Need some help figuring this one out

[Beans Maple]

Went and checked the releaser today and had very low vacuum. Walked the lines and found 2 laterals had popped off from trees falling. Back to the releaser and still only had 15". All year I've been running 18"-22". Coming into my Bernard double releaser I have 3-1" lines. The middle line is very short and tight so no problems there. I shut off line 1 and in about 3 minutes I was right up to 21". Then I turned it back on and shut off line 3. Hmmmm, 3 minutes right back to 21". If each line by itself is at 21" why then aren't the 2 lines when on at 21"? 600+/- on one and 500+/- on the other. WTF? Pump is plenty big...Sihi 5hp.

[mapleack]

How long since it froze there? My guess is you're pulling in so much tree gas that its dropping your vac level.

[tom jr.]

sounds like your taps are leaking. i had the same issue here last week turns out 200 of them were not completely sealed in the hole:o

[Beans Maple]

But if the taps are leaking and/or I am pulling tree gas, how come it doesn't show up when each line is isolated?

[tom jr.]

you probably have a series of small leaks on both lines u just dont have enough cfm to overcome the leaks when u have both lines turned on.

[batsofbedlam]

I have been well above freezing for a week now and my vacuum is only at 16". I walked all of the lines and didn't find any leaks. Tree gas seems like the possible culprit so I shut the vacuum down. We have a freeze predicted for Fri. and Sat. nights, so I'll try turning on the vacuum again to see what happens.
It looks like the CV's really are doing the job.

[batsofbedlam]

I tapped a bunch of reds this year, they gas like crazy but have budded out now so I've pulled them.

[Beans Maple]

Tom jr.
You da man!!! I just walked a bunch of the line again carrying a hammer. I gave every tap atleast 1 good smack. I did notice that some were slightly leaking. By the time I worked down to the tank I had already climbed to 18" and I only got about 1/3 done. Came back up the lines in a hurry so I only got another 200-300 but I checked the last tap on the line and had 19". I bet tomorrow when I finish them all I will be back to 22" Thanks alot. I never thought that was it.

[sapman]

I had this same experience earlier this week. I just smacked each stubby/CV a little, and I gained 3 inches.

[vtjeeper]

I had this same experience earlier this week. I just smacked each stubby/CV a little, and I gained 3 inches.

I bet a lot of guys have shared this experience. smack a stubby and gain 3 inches. I can't be the only one thinking this...

[sfsshadow]

been chasing low vac. all year.put on alot of miles checking lines. while reaming holes,yesterday,found 3 hollow trees. gained 4cfm

[lew]

WE had the same problem in the beginning of the season. ONly 15 inches and everything appeared tight. We checked lines when they were flowing and you could see which laterals had a leak, but no whistling or antyhing audible. That is until yo uput the stubby right in your ear. YOu could hear the faintest leak(at leawst it was faint to my poor ears). Tried tapping on the stubby/CV together and that sealed the leak. But then I thought about trying to get the stubby apart from the CV at the end of the season. So I pulled stubby/CV from the tree and tried to take them apart. WHat a chore. The seal together too well to be hitting them together with a hammer. Any other leaks I found got the stubby removed from the CV thentap in the CV more, then reseat the stubby by hand. No leaks. Excellent seal between the stubby and CV. All my tap hole leakage was the CV/tree connection. I must admit that htis is my fault, because I lectured to my tapping crew that there wern't many available and that they were very fragile. Well at least they listened.

PS After sealing all the CV's, our vacuum went up to20 inches.

[tom jr.]

guy's, only 3 of my cv's were leaking. the 200 were the regular 5/16 spouts, I believe they were leaking because i tapped those when it was still froze plus I believe it only rained 1 day this season and their was alot of sunshine and i think it dried out the bark and ruined the seal. also i noticed when it does rain my hg's are a little higher i think because the bark is wet and swells enough to seal any small leaks at the tap hole, or I am just nuts:lol:

[red maples]

was pulling good vac, So it seemed ok then was walking minline and you can hear if there are leaks in the laterals at the saddle. and only found 1 hollow tree pulled and the Hg jump 1.5 " on 1 tap!!!

[TF Maple]

I have ear muffs for loud noise protection and sound amplification for hunting and I bet they would be good for detecting leaks. I can't test it out because I don't have vacuum.....yet!
Also if you haven't had rain for a while, maybe a spray of water by the taps would be benificial for helping keep the holes sealed. Maybe have a backpack style spray tank when you walk the lines, and think of the extra exercise you will get carrying water with you.:lol:

[Haynes Forest Products]

Is there a chance Mike Roe was out taping the trees with a big peice of PVC taped to the drill. We use a hammer to put in the taps and give it a good wack till it THUNKS. Do we over hit the tap..........sometimes, does it hurt the tree? Dont know they seem to heal up. Have I seen some horizontal lines run up the tree from older taps, yes.

I think getting a good seal starts with the drilling of the tree and if the bark is really thick a extra hit wont hurt. But walking the woods with a spray bottle everyday who has the time next we will be wraping them with teflon tape:o

[802maple]

With these smaller spouts it doesn't take much of a freeze to push them out is my experience also. Unlike the 7/16th hole the smaller hole will stay full of sap and it has no where to expand thus pushing the spout. I have had to chase all of my lines after a 2or 3 hour freeze sometimes. It is a pain but it needs to be done to keep those high vacuum levels. A leak at 16 inches shows up but you get your system up to 22inches and that same leak sounds like a freight train

[Haynes Forest Products]

A leak on a tap and your still maintaining 22 HGs wont hurt the production much. It is fun to walk the woods finding all the little leakers and finding the culprits:)

[802maple]

Every leak hurts the production and you are right it is fun to look for the little buggers