"Dump Station"

[adk1]

ok, so I am trying to figure out the best way to transport the sap off my somewhat steep hill to a holding tank adjacent my future sap house (I ahve nothing as of now). We are only talking 50-60 trees here and they are somewhat sperratic, cluster here, 50 yards and another cluster etc.

I dont see how gravity feed with all the tubing will be the way to go. I am figuring on buckets really, probably aluminums. I would setup "dump stations" in probably two primary locations where I would carry with me two 5 gallon buckets and dump the tree buckets into the 5 gallons. then dump the 5 gallons into the dump stations to be piped via mainline to the holding tank.

Basically I am just trying to eliminate walking up and down the hill and figured this would be a good alternative..Thoughts????????:confused:

[Ausable]

Why not - sounds like it would work - only problem I could see would be line freeze in cold weather. At what point do you filter out debris from sap prior to entering evaporator? I have a hill with about 15 trees and was thinking along the same line - no big deal when dry - but- a pain when slippery with mud or snow.

[adk1]

How would the line freeze? I would think that the sap once dumped into the 5+ gallon bucket would simply pipe straight to the larger holding tank. There would never be any sap left in the line really

[TF Maple]

As long as there are no dips in the line for sap to sit in and freeze, it should work fine. I was thinking about the same thing on a hilly bush I might tap next year. I don't think I will be ready to spend money on a complete gravity tubing system right from the start. So I'm thinking about a mainline and maybe a few laterals with dumping station points as needed. Then convert this to gravity tubing in the future.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

A 55 GALLON plastic barrel makes a great dump station. Just lay it on its siding and cut out the opposite side which would be the top since it is now laying on its side. Can even put hinges on the piece you cut out and a latch and make a door so you can close it when not in use to keep it clean. Good thing with 55 gallon barrels is that one of the bungs is usually threaded for 1/2" pipe fitting or even put a 1/2" valve in it. Used one like this many years ago and it works great. Tilt it a little at the end of the day and all the sap runs out. It will empty out much faster than you can fill it up.

[ADKMAPLE]

These are the blue barrels that I see everywhere that people even use for docks?? food grade??

Anyways, I see what you are saying. I was thinking about 3/4" tubing but I guess I could go 1/2" and it wouldnt really matter

[Ausable]

If you have 3/4 inch tubing on hand - just use an adapter from 1/2" to 3/4" - Usually - if you have a good hardware store - you can adapt to various sizes or rig up something that will "get er done"

[Ausable]

How would the line freeze? I would think that the sap once dumped into the 5+ gallon bucket would simply pipe straight to the larger holding tank. There would never be any sap left in the line really

Like TFMaple says --- If you use flexible tubing and have a low spot or sag it could freeze - Even with a rigid plastic tube - if your anchor points are far apart it could sag in time and freeze ----- really - not a big worry - when you are dumping your sap it will probably be above freezing anyway.

[sap retreiver]

For the last 4-5 years my whopping 25 to 75 tap, all bucket, setup has been with dump stations. after the first year going up and down the hill 10 gal. at a time my knees hurt so in came the dump stations. First was my garden hose and a five gallon bucket with a plastic fitting screwed into the side, piped down to the truck. Got a few more buckets and needed more stations so I went to see my freinds at the local dairy and got some teet-dip 30 gal. barrels and cut the top of to dump into, Works like butta, wouldn't be doing it with out my stations. Just don't go cheap and use any thing less than 5/8 hose, it takes about 30 seconds to emty a full 5 gallons anything smaller will take forever to drain, and if you have a hill you don't want to go up and down your line will never have anything in them to freeze.
Good luck

[sap retreiver]

When I head down I follow the line and lift it a little if there's a chance of a sag and drain er as I go

[ADKMAPLE]

sap retreiver, thanks for the comments. I was thinking 3/4" mainline as myu piping. You ahve to understand that I am only talking 50 taps per line max..what do you think, it will drain quick enought wont it with 3/4"?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Barrel dump station is real easy to flush out during the season along with the lines. I even rigged the one I used up with a wire frame to clip a sap filter on it to get out all the bugs, bark, etc.

[adk1]

are these jsut one of the blue barrels?? I can see how that wouldwork well. Dr. Tim said he just uses a 5 gallon bucket wit ha fitting on the bottom where the hose connects too. Really only need it to act as a funnel

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Just the plain old blue or white plastic barrels. Make sure you get one that had food products in it. Don't really matter what was in it as long as it was food products because where you cut a hole about 18" x 24" in it, it is really easy to scrub it out really nice and clean and get out the smells.

[sap retreiver]

Most of my stations are 5 gal. buckets and the time it takes you to go fill your bucket 5/8 will drain out, if your carrying two buckets you have to wait a minute but unless your in a hurry it gives you an excuse to take a break. My main line goes up from the truck end where the hose dangles over the road up to a 30gal. station, then tees of to a couple more stations going across the hill.

[ADKMAPLE]

why 5/8" line? I waas going to go 3/4" probably and just purchase the Leaser blue 3/4" mainline