleaching drops with the squirt bottle as Maple Flats suggested. I have as much as 300 vertical feet from the tops to my tank. The 60psi from the well only flushes the lower taps. I really found the squirt bottle frustrating and had trouble getting adequate fill to get good contact time. I would like to try flushing from the bottom with some sort of a positive pressure pump but would have to limit pressure to 100 psi max to protect the black poly. I do have power at the site. Due to my steep site getting a tank up top and flushing down is not a very good option for me.

Any suggestions for a pump which will not break the bank? It will only get used maybe 2 times per year.

Going forward, I will not be installing any more 3/16" as I find the maintenance is too much.

Thanks very much.

Jack
Buckland MA

[maple flats]

You would need to get a costly high head pump, might be more that $1000. Look into deep well submersible options. I doubt any pump with 100 psi could technically push 300' vertically.

[maple flats]

Somehow you need to find a way to flush from the top. How high does your 60 psi pump push the water? At best a 100 psi will only gain just about a 66% gain. An option or 2, can you put a pump inline just below where the well pump pushes to?, then another at intervals of the same lift and push capacity?