Order of events in sanitation of 3/16" lines

[Bullet]

I'm somewhat confused as to the best method of sanitation my 3/16' lines:

I'm on vacuum and have 3 lines coming into the vacuum with about 80 taps, all on 3/16".

I plan on using my vacuum to draw in Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA....I know, I live in Canada). I will take the last drop (furthest from my vacuum pump) and place it into a bucket of IPA, turn on the vacuum pump and allow the line to fill with IPA and then cap the lines at the vacuum pump and at the last drop by placing the spile into the nest/holder. Then continue down the line removing each successive drop from the tree and using my pressure gun to fill each drop and then placing it to the holder/nest.

OR do I place all the drops (spiles) into the nest/holder and then place the last drop into a bucket of IPA, turn on the vacuum and allow the main line fill up with IPA under negative pressure. Then remove the spiles from the nest/holder and use my pressure gun to fill the drops with IPA and then replace the drop/spile into the holder nest??

Thanks for any support

[DRoseum]

I prefer to pull all spiles from top down, with pump on pulling line dry. Then I pump cleaning solution UP each line, capping each spile after solution flows out of it for 10 -30 seconds and then moving up to the next and repeating until entire line is 100% full. Let sit to maximize contact time (hours, even a full day) and then drain using same top down pull line dry technique. I coil and remove my tubing on a spooler i built each year due to location of my lines. Here in USA we cannot use IPA. Videos below.

https://youtu.be/FUrzZQOcyb4
https://youtu.be/bmco0vR-Cck
https://youtu.be/I9ZoGFDqLqE

[bmbmkr]

For my 50 & 100 tap runs on a diaphragm pumps, I pull the last tap on each lateral, turn the pump around and flush with tap water. After verifying there's been a few minutes and watching the sludge run out the end of the lateral. I plug the last tap back into the tee cup, turn the pump back around to pull, then go back out and work my way down each lateral pulling the taps out of the cup and letting the pump suck the drops dry. After the first year rt two I have found it best to do this when you finish boiling and not after some sap has sat in your lines all summer.

I flushed 900' of pump line & 800' mainline connected to about 2 1/2 miles of 3/16 yesterday. Similar setup but I have a fitting with two check valves, one for my garden hose, one for my oil less air compressor. I connect it to the end of the pump line, which is connected to the mainline. Before I start I go pull the last tap on each lateral ( 20 laterals) and by the time I turn on the hose and the compressor and get down to the sugar bush, air 6 water is blasting out the end taps, some of which are 5-600
up the hill from the mainline. The air water pulsing makes a "scrubbing action" It also shows you any leaks. I was able to fix a few leaks and marked the others with surveyors tape. After about two hours in the woods runnin up & down the hill on each lateral ( I'm 48- be 49 next week, whew this is gettin old- I'm sore today) I noticed straight water, no air. so I boogied back to the sugar shed and found my compressor had came unplugged, I thought I'd burned up my compressor motor whew. Anyways, plenty of ways to skin the cat. Especially with shurflos, they are great I have 5 of em in use.

[DrTimPerkins]

https://www.centreacer.qc.ca/en/realizations-detail/guide-isopropyl-alcohol-ipa-sanitization-method-in-maple-sugar-production

[johnallin]

https://www.centreacer.qc.ca/en/realizations-detail/guide-isopropyl-alcohol-ipa-sanitization-method-in-maple-sugar-production

Thanks for the link Dr.
Can't wait to be able to use IPA -hear it works great up North.

[DrTimPerkins]

Thanks for the link Dr.
Can't wait to be able to use IPA -hear it works great up North.

It is what I consider a "second tier" sanitization strategy (in terms of net economic gain). Not as good as new drops/new spouts, bleach cleaning, or CV use. It is better than some other sanitizers IF USED PROPERLY. https://mapleresearch.org/pub/1019sanitation-2/

If/when IPA is accepted in the U.S., producers may have to make some modifications in their collection systems to allow its use. In particular, IPA is not particularly kind to rubber, PVC, tygon or plexiglass. Attached photo shows what happens. Top is regular milkhose, bottom is milkhose after IPA exposure.
22661

Until it is accepted, it is important to keep in mind that IPA use to clean tubing systems is still illegal in the U.S.

[Swingpure]

It is what I consider a "second tier" sanitization strategy (in terms of net economic gain). Not as good as new drops/new spouts, bleach cleaning, or CV use. It is better than some other sanitizers IF USED PROPERLY. https://mapleresearch.org/pub/1019sanitation-2/

If/when IPA is accepted in the U.S., producers may have to make some modifications in their collection systems to allow its use. In particular, IPA is not particularly kind to rubber, PVC, tygon or plexiglass. Attached photo shows what happens. Top is regular milkhose, bottom is milkhose after IPA exposure.
22661

Until it is accepted, it is important to keep in mind that IPA use to clean tubing systems is still illegal in the U.S.

If I understand your previous posts, UVM does not use sanitizers and just has a process of replacing lines, fittings, and spouts, on a rotating, regular basis. Is this correct!

Thanks

[DrTimPerkins]

If I understand your previous posts, UVM does not use sanitizers and just has a process of replacing lines, fittings, and spouts, on a rotating, regular basis. Is this correct!

In most of our bush we use CV spouts, no cleaning, and replace drops only when the tubing or fittings start to fail or we have some type of experiment we want to do. Some sections have drops over 10 yrs old.

[eustis22]

by "replacing drops" I assume you are replacing spiles PLUS tees, yes?