vaccuum work up hill?

[Brian Ledoux]

Here is my first thread. Hopefully, not a dumb one! But is it possible to install a vaccuum or pump to suck sap up hill? And if so does it need to be on all night and would it be loud and disturn neighbors?
I have a run of around 75 trees scattered over about 500 yards down a sloping hill. My house and boiling location is of course at the top of the hill. I have a 4 wheeler (4x4 350cc) and was planning to use that to collect the sap, but since I am having trouble finding clean barrells/buckets & (bigger problem) since it appears I will need to build at least 2 bridges to get my 4 wheeler across a stream, with deep embankments, that runs all through the land where my tapped trees will be, I am just thinking taht it may be better to use lines and a pump of some sort. Plus I don't know if my 4 wheeler will even be able to run that great in the snow if it gets too deep. Anyone have any suggestions? :confused:

[Daren]

I dont think sucking the sap up that type of slope will work very well. That sounds like a little much for sap ladders to handle. Have you thought about finding a spot that is relatively easy to access with your sap hauler and is below the level of most of your proposed taps? If that type of location exists, you will probably end up needing to collect all in one spot to one large container and then shuttle it back up to your boiling area with the 4 wheeler. I have done that in the past and other than being a little labor intensive, worked pretty well. I used 55 gallon food grade barrels and built a sled to pull them on. I used a snowmobile when the snow was too deep and switched to my 4 wheeler after that. The only other way I can think of would be to again collect in one spot and then get a 1 inch gas powered waterpump to pump it to a holding tank near the boiling area. That would save on the shuttling end of things, but you will have to remember to drain the tubing you pump through...nothing worse than having to wait until the sun melts the hose to be able to get your sap to the evaporator!

[Brian Ledoux]

good point about the hose freezing... didn't think of that if I went with the pump option. Any suggestions on how or what to build the sled out out of to tow behind 4 wheeler? How did you build yours?

[Maplewalnut]

Brian-Welcome to the trader.

In your case I would suggest running your lines into a single tank at the bottom of the hill. You can then run a 1 in line from the sugarhouse to that tank. Purchase a little pump to then pump your sap up the hill into a second tank thru that line and your all set. Won't have to worry about freezing lines since it will drain and you definitely don't wan to be shuttling sap back and forth multiple time on a wheeler. Search under old threads, but most people have had good success with pumps from Tractor Supply or Northern Tool.

[KenWP]

I have built a sled useing crazy carpets for the bootom with good sucess. Lots of ways to haul the sap. From experience with Quads is they do better in snow hauling stuff then pulling stuff. If you can get a good trail going its not bad but plowing snow with one is harder.

[maplecrest]

you can vac the sap out by lifting the sap out with a series of sap lifts that will run right to the sugar house. how or what is the vertical lift or hieght? 3 sap lifts 15 feet high each.can lift 45 vert feet.

[PerryW]

Depending on your slope the simplest (and least expensive) option may be the best. Skip your aerobics class and haul the sap by hand for exercise. Or combination of carrying sap in 5 gallon pails and using the 4-wheeler may also work.

The time & expense spent setting up a pumping system (i.e., running wires and tubing from the collection tank up to the sugarhouse) and maintaining it may be more than just hauling it by hand (and with the 4-wheeler where you can use it)

[Brian Ledoux]

I appreciate all the feedback! I will look into the pump with 1 inch house and see how much money/how noisy they are. Will also look into seeing if I can get permission from someone to cross their land with my 4 wheeler at the bottom of the run of trees. Let's see.