3/16 on shurflo vacuum max taps per line

[Bbc.396]

With 3/16 on vacuum what is the max taps per line? Have an area whare I can get 36 on 1 line just wondering if i have to run 2 or will 1 work?

[raptorfan85]

I believe 25 is about max for 3/16. I would try to split it into 2 runs.

[Bbc.396]

I knew 25 was about it on natural vacuum, dident know if it applied to mechanical vacuum.

[bill m]

Looks like 18 on natural vacuum gives the best results. At 30 taps per line it drops off considerably. This info is from the January edition of the Maple News. I don't think mechanical vacuum would help.

[BAP]

36 taps you can do 1 line if you have to, but would be best to split it into 2, 18 tap lines. 36 will be overloading the line and decrease overall yield.

[Bbc.396]

Any idea how much the overall yeild would be affected? Dont have enough tubeing on hand to run 2 lines. Gonna test how much vacuum get to the end of the line today.

[Biz]

I have consistently gotten 22" vacuum at the end of a 3/16" line on red maples, about 400-500' with about 40 taps. Pump end of line reads 24" so there is very little vacuum loss. I think the issue is not vacuum level but total sap flow due to the small diameter tubing.

Dave

[Bbc.396]

Yes I saw about a 3 to 4" loss on what I checked today. On your 40 tap line what do you think you lost due to so meny taps being on 1 line.

[bill m]

If I am reading the graphs correctly at 18 taps on 3/16 gravity vacuum at the top of the lateral was about 18 inches with a yield of about 12 gallons of sap per tap. With 30 taps vacuum is about 16 inches with a yield of just over 10 gallons of sap per tap. At 30 taps per lateral both 1/4 inch and 5/16 inch tubing out performed 3/16.

[Sledheed]

Or hook up a 12 shurflo to it and add 10-15 more taps to the one line you got, watch the level in your barrel go up even faster than it is. Drink a few brew dawgs, Get back to having fun and remembering all you really need to know how to do is, boil water.

[Bbc.396]

I have a shurflo setup for this year that's why I was asking if I could run more taps on a single line.

[raptorfan85]

Will it work? Absolutely. Is it ideal? No. How much sap will you lose? Probably not a huge amount, but definitely some. If it's your only option then do it, if you want optimal sap, split it into 2 runs.

Is not about the amount of vacuum you have at the end of the line, it's about trying to get all that sap down such a small tube.

[DrTimPerkins]

Will it work? Absolutely. Is it ideal? No. How much sap will you lose? Probably not a huge amount, but definitely some. If it's your only option then do it, if you want optimal sap, split it into 2 runs.

Is not about the amount of vacuum you have at the end of the line, it's about trying to get all that sap down such a small tube.

This is the correct answer. It'll work with that many taps on one run, but you'll see better results if you split it in two, both due to overloading of the lines, and if a leak occurs on one line it'll only affect half the taps instead of all of them.