New Pipeline in new sugarbush

[MountainViewMaple]

I have a 60 acre woodlot that has the potential for 800+/- taps. I would like to run pipeline throughout this lot, with the intentions of installing vaccuum in the future. The challenge is the character of the woodlot, its rectangular shaped, the long side running straight up a mountain. The gradient starts out ideal, 4-6% slope, for 150 yards. From there on up it goes to 20-25% gradient for a short bit, then it gets down right steep, 35+%. Do I run
1-1/4" mainline, zig-zaging up to minimize the slope? Or do I run it up diagonally, with 3/4" and 1" sub- mains stemming off it. I wouldn't be worrying about it if I wasn't going to run vacuum, but thats my dilemma.

Any ideas?

[mountainvan]

I also have a very steep sugarbushes. My main mainline, 1" for 800 taps,runs straight up the mountain with 3/4 spurs coming off running diagonally. I would not zig zag, more tubing/money/places for critters to chew.

[220 maple]

MountainViewMaple,
Just last Monday I took a Leader Distributor to the sugarbushes I'm hoping to tap next Spring. This bush starts out with a gentle slope but turns steep. He said the proper way to do our system is with inch and quarter wet dry lines going straight up the mountain does not matter how steep the lines are, every 100 feet run a 3 quarter inch line around the mountain with no more than a 3 percent slope, the maximun lenght of the 3 quarter line is 1000 feet.
Tubing running straight down the hill and entering the 3 quarter inch line thru a saddle fitting. Should expect 20 gallon of sap to the tap hole but could get as much as 30 gallon to the tap hole. Vacuuming above 20 pounds. For 800 taps I don't think you will need 1 1/4 inch main lines. Since you are located in Vermont call Bradley at Leader he can explain it much better than I. I have attended two seminars both done by the experts from leader.

Mark 220 Maple

[MountainViewMaple]

Thanks for the input guys. I bit the bullet and bought 1.25" mainline. I have a bunch of 1" and 3/4" mainline also. I will follow your idea Mark. It makes sense, and what I had been leaning towards. Its nice to have a confirming opinion. Nice time to be in the woods now here. Cooler temps and bugs not so bad.

[ennismaple]

220 Maple has it bang on. Set it up like that and you'll be swimming in sap! Sounds like an ideal bush. Good luck and have fun!

[Jeff E]

Agreed with Mark, Wet/Dry staight up the hill, I would use your big line here, like 1" wet and 1.25" dry, and then 0.75" mainlines going side hill, every 100'. As mentioned before, Laterals go straight up hill from the 0.75". This allows you to have decent access in the woods as well as there will be a corridor on the downhill side of your 0.75" mainlines.

With this set up I would also think building nice big manifolds for the main line connections to W/D will help with vac as well. 2" PVC manifold will allow any liquid in the dry line to drop into the wet line, keeping vac high all the way to the top of the hill.

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

Mountain View,
You should consider calling Glen Goodrich for a consult on the tubing design. He could come down and paint your conductor and mainline routes as well as give you specs on correct pipe sizes in half a day or less for not a lot of money. I had him do the design and aid in installation of 6000 taps for me. He is well worth the money.