mainline advice on a hill

[woodshillmaple]

I plan to expand my operation next year from 100 taps on gravity to about 250-300 or so on vacuum. The woods I tap is along a pretty steep east west hill. I plan to have a mainline run parallel to the bottom of the hill (about 550') with the collection tank at the south west edge of the woods along the road and then run 4-5 lateral mainlines (about 600') up the hill with the 5/16 laterals coming off of those to pick up the trees. Would it be best to run these mainlines perpendicular to the hill or try to fan them up the hill at an angle so they arent at such a steep pitch? Also what size lines would you recommend? I was thinking inch for the bottom and 3/4 for the ones going up the hill. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

[Uncle Tucker]

Run an oversized mainline (wet/dry line would be better) straight up the hill. Then every 150’ run a ¾” main line across the hill. Or if you put a wet/dry line put a PVC booster and run ¾’ across the hill. Then put your 5/16” laterals straight up the hill. With 150’ in between your 3/4” mains, you should only have 5 or 6 taps pet 5/16 lateral line.

[michiganfarmer]

...and tie your mains up to high tensile wire. It will keep them out of the snow, and keep them from freezing. This is th efirst year Ive used high tensile wire, and I LOVE IT!

[woodshillmaple]

Ok. My vacuum pump will be at the top of the hilll so if I ran a wet line and dry line up the hill and then the 3/4 lines going across the hill is it possible to run the vacuum line from the pump into the dry line at the top of the hill or does it need to be a separate line going down the hill to the releaser? It would seem that the main point of vacuum is getting the sap out of the trees and then due to my slope the sap would run down to the releaser.

[Jeff E]

I would run a seperate vac line to the releaser, then the wet dry uphill to your 3/4 in mains. That is a set up I have. I space my 3/4's about 100' apart, as I dont have a lot of slope and want to keep my lateral runs shorter than 100'.

The potential of pulling sap into the vac pump is real, if you run your dry line directly to the vac pump. Even with good slope, you will have freeze ups that could make the down hill run impossible, so the sap would get pulled up to the vac pump. That would be REAL BAD.

[220 maple]

Woodshill Maple,
Go to a tubing seminar somewhere this summer or fall. I wish I would have went to one before I tubed my woods. Because once you put it in wrong it's hard as H to change it right. Every spring I think about changing it so the sap doesn't set in the tubing, but the expense of doing it right drives me bonkers!
Best Advice GO TO A TUBING SEMINAR.

Mark 220 Maple