Prep for 2010 - How Far is Too Far?

[Woody]

I know this is a totally subjective question but I thought I would ask anyway.

I found another great grove of trees for next sap season. The issue is that there are no vehicles allowed. The ground is fairly flat and it wouldn't be impossible to dolly 55 gallon drums out because there is an asphalt bike trail nearby. My initial inclination however is to run tubing into 55 gallon drums in the woods and then pump from them to my truck tank which would be approx. 800 to 900 feet away. Like I said earlier, it's mostly flat ground so for the most part the only vertical head would be up into my truck tank at the end of the run. Would that be a reasonable idea or is it too far? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

This next season will only be my second year and I'm trying to expand from what I did last year. I've found lots more places to tap but they are all different locations so I'm trying to figure out the most efficient way for each so I still have time to boil. I suppose at some point this becomes way more than one guy can manage. Seems like it's almost there for me now. However I can't stop....and I don't want to sell sap.


Thanks

[KenWP]

If it's a paved bike path can you use a cart and tank to haul sap out to the truck and pump from there. Pumping 900 feet includes haveing 900 feet of pipe full of sap that you have drain so it does not freeze.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

How many taps? If there is much, hauling it around by hand will get old fast. Ken kinda likes to do that especially if he has something to trip over and some cold mud to fall in. Something about moving East to where people talk funny.:D I would go for some way to pump it if at all possible. I have pumped sap more than 900 feet with a 1" pump. Could pump 250 gallons in about 15 minutes.

[Woody]

Then could I drain the line each time with compressed air??

[KenWP]

Nobody ever called me smart or lazy in my life. Everytime I try to make life easy it reverses on me. 900 feet isn't much to haul sap. Try half a mile through deadfall and ditchs.

[maple flats]

900' is certainly do-able. You would need to set the tubing up to avoid low spots and design drains. Next you would need to calculate what pump is needed. You must figure in line friction with a distance that long to see what size line you need and also must also measure total lift. Then the pump charts would tell you how much flow you would get with various pumps. My first question is how many taps you thinking? Is this bike path plowed during maple season? Unless you are talking a big set up I would tend to haul the sap. When you get bigger, if the bush gets large enough pumping might be a good plan.

[brookledge]

Woody
Can you leave any tubing or pipe line up year round? That would be the first question I ask. Then you can put in a pipeline that can be used to pump out the sap from pumping stations.
If was putting in a pipeline to be used as a pumping station I'd start at the farthest point and set the pipe at the highest point needed to get it to run gravity out. In your case it won't need to be to high but it would also need to be determined by the height at the end(your truck). Anyways what I'm trying to say is if you pump it vertically at a pumping station then when you disconect the line you will get very little drain back and the bulk of it will flow gravity towards your truck. A small portable 1" gas pump would work well for you
Keith

[michiganfarmer]

I agree with th epumping, but I offer another idea.

Raise the middle of the tube about 6 feet off the ground, and hang it on high tensile wire. you only have to pump it half way, then it runs downhill to the tank, AND when you are done the tube will drain itself.

[brookledge]

If you raise the middle then 1/2 of the line needs to drain backwards, hence leaving that sap in the tank each time. What I was trying to say is raise the line so that highest point is straight above your pump.
If his distance is 900 feet then only 6-8 feet of pipe will drain back.
If you put the high point in the middle then 450' feet of pipe will need to drain backwards
Keith

[michiganfarmer]

If you raise the middle then 1/2 of the line needs to drain backwards, hence leaving that sap in the tank each time. What I was trying to say is raise the line so that highest point is straight above your pump.
If his distance is 900 feet then only 6-8 feet of pipe will drain back.
If you put the high point in the middle then 450' feet of pipe will need to drain backwards
Keith

OH. I must've missed that. Pardon me

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Raise it up about 15 to 20 feet above your head where you are pumping and then let it gradually slope down to your vehicle. When you quit pumping, the suction created by the flowing liquid will pull it up the 20' slope and allow it to drain and you won't have to worry about reverse suction on the vertical 20' section of pipe.