Sap ladders

[nymapleguy607]

Okay I Know this topic has been beaten to death in some other threads but I want to get your opinions about something I want to try.
I am going to be lifting about 140 trees about 20' using 2 10' ladders
I plan on using 3 of the 6 way star fittings to lift I know the rule is 10 taps per line so 3 stars should let me lift 180 taps.
In addition I want to add a 1/2" pipe after the ladders and connect this pipe from the end of the lower main line to the end of the upper main line
my question is do you think this will lift sap? Or should I just use the stars
Thanks Jeff

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I'd just use the stars. There was a comparison study done in Ontario a few years ago that compared pipe ladders and star ladders and different combinations. The guy whose sugar bush was used for the comparison is sold on the star ladders as the way to lift sap. Some other "Traders" have had good results with a 2 pipe system..Why the hybrid idea?

[nymapleguy607]

I thought of this idea to try and get maximum vacumm through the ladders
Thanks

[Russell Lampron]

The 1/2" pipe will also lift sap. Have you considered a 2 pipe sap ladder instead of the stars? I have a 9 foot tall 2 pipe ladder made with 3/4" pipe that I was lifting a little over 200 taps with. It worked very well and it was less expensive to build than a sap ladder with stars. I've got a couple of pictures of it in my photobucket in the SP 22 and Lines album.

[maplwrks]

I built my very first ladder the same way you want to try Jeff. What I found was that it didn't work very good due to the fact that the vacuum went down the pipe not through the stars. The only time that it worked was when I cut a valve into the vertical line and shut it off. I don't put any vertical pipes in any more. If you want to transfer more vacuum, add another set of 6 way stars.

[nymapleguy607]

Thanks for the help after thinking about it I thought I might have a problem with the vacuum not going to the stars
Thanks