laterals entering at sap ladder,top or the bottom best?

[markct]

i have a sap ladder in my system that raises about 5ft, near the ladder are about 10 taps that i am unsure if i should connect to the line at the top so they get the max vac altho the sap will have to flow uphill a bit to get to them, or should i connect them to the bottom of the sap ladder so they can be pitched downhill from the trees and then they have to be pulled up the ladder, seems either way vac is pulling sap up a 5/16 tube? which way is best?

[tuckermtn]

I would put it in to the bottom...but I am no pro...

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I don't know the science behind it, but I agree with Eric. I'd rather set the laterals set up properly and let the sap flow up the ladder. If the ladder is working properly, you will only lose a slight amount of vacuum and should have normal vacuum transfer to the taphole. If the laterals are sloped up, you will have a 5/16 line full of sap acting as a vacuum block and intermittent and uneven vacuum on the taphole. My opinion