Single Mainline vs. Wet/Dry

[rob1640]

Is a Wet/Dry system a big advantage over a properly sized single mainline?

[ennismaple]

The only producers I've heard of that get a 1/2 gallon of syrup per tap are running wet/dry. A properly (over)sized single mainline should accomplish the same thing but most people install single mainline systems too small and too flat so wet/dry gets the advantage.

[mtnmeadowmplfarm]

Another advantage to the wet/dry system is that the dry line can act as an alternate route for sap in the event that the wet line is still froze when sap begins to run. Plus, the wet/dry line with nice stainless manifolds is a much better conversation piece in your woods than just one large mainline with 't's.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I agree with Martin. If a single wet line is truly large enough, sloped well enough, and has no sags that might create some disruption of the air/sap/vacuum flow, it should be as good as a wet line dry line system. Most of us don't have single wet lines with many taps on them that accomplish this. Most systems that utilize wet/dry are actually a compromise where the main trunk line is a wet/dry and the side mains are single wet lines. The trunk line dry insures that each lateral main receives the same level of vacuum (at least at the point where it joins the main trunk line).

[brookledge]

I built a dry/wet system and I'm very pleased with it. It has about 500 taps and even though it has a lot of slope(about 100-150 ft.) the dry line makes a big difference. I have 3 boosters/equalizers that are made with 4" pvc pipe.
I leave my vac pump on until it is below freezing. However I still get some sap through the dry line in the morning. So with out that I would not get that sap.
The other thing that it really helps with is turbulance my other lines that are just wet lines have to transfer the air and the sap through them and since the air can move faster than the sap it causes surging and turbulance while my wet/dry setup the wet line runs with out any air in it so it is a constant stream flowing.
keith

[sapmaple]

I think the single line system is as good as long as you stay under a 1000 feet and don't go over a certain amount of taps for that size pipe, maintain proper slope keep your system as leak free as possible There shouldn't be turbulance
in the pipe unless there is air coming in from a leak somewhere As for gaining sap run when the wet line is froze I have seen a single line break free of ice and run a full pipe of sap for several mins. so the trees were running and the system was back loaded with sap which I still got just didn't get any vacuum back there till the ice was out

[Ridgeland Farm]

I set up my woods for the fist time this year! a lot of fun! I am running just a wet line this year. The main reason is money, everything will be new so I should be ok. I have plenty of slop so I'll be fine there. My main pipe is 1in.and 1200 feet long. all my taps are run into a 3/4in line. I have each 3/4lin with a ball valve at the entrance to the 1in with a 1ft section of blue 3/4in at the T so I can check the volume and flow of the sap entering the inch line. It should work pretty slick this year. I'll have about 600 taps on it this year. Next year Ill be more than doubling my taps so I will be installing the dry line It will be intersting to see if I can any increase production next year over this year!

[Mark]

Watch how your sap flows in to the extractor, if it is not steady and it runs in spurts you need an air line.

[jrthe3]

you guys running wet dry system what do you do if you have to put a booster after a ladder everything i read says don't do it but i have like 2000 feet of mainline after the ladder

[rob1640]

How much slope is best for wet/dry lines? Will 1% work well?

[Brian Ryther]

Boyd,
How many taps are on the ladder. If the ladder is sized right and your lines have proper pitch then you do not need a dry line. My ladders seem to buffer vac fluctuations (when the releaser dumps) therefore I do not see turbulance in the ladder feed line. When the sap runs flat in the line you are getting good vac transfer. I tend to lose only about 2" of vac across the ladders. I try to keep 25"+ at the releasers so I am happy when I see 20"+ at the end of ladders.

[jrthe3]

there is about 200 taps on 3/4 main just past the ladder and about 1000 feet away there is the other bush around 400 taps on 1 main the mainline in this bush ia about 1000 feet long