5/16 line

[wcproctor]

OK I know this question has been asked before but I am brain dead. How many taps can you install on one 5/16 run?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Probably up to 100 if you really wanted to. I have had close to 50 on one and up to 750' long and never had a problem. I have seen in the past on here one member talked about having 120 taps on a 5/16" line and it filled a 150 gallon tank in a few hours if memory serves me correctly.

[KenWP]

If you read the right post's it says that for every tap on a 5/16 line you loose a certain amount of let's say drainage for lack of a good word. That's why they talk about 20 or less taps on 5/16 line with 5 to 10 being better. The figures are not concret but in those areas. That's why it's better to run a large main line and a bunch of short laterals instead.

[wcproctor]

Will my run is about 50'-60' long and I have about 20 taps on it. The line is full on the end but it will not run to the bucket. why and what the hell am i doing wrong? (yes I have plenty of pitch):confused:

[3% Solution]

wcproctor,
Your not doing anything wrong.
Sap's not running!
My drops have been full before and just sit there, sap wasn't running.
Hope this helps.

Dave

[red maples]

yep sap's not running hard yet the trees are still a bit cold and your lines are probably froze up somewhere too like 3% said. most of my laterals are 10 taps but I have 3 that are like 150+ long and have like 20 taps just worked out that way. and I ran out of mainline too so I just ran the 5/16. I fix it next year when I buy more mainline. Gotta get a n account with FWEBB for next year so tubing will be cheaper.

[maple flats]

You should not try that many taps unless you have a steep hill you are running down. The recommendation is actually 5-10 on vac and maybe up to double that on gravity. Those who run high numbers should try one thing, when the sap is running good pull one of the lower taps, hold it as high as the tap was mounted in the tree and see how much shoots out. Most often it will shoot out with good pressure, but even if it just runs slowly, that is fighting that tree for what the tree wants to give you. The higher or farther it shoots the more it is fighting the tree to produce. I read this or heard it someplace and tried on a hill with about 16 or 17 taps on, the sap shot out a few feet full stream. I no longer put more than 10 or sometimes 12 on gravity and only that many with good elevation drop.

[PerryW]

I am also guessing the sap hasn't started running yet. Just pull a tap and see if its dripping. If something is plugged up, when you pull the tap, sap will squirt out.

I try to limit my gravity 5/16 lines to 20 taps. But I have double that on some laterals with small trees with health spouts.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I agree with others you probably shouldn't be putting a ton of taps on a line, I was just answering the question as he as " HOW MANY TAPS HE COULD PUT ON A 5/16 LINE". I wasn't neccessarily promoting it but one big advantage to a lot of taps on a 5/16" is that the sap quality is about as good as it gets out of tubing because it don't have any time to lay in the lines and create bacteria and stays cooler too. I know that from experience of trying it different ways.