Quick Release Drops

[220 maple]

There is a YouTube video showing a young lady from Varysburg, NY. Title of video,I would Untap that! She has quick release fittings on every drop line, I used quick release fitting years ago where I would need to drive to another section of the sugarbush, the quick release fittings I used leaked vacuum, if she has 32000 drops would she not have a lot of leaks? I’ve heard Dr. Mike Farrell former Director at Cornell maple research uses quick release fittings on his drops also! I would like to do the same. Have the quick release fittings been improved so they don’t leak?
Mark 220 Maple

[DRoseum]

Can you copy/paste the link to the exact video?

[Father & Son]

Maple Farmer is the YouTube channel

[eagle lake sugar]

I had seen that video and thought the same thing. I like the idea, it makes changing drops and putting on spouts much easier if you can do it at home.

[Kh7722]

Who makes and sells them though?

[Father & Son]

Both Leader and CDL

[220 maple]

I am hoping someone uses them, an can verify they don’t leak vacuum, the first maple supply manufacturer that makes a quick release fitting that does not leak vacuum, producers will beat a path to their door! Just like a better mousetrap!
Mark 220 Maple

[DMF]

I used them this year to attach the lines to my "lunchbox" pumps so I could disconnect the pump easily if temps dropped into the 20's for an extended time and I was afraid that the pump might freeze. They did not leak for me and I was getting 20+ inches of vacuum at the pumps on average which I felt was pretty good for these style pumps.

I saw her videos as well and that's what prompted me to try them. My friend told me they'd leak and my argument to him was that if they use them on an operation where they have 30,000 of them, they can't be leaking very bad otherwise why would they use them?

The ones I used were from Leader.

[hogisland42]

I have also wondered about how well they work, but like you said if they are using them on that size operation they must not have any problems with them. I actually saw her and her family at a gas station in my town a couple weeks ago. I guess I should have asked.

[ennismaple]

Is the video Nikki Boxler from Boxler Maple? I recently started following them and they have a pretty cool looking operation - with a brand new evaporator that runs off more syrup per hour than most people make in a season! She started taking new drops with quick connects out to the woods well before they started tapping.

[motowbrowne]

Is the video Nikki Boxler from Boxler Maple? I recently started following them and they have a pretty cool looking operation - with a brand new evaporator that runs off more syrup per hour than most people make in a season! She started taking new drops with quick connects out to the woods well before they started tapping.

I think they also milk 3000 cows. And she said they all work full time too. I can't wrap my head around that.

[DMF]

I think they also milk 3000 cows. And she said they all work full time too. I can't wrap my head around that.

Me either. They must have a lot of hired help that's not shown in the videos

[220 maple]

Maybe someone from H2O innovation will design a tee with a quick release drop that is vacuum leak proof! The world of maple producers will beat a path to their door!
Mark 220 Maple

[GeneralStark]

I'm skeptical.... seems to me the quick release is just one more fitting that can leak or plug up. For several years now I have been replacing drops by cutting them off the T with a Pruno stripping tool. https://pruno.ca/en/5-16-3-16-tubing-tools/pruno-4-function-stripping-pliers-71210

With some practice it is pretty quick to remove a drop. If someone wanted to sanitize their drops and/or spouts (which is I assume why Boxler does what they do), this could be an option.

The problem I'm finding is T's plugging after several years. I pull spouts with the vac on and every season I find several T's (5/16) that are plugged.

I'm not sure there's any true replacement to cutting out the T and drop every so often.

I'm also not sure what the quick release fittings Boxler uses cost but I would think that would add up pretty quick. Judging by their videos however, cost may not be much of an obstacle....

[DrTimPerkins]

I'm skeptical.... seems to me the quick release is just one more fitting that can leak or plug up.

Exactly why this has not caught on. It's been tried a few times, always with issues of leakage, coming apart (during hard freezes) or (more rarely) plugging.


I'm also not sure what the quick release fittings Boxler uses cost but I would think that would add up pretty quick.

And that is the other primary factor.

It is one of those things that really sounds like a good idea, but doesn't work very well in practice. A few people do it, most don't.

[DMF]

I think they could be helpful on a few lines that I have crossing woods roads for disconnecting them during the off-season.

[Pdiamond]

GeneralStark, I looked up the price of these, I don't remember which store, they were $1.11 each.