Vacuum question

[buxtonboiler]

Don't know if anyone has tried this, but i have to get opinions. I currently am running 30 trees on 1/2" mainline gravity to a 55 gallon plastic barrel. My thought is this. The barrel is very sealable (airtight), what if i put a checkvalve or something similar, and after emptying, I could use my shop vac to create a vacuum chamber with the barrel. I know that as the sap flows in, I will loose vac pressure do to replacment with sap, but do you think it might help, or not worth doing.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Buxton,
You won't get much vacuum but the barrel won't hold much either. Royal Maple has some video of imploding a barrel of some sort. If you have the time, I think it is worth a try. It certainly can't hurt and it could help a little, particularly on those "weepy" sap days.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I dont think you would maintain vacuum for more that 15 min. and 5 HGs will move some sap out of the line and then zilch. BUT try it and lets get a full report ASAP.