mainline boosters

[brookfieldmaple]

I have a 4000 tap sugar bush that was laid out as a wet/dry line setup 3 years ago. We have a 1 1/2" wet line and a 1 1/2" dry line that run from our double releaser, up the hill about 2,400'. Last year we had major ice and squirrel damage and lost most of our vacuum, so I changed some valves so we could run the bottom of the hill on the bottom 1 1/2" line and the top of the hill on the top 1 1/2" line, that helped. We spent all season chasing leaks, and are now replacing lots of drops and any 5/16" lines that were repaired last year hoping to get our vacuum back up. We had originally installed 2" PVC fittings between the wet and dry lines at the connection points of all of our 1" lateral lines. The problems is that most of the PVC boosters are broken this year again. Every year we have had at least a hand full of the PVC boosters broken in half. I assume it's because the PVC gets so brittle? Does anyone have a good design for the sideline connections?

[mapleack]

Use a several foot, say 3 ft long piece of the one inch mainline to make a looping connector between the wet and dry lines. This will allow for some flex and movement without breaking the fittings. One step better would be using stainless fittings in the mainlines to attach the loop. No more broken fittings then!

[GGervais]

I have had the same problem & now i am switching to a larger booster tank 8"x18" horizontal from maple pro. I am trying to get at least 4 1" lines to come in at each booster station. Some people are using steel fitting to make the mini boosters. I can't imagine how much that costs if using stainless steel.

[brookfieldmaple]

I have been told that I need to have a booster, larger than my main lines, which are 1 1/2", in between with my 1" lateral lines coming in??

[GGervais]

The boosters need to be large enough for the gases and liquid to separate. Otherwise you would have sap going up your dry line. I've never used anything less than 2" between my wet and dry lines.

[brookledge]

Brookfield
I would recommend atleast 3 times larger than your main line. So with 1 1/2" dry and wet then you sould have atleast 4.5". So either go with a 4" or 6".
I have used pvc with out a problem. I'm wondering if your 2" froze? The pvc will crack if it freezes with sap in it. The basic idea is as the air and sap enter the bottom of the booster you want it to be large enough so the sap keeps falling back down and is no able to be pulled up into the wet line.
Personally if I was doing it I would build one out of 6" and atleast 18" to 24" high
Keith

[PATheron]

Brookfield- If you look at Maplwrks pictures he has a picture of how he does his lateral main to mainline wet dry connections. Ive done all mine the same way now becouse of the pvc boosters breaking too. This is the first year Ive done them that way but up north they seem to like to do it that way. Im through with the pvc myself becouse they are a pain to me. I like Mike's design becouse its quick and easy. Theron

[Snow Hill Farm]

I'm in the process of installing dry lines and pvc boosters in my sugarbush. I have (2) 1" mains with 1" dry lines and 1 1/2" pvc boosters at all junctions with 3/4" mains. One main has 500 taps and the other 330. I went to a seminar at Leader in the fall and they not only promoted the pvc boosters but now sell them. You would think if anyone knows they do (hopefully!). If your pvc manifolds are breaking or cracking it can only be from too much tension on them or freezing sap. Not sure why the sap would remain in there and freeze if the lines are properly sized and it sounds like it may be a little small. Proper sizing was clearly very important at the seminar. The recommendation chart for wet lines I have says up to 3200 on a 1 1/2" line. I guess I'll find out after the season but so far have heard nothing but positive results for the pvc from several producers if everything is sized properly.

[jason grossman]

I am not sure why people use the pvc "booster" there is no need for them if you size your lines properly for the distance and the amount of sap moved. all a "booster" does is seperate sap and vacuum. you have already done this with a wet/ dry system your tubing is the booster! if you keep the lines with proper slope and tight you will never need a "booster"! they have so many problems and the "new" stainless versions are way pricey not to mention you can never clean them good enough!!! if you would like to look i have soon of my connections on the photobucket and our website www.ohiomapleproducts.com

[Acer]

Jason,

I got sugar house envy.

Dean