Frozen Taps

[Mean_Oscar]

For 20 years, I have been using threaded 3/8" white or light gray HDPE supply line for spiles: drill the hole, remove bit from drill, put spile in drill and spin it into the tree. NE Tennessee is frozen up. We are getting very little sap. While bemoaning this, it occurred to me that black "tappies" might take in enough solar energy to promote thawing the hole area. Anybody else think this might be significant? Are the metal spile and bucket guys counting on conductivity from the air to warm the tree and start a run earlier?

Lynwood Wagner
20 years putting on a maple syrup festival
15 taps, RO system
stainless pans doubling from sorghum

[berkshires]

For 20 years, I have been using threaded 3/8" white or light gray HDPE supply line for spiles: drill the hole, remove bit from drill, put spile in drill and spin it into the tree. NE Tennessee is frozen up. We are getting very little sap. While bemoaning this, it occurred to me that black "tappies" might take in enough solar energy to promote thawing the hole area. Anybody else think this might be significant? Are the metal spile and bucket guys counting on conductivity from the air to warm the tree and start a run earlier?

Lynwood Wagner
20 years putting on a maple syrup festival
15 taps, RO system
stainless pans doubling from sorghum

Just my opinion, but I think not a chance. The sap dripping from the spile has to run down from the crown of the tree. And the ground has to defrost for the sap to get pulled up into the crown. Neither of those will be affected by the spile. Maybe you might melt out an inch or so of wood, but that's going to give you a few drops of sap.

Gabe