Spout Extensions/adapters.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

This is an interesting topic and a good one to have some input on. I would like to see what the ones that are using spout extensions have to say about them and what kind each one uses.

[brookledge]

The first ones I used where Leader spout extensions. And that was about 4 years ago. I had been using 19/64 tapping bit with IPL health spouts so I continued to use the 19/64 bit with the Leader spout. I seemed to get alot of the spouts backing out just a tiny bit with freeze-thaw cycles to the point where it would affect my vacuum and require alot of time to check the lines each day. This year with my expansion I did not like the looks of the new Leader extensions that are all round(no way of pulling them apart easy other than channel lock) so I went with Lapierre stubby spout and their extension. The Lapiere adapter recommends a 5/16 so I changed my bit to 5/16 and will say this I should have done that when I started using the Leader ones 4 years ago I had a few here and there backing out but no where near the amount previously.
What I can't understand is the outside of the IPL health spout I like has a few ribs around it so it holds well in the tree but all the sanitary adapters are smooth on the outside.
I do like the Lapiere one as they are easy to remove by hand and do not need any tools.
I have been cleaning them with a spout brush and srubbing the outside with a scotch brite pad and then boiling them. But have been considering just buying new ones each year.
Keith

[Parker]

I used the leader adaptors 2 years ago and had the same problem Brookledge had-they pushed apart from the spile just a littel during a freeze-thaw and on a scale that would drasticaly affect vacuum,,pounding them back together was very time consuming.
Last year (my best) I did not use an adaptor
This year after being reassured by a leader rep and Glenn Goodrich that the bugs had been worked out of them I tried them agine. I had no problems with them pushing apart. I think they helped somewhat in production,,one spot I tapped last year without them (no vac.,200 nice taps, 6 year old set up) did not run enough to collect all year,,this year, with the adaptors, it ran better than some of my vacuum set up some days (all bushes are diffrent aspect, micro climets, ect.)
I think that the 70 degre days is what ended my season,,not the bacteria build up in the hole,helping to seal off the trees vessels. If it were a season that had the right temps for say 8 weeks the adaptors would have made a huge diffrance,(I think),but during a season when the weather is just plain wrong, the adaptors dont make a huge diffrance.
Put a diffrent way-If you only have a 4 week sugaring season they help some but not a lot- If you have a 8 week season I think they would make a huge diffrance.
I will use them aging next year (after all- its going to be an 8 week season next year :))

[royalmaple]

I tried the CDL two part ones when they first came out and they had the tabs and "locking" set up. Complete garbage.

Then I went with the lapierre stubby and reducers. Great. This year I tried some of the straight stubby's or push on stubbys as they are called. They both fit very well onto the adaptor. I too wish the reducers had little ribs like the IPL spiles, but most of them stay in fine all season long. I don't seat my taps in like 16 penny nails so they are a bit more prone to loosening up.

One thing about the straight push ons is that you cant run around with a hammer and give them a little tunk mid season to seat them. It forces you to do it by hand and twist them in to seat them. Not as convient but actually better for you since you can't split the trees as easy.

I was 1/2 tempted to reuse some, but I bought new this year.

[maplwrks]

I Use The Lapierre Straight Push On Adapters W/ Lapierre 5/16 Extensions, No Leaks, No Push Outs, No Problems. I Use A 19/64 Bit For Tapping And Seat Them Pretty Hard. They Go In No More Than A 1/2". The Plastic Compound That Lapierre Uses Helps These Things Lock Together. I Know That A Lot Of The Guys That Install Tubing For A Living Are Using Lapierre Stubbies And Extensions On All Their Jobs.

[markct]

so i see parker mentioned that the extensions are more important in a longer season, i didnt realize some areas had different length seasons, i know here in ct it seems to be about 4 or 5 weeks at most, so i guess i shouldnt worry about this and just put my spouts in the tree normaly? no extensions neccesary

[gmcooper]

This year I tried 300 of the Leader 5/16 extensions. I used them on at least a few of about every brand of spile on the market( Leader, IPL. Laperrier, CDL).
I only had a couple loosen up during the season. They did slow down tapping as far as putting them on the spile. I think they did help extend the season on the trees I put them on. They went on my oldest spiles that also were on the sunniest side of the sugarbush where there are lots of reds. Typically that side will bud out sooner in most years. This year the entire vacuum system quit about the same day. I did put a few on some gravity lines as well to try and I did notice that the 2 gravity lines with them did seem to run fairly well compared with the lines with no extensions. I also used 100 or so of the 5/16 reducers where I still have old 7/16 spiles. I tossed the old reducers and used new. They did well.
Planning to use extensions of some sort on everything next year.
Mark

[powerdub]

I use the Lapierre stubbies and adapters also with no problems. I used to use the leader and IPL health spouts but had severe vacuum leaking problems with them. I also buy new adapters every year. I feel the added expense is more than covered by the extra runs on the end of the season.