Reusing main line

[batsofbedlam]

I had to pull about 800' of 3/4 mainline from a sugarbush. It was a sweet setup using the multi fittings saddles. Now I have all of this mainline with holes along the entire length of pipe. I would like to be able to reuse this mainline but I am looking for suggestions as to sealing up some of the holes so that they will not leak under vacuum. I have a new sugarbush I will be setting up this summer and would love to reuse this stuff. Any suggestions?

[Haynes Forest Products]

One problem with pulling hard on a main line that has hole in it is they will streach slightly so I would install the pipe and then whatever saddles you can use Great. Put a large sticky tire patch (truck type) over the hole and wrap with sticky tape the kind that doesnt work well for plumbing. I have tape over holes in my woods for 10 years now that I cant find.

[maplehound]

I have done this in my woods as well. When I took mine down, I left the saddels on, so when I put it back up I was able to reuse as many of the saddles as possible then just used the plugs for the branch line fittings that you can buy from your dealler, I found this musch easier and more reliable than trying to patch the hole without a saddle on it. My biggest problem was that when you reinstall the pipe line it is hard to get the old saddles back on the top of you mainline consistantly. I have many saddles that are on their side or even on the bottom of the mainline.

[Amber Gold]

From my experiance, it's not worth the aggrevation reusing mainline if it already has holes in it. Like Maplehound says, it's difficult to get all the holes back on top, you end up with holes in locations that you can't reuse, inevitably there's holes that you miss and create vacuum leaks, and etc. IMO, I would reuse the saddles, but buy new mainline. For the ~$130 savings it's not worth it.

[ennismaple]

Use it for a dryline in a wet/dry setup. We plan to try this with an old section of 1.25" black mainline we're replacing with 1" translucent blue mainline this year. Electrical tape works well for plugging holes from saddle manifolds.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I'm with Martin. I have used it for dry line and also as a pump line to transfer sap. I use some when I am extending lines so that I have shorter laterals. These extensions are often less than 100 feet so I can cut out usable pieces.

[3rdgen.maple]

I wonder if you cut small peices of mainline and split it in half and clamp over the holes with a peice of rubber between them if it would make a better seal than tape.

[argohauler]

I'd reuse it and put splicers in with gear clamps. That's how I lined my bush. All used mainline and laterals. FREE to. Just cut out the chunk and put in the splicer. :)

[ennismaple]

I'd reuse it and put splicers in with gear clamps. That's how I lined my bush. All used mainline and laterals. FREE to. Just cut out the chunk and put in the splicer. :)

Part of the reason we're getting rid of our old black mainline is the dozens of splices and cut-in manifolds it has in it. Since many of our mainlines are fairly flat the PVC cut-in manifolds and unions reduce the diameter and therefore the vacuum transfer out into the bush. We figure the new mainline will pay for itself in a few years through increased vacuum to the upper portions of the bush. In removing the old mainline we'll use Y's instead of T's at all mainline junctions to further improve flow.

This video shows the impact fittings have fairly well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPykAPMym9c

I know a lot of people who started out with used tubing and I don't condemn it at all - we've simply found new stuff properly installed and laid out makes more syrup.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If your willing to cut and put in Ts for branch lines then its a good way to go. I dont like saddles for the reason mentioned they spin in all directions and LEAK. I like putting in barb fittings with stars and when they get cocked you just give them a spin. But thats the sprinker thing in me.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Should be able to seal it up good with about 10 nice tight wraps of electrical tape which should last for a long time.