washing

[PATheron]

Question- If a guy wanted to wash tubing and do it by sucking a solution down the drop would you realistically be able to make a serious improvement in the contamination of the drops by using a solution of bleach and water and then flushing with water? Also would you be able to use a certain amount of water and be sure you got the bleach out? Theron

[brookledge]

It shouldn't be any different than using a solution with compressed air and water. Whether you are blowing the solution or sucking it will end up with a residual amount in the lines. If you flush thoroughly with just water it should be able to get your bleach out
I don't feel you will get beter results by using vacuum or pumping.
I use vacuum because it is all set up and I clean as I pull taps
Keith

[PATheron]

Keith-What is your proceedure? Theron

[thenewguy]

alot of people around here are doing a vacuum wash with some sort of alochol, i belive they use a couple of ounces per tap and suck it into the system as they pull the taps. had great sucess with it, quicker and easier then washing. back at the beginning of a new season they flush there lines with fresh sap and carry on

[brookledge]

I use calcium hypo clorite instead of bleach(sodium hypo clorite) thus no sodium residual. it seems to reduce the amount of rodent damage for me. I mix a batch in a 5 gal bucket and then transfer it into a 1 gal pail to carry from tree to tree. A few dunks into the pail plus letting air mix in will create a violent swirl through the line. Plug the tap onto the tee and go to the next. I usually will let the sap run on the ground in the spring as I tap and by the time I'm done tapping a section it has flushed out any residual.
I suppose you could then go back throughwith plain water cleaning out the solution.
Keith

[ennismaple]

Theron - We do the same as Keith except we don't use any chemicals, just hot water.

[Dennis H.]

wow i did something right for once the 1st time.
I carried a bucket of hot water and as I pulled the taps and removed the CV I would just insert the stubby and dropline in the bucket far enought to suck both water and air. It would cause the air/water mixture to rapidly go thru the tubing, the drop would be shaking and vibrating fairly violently in my hand.
I went back thru later and drained out the left over water in the loop of the dropline just for good measure.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

That's my method too!

[Thad Blaisdell]

I would be all summer doing it that way....LOL I use a booster, air compressor and water pushing water back up the hill. Take 4-5 guys and and start pulling taps . Took less than 3 days to do all the taps. Then I ran the vacuum for about 12 hours trying to pull as much water out as possible.

[ennismaple]

wow i did something right for once the 1st time.
I carried a bucket of hot water and as I pulled the taps and removed the CV I would just insert the stubby and dropline in the bucket far enought to suck both water and air. It would cause the air/water mixture to rapidly go thru the tubing, the drop would be shaking and vibrating fairly violently in my hand.
I went back thru later and drained out the left over water in the loop of the dropline just for good measure.

We left our CV's on the stubbies. That way we can plug them off in the tee cups for the year. We'll take the old CV off when we tap next year. The alternative is to get the tee plugs instead of cups - then we would do exactly as you've said. I've heard the tee plugs break easily so I've stayed away from them.

[Dennis H.]

I have the T plugs and have no problem with them. Not sure what would break about them. They are stepped so that they can work on different spouts, with the stubbies they use the lasat step which is the larger of the steps. I push them on give them a 1/4 turn and down. How did that that info-mmercial go "Set it and Forget it":lol: