1/2 inch mainline

[homefarm]

im stuck using 1/2 inch mainline on some trees this year coming what fittings do you use to attach 5/16" leader lines to it do they make saddle clamps to fit 1/2" mainline or do i use 1/2" tees or y's..... is there another way .....Chris.....

[3% Solution]

Hi Chris,
I guess the first question is, Gravity or vacumn"
If it's gravity I use the small manifolds.
They get attached by a plastic wire tie.
They have worked for 3 or four years now.
Hope this helps.

Dave

[brookledge]

you can get two types of manifolds One has 4 5/16 lines that come in at 45* angle and the other way is to use a 1/2X1/2X 1/2femalepipe thread tee and then screw in a star manifold.
Other than that I suppose you could drill a hole in the 1/2 that would fit the 5/16 tight and just push it in but I would favor using manifolds
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I set up mine this year on an experiment basis by drilling 5/16" hole in top of the 1/2" mainline and forcing a barbed connector fitting down into the hole with just one barb going in the hole. I see no reason at all why it won't work. There is no tension at all on the line going into the 1/2" mainline as I use a "Y" fork at a tree just before the lateral enters the mainline and all the tension is on the "Y" fork. It makes a nice seal with the mainline. I put up about 1300 feet of Leader 30p mainline and found that with the black mainline, you have to drill a slightly bigger hole than the 5/16" hole I put in the 30p to get the connector fitting to go inside it.

I did use a high grade silicon to seal it up completely, but since I use gravity, I am sure this was completely unnecessary, but I did it anyways.

[homefarm]

Hi Chris,
I guess the first question is, Gravity or vacumn"
If it's gravity I use the small manifolds.
They get attached by a plastic wire tie.
They have worked for 3 or four years now.
Hope this helps.

Dave

its a gravity system is this what you mean by manifolds http://www.leaderevaporator.com/images/thumbnails/4749.jpg thanks..... Chris.....

[homefarm]

I set up mine this year on an experiment basis by drilling 5/16" hole in top of the 1/2" mainline and forcing a barbed connector fitting down into the hole with just one barb going in the hole. I see no reason at all why it won't work. There is no tension at all on the line going into the 1/2" mainline as I use a "Y" fork at a tree just before the lateral enters the mainline and all the tension is on the "Y" fork. It makes a nice seal with the mainline. I put up about 1300 feet of Leader 30p mainline and found that with the black mainline, you have to drill a slightly bigger hole than the 5/16" hole I put in the 30p to get the connector fitting to go inside it.

I did use a high grade silicon to seal it up completely, but since I use gravity, I am sure this was completely unnecessary, but I did it anyways.

What do you mean by "Y" fork in still fairly new at tapping Thanks...... Chris.....

[3% Solution]

Homefarm,
Nope those are the Mainline Tee.
If you have a Bascom's book the single manifolds are just below the tees.
Tees are $1.59, the single manifolds are $1.20.
If you don't send me a PM and I'll send you a couple of pics.
I like the manifolds rather than the mainline tee.
I can do five manifolds to one tee.
Drill a hole, pop the manifold in the hole, insert the elbow, your done.:D
It's taken me longer to do this note than to put in a manifold.
Now, if you have two 5/16" lines coming in at one manifold, replace the elbow with a 5/16" tee (T).
Hook up your lines and your ready to go.
Haven't had any issues with them yet.

Dave

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Here's the link to a "Y" fork on Bascoms website. It is the first fitting in the second row and one of the best maple fittings ever made in my opinion.

http://www.bascommaple.com/store/index.php?cat=40&offset=12

[brookledge]

Chris
The problem with 1/2" mainline is that the single and double manifolds are not ment to be used with anything smaller than 3/4"
So in your case the options I recommend are
http://www.leaderevaporator.com/items.php?71
Item number 4748 or 4763A with 4765
It is either that or try something like Brandon suggest by drilling into the mainline and stcking in a 5/16 fitting
Keith

[Farmboy]

If I were you I would go with 3/4" mainline. It is easier to work with and if you ever went to vac it would work. I heard 1/2 mainline doesn't work with vac.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I disagree that 3/4" is easier to work with, hard to beat the 1/2" to work with. But if there is plans for expansion, then 3/4" or larger would be the way to go. I would think 1/2" would be fine for up to 150 on gravity or 50 on vaccum. It is probably 8 to 10 times capacity of lateral lines, so I would think you wouldn't get much reduction in gravity with up to 50 taps on it.

[lpakiz]

I have a question about stringing the laterals. We did some today (first time ever) using the hooked connectors (hooked to the wire) and I noticed that when the lateral was tightened, the hooked connector didn't stay level--that is, it leans back towards the first tree because the hook is on a lower plane that the pull of the tubing. Will this cause an ice problem, as sap has to exit the lateral and then go uphill a bit to get to the short jumper line that hooks to the entrance fitting? Or is there a way to fix this when I connect to the entrance fitting saddle? Or just live with it?
Thanks.....

[JoeJ]

Ipakiz, I used hook connectors when I installed tubing in my woods in jan 2004. It seems that all of the connector tubing pieces between the hook connector and the manifold go upward. It worked fine.

Then, in Jan 2008 I found out about the Lapierre slide connectors. I have since changed out all of the hook connectors to the slides. (846 taps) The slides are twice as expensive as the hook connectors, ($.41 for slide and about $.22 for the hook connector) but they are reusable and if the line sags a little you can slide the base down the tubing a little and tigthen up the line. They are very easy to use and it is one less fitting to push on. Lapierre's webb site is www.elapierre.com

Also, since I added vacuum in 2006, the slide connectors eliminate another fitting in the system that might leak.

Oh yeah, the piece of tubing between the slide connector and the manifold still goes upward. The tubing line tension just naturally causes that to happen. Good luck

[Randy Brutkoski]

If you are on vacuum it is no big deaL. But if you want the loop to be level with your main, just tap the hole on your main at your 2;0clock or your 10;oclock, and then it wont raise upwards. If thats what you were talking about.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The "Y" forks eliminate any sag in the line where the lateral enters the mainline as you bring the lateral line in a few inches to a couple of feet above the mainline and it drops down into the mainline.