Branching laterals

[Woody]

All I've read is to not use branch lines off a 5/16th lateral. With the possibilities of increasing natural vacum with a higher number of taps it seems like a branch line would be ok if it's necessary and in a place that makes sense. I do understand getting too much sap in the line and having things back up but I wouldn't know how to even begin figuring that mathmatically. So..... is it a yes or a no for branch laterals? At this point I am not planning on a mainline, just 5/16 runs into barrels and totes.

[Dennis H.]

I have one place where I have a Y that picks up a tree where it would not be possible without a sperate lat just for that tree. That made no sense to me so I installed a Y to pick it up.

[TRAILGUY]

Some time I feel the line of what is good for vacuum and what is good for gravity has been blended in to one. If you go back to the 70's and read the studies 25 tap on 5% grade up to 50 tap on real steep was best for gravity. All I can say is I am new and plan to stay on gravity for minimum of 5 years so this is what I was doing today.
1. Emptying into 55 gal drums
2. Main run over 5% downhill strait and tight
3. branches over 5% ok:lol: :lol:
4. no more then 25 taps (do to slope and two gallons per tap)

I do not think there has been any new studies on gravity system and a maple tree has not changed so I go with that study.

PS. Now that is my story and I am stickin to it.:lol: