Vacuum loss from mechanical releaser

[ennismaple]

Our largest section of woods is now up to almost 2000 taps (with more to come) and has a double vertical releaser because the nearest electricity is 2000 feet away. We upgraded the vacuum line to 2" a few years ago to increase the CFM to the releaser. On very high flow days that releaser now dumps every 75 seconds. I'm wondering if at some point I may hit a tipping point where more taps may result in no more (or less) sap because the vacuum won't recover fast enough? One alternative I'm considering is to transform 220V to 575V at the panel, install 2000 feet of wire (10/2?) and put an electric releaser at the remote tank. CDL has a 575V electric releaser so no need to transform down to 220 again. In my head a larger, double horizontal releaser won't solve the problem because while it will dump less often the total volume of air being pulled into the vacuum line when it switches sides will be the same.

Has anyone encountered this problem? What was your solution? My math says that if I can get 1" Hg more vacuum in the system over the course of the season this upgrade would pay for itself over 2-3 seasons.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Marty,
I put power through the bush 4 years ago. I transformed 240 to 480 and transform it back down in 4 locations. I use 4/0 wire and furthest distance transferred is about 8400 feet. I am transitioning most of my releasers to electric. I find the electric releasers more trouble free and they seem to maintain vacuum on the entire system an inch plus or more higher (according to my monitoring system.
In short, I would recommend the change.

[wiam]

I have about 1000 taps. Ran a single vertical for years. 1600’ of 1-1/2 vac line. I ended up adding an old 80 gallon compressor tank at the releaser. Releaser recovered quicker after that. Ended up plowing in 1600’ of 10-2 and running electric releaser. Best thing I have done

[ennismaple]

Marty,
I put power through the bush 4 years ago. I transformed 240 to 480 and transform it back down in 4 locations. I use 4/0 wire and furthest distance transferred is about 8400 feet. I am transitioning most of my releasers to electric. I find the electric releasers more trouble free and they seem to maintain vacuum on the entire system an inch plus or more higher (according to my monitoring system.
In short, I would recommend the change. Can I ask what you used for a transformer to change voltages and a rough cost? Did you consider using on of the releasers that operate at higher voltage instead of transforming back down?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

My bush had been operating using several generators with only one vacuum pump being run on "grid power" (There were 4 pumps). Since all this existing equipment was 240V it was easiest to stay with that voltage. I have not looked into any of the higher voltage releasers. The transformers are of several sizes, The first one to step up the power and the first step down one being the largest. They were in the neighborhood of $1800 US apiece. As we went further on the line each transformer was smaller and the price decreased. Smallest being about$500 US. I'd have to go out to the bush to get the specs off from them. I worked with a place in Vermont to plan the system. They were very helpful. Was it spendy? Yup, but I wish I had done it 10 years earlier!