New at vacuum and could use some info.

[sugarleafmaple]

Hello, I am looking for some info on how a wet/dry vacuum system works and What type of equipment I might need. I have about 250 taps in this year but I have 86 acres with the potential for up to aroud 2500-3000. I am going to have to also put in a bunch of sap ladders as the area my trees are in are lower than the sap house. Any info to get me going for next year would be great. Thank you

[Jeff E]

Have you done a search? Look in the strings in here and most of your questions will be answered. Also, pick up the Maple Manual, or visit someones sugar bush that has a wet/dry system.

Briefly, the wet/dry system is a 2 line 'backbone' the transfers vacuum capacity deep into the woods, and also provides more capacity for sap to flow to your releaser.

For equipment, if you intend on tapping all your trees, build you system with that in mind. Do an inventory of you woods, count tapable trees, and map it in sections based on how sap with flow downhill, or to a lift station.
Then plan on how the w/d lines, collector lines, and laterals will lay out.

You will need a vacuum pump. Probably want a 5hp motor with pump capacity of 40+cfm. Releaser for each of you low points where sap can run to, and storage space at that spot, or pumps to make the sap go where you what it to be stored.

If you have specific questions, fire away. Also look at peoples photos in their signatures. I have some in my 2008 album. Check out PATherons images