1/2 inch mainline

[Killington Maple]

Just wondering how many of you use 1/2 inch mainline with vacuum. And do you stick to the rule of 50 per line. I know they say that vacuum doesn't transfer up the line as well, but was thinking of trying it on some short runs of 400 feet or less. I've got good 7-8 percent pitch on all my lateral mains.

[DrTimPerkins]

Just wondering how many of you use 1/2 inch mainline with vacuum. And do you stick to the rule of 50 per line. I know they say that vacuum doesn't transfer up the line as well, but was thinking of trying it on some short runs of 400 feet or less. I've got good 7-8 percent pitch on all my lateral mains.

You'll get poor transfer of vacuum up into the woods (when the sap is running well) unless the slope on your mainline is fairly low and without a lot of bends and turns. 3/4" is far better. The other problem would be finding saddles that fit 1/2" mainline.

[Killington Maple]

Thanks for your reply, Dr. Tim.
Alot of these lines will have only 35-40 taps each.

[DrTimPerkins]

Thanks for your reply, Dr. Tim.
Alot of these lines will have only 35-40 taps each.

It will work....you just won't get very good vacuum transfer.

[DrTimPerkins]

For some reason that last reply doubled itself....and I can't figure out how to delete it.

[jasonl6]

Everyone i know that ran 1/2 main then went with vac ended up running a wet/dry system or replacing the lines with 3/4" because there yeild was so low (prob as the dr said, bad vac transfer).

Jason

[Thad Blaisdell]

Dr. Tim, are you saying that you will get bad vacuum transfer? LOL.....

Why is it that some people get stuck on such things as 1/2" pipe. They think that it is cheaper? Is that it, well look at it this way, as stated in another thread 1/2" is .09 cents and 3/4 is .18 cents, at 400 feet your total savings is 36.00 now if you think that you are saving a fortune and you don't think that going with the bigger pipe is worth it then don't. But if you can make 1 gallon of syrup more over the life of the pipe then you will make your money back and be able to sleep at night. Just a thought on the issue.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Thad some times You make me feel bad for not spending more time in Math class instead of shop class. OH thats right I flunked out of remedial math and got a credit for drivers ed. Then there is that spelling class I didnt show up for. You do make a good point about doing it right the first time.............IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY. I have saddles in my woods and I hate them so I only use Barb fittings with treaded stars when I remove them.. I know that barb fittings are an obstruction in the line but they work for me. I still think we can educate but not discurage all new sapers and what they have to work with.

[Thad Blaisdell]

You are right I should not have been so critical, I apologize. My thought on this is that if you ask for advice and someone gives you a perfect reason to do it a certain way then why would you still consider doing it the other way. As far as cost goes, can you afford to not do it right the first time? I usually dont have time to do whatever it is once let alone go back and do it again.

[DrTimPerkins]

I still think we can educate but not discurage all new sapers and what they have to work with.

I'm sorry if you thought my advice was discouraging. The original poster did not say that he already had 1/2" line. It will work OK....just not well, and he may well wish later on that he'd done it right the first time.

We get lots of people calling and emailing us. Conversations typically go like this...

Producer: My syrup production is very low. How do I increase my yields?

PMRC: What are you doing now?

Producer: (various answers)

PMRC: You might consider reducing the # of taps on each lateral, adding vacuum or getting higher vacuum, shortening your lateral, using a dual-mainline system, changing drops, using annually replaceable spouts, use check-valve spouts, etc.

Producer: But those things take time and cost $.

PMRC: Yes they do, but the payoff works out. If you do it right, you'll make more than enough to pay for it.

Producer: So what can I do that won't cost me any time or $.

PMRC: Not much.


We have some people who call EVERY year complaining that they can't make much syrup. We ask them what changes they made since they called us last year. Often the answer is "none".

[Killington Maple]

Guess I'll use the 1/2 inch for short runs straight uphill to groups of trees. Might as well use it up.

[brookledge]

I would sugest that 1/2" be used in areas where you might have a long 5/16 lateral to get a small amount of taps. If you have to go much more than 100 to 200 feet with 5/16 you will lose vac. transfer but doing the same with 1/2 you will get better transfer
Keith

[treefinder]

well i can tell you that i'm one of those people, that didn't do it right the first time. it worked and got me by for the first couple years on gravity,now that i put vacuum on it sucks and not literally.not enough vac transfer. so now i have to put up a 3/4 dry line so i can get more vacuum. i just should of did it right the first time.but i know a 2 line system works better than i single line regardless of the mainline size tubing . i guess if i had to do it again and i didn't have the extra money when your talking in the 1000,s of feet,and you want to make syrup then go for it. i will tell that maple syrup making is a addiction and it will never stop,so you might want to look in the future and put half of it up the right way and make syrup to pay for the other half next year