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Is there a good place to check out how to set up and use a home vacuum system?
I have literally NO understanding of how it works, the parts, or anything. The internet is full of info, but I would like to have a good foundation to start on. Can't learn calculus if you dot have a good understanding of addition. Plus it will give me something to mull over the off season.
Since we are relatively local, you are welcome to take a trip out my way and I'll tell you all about backyard vacuum systems! The systems are pretty simple, but can be frustrating all in the same.
Send me a PM if you want to take a trip out here and I'll let you know when I'm available.
What kind of system are you looking to set up? I built one Solar Shurflo pump system for this season and will be building another this week. For the small home producer this works quite well. Id say at least a 30% increase over gravity. Pretty simple, just a Shurflo pump, strainer and some sort of manifold to hook your lines to it.
In general vacuum as it relates to sap collection is when we remove some of the atmospheric pressure on the taphole. A true vacuum is the removal of all pressure, i maple we attempt to remove as much as we can afford to remove financially. That is tempered with an eye towards how much gain we can expect with the cost to attain that level of vacuum.
That's the basic, in practice we remove the air pressure or rather a portion of that pressure in the taphole. As the tree starts to move sap, it is trying to push sap, the lifeblood to the highest buds on the tree. We remove some of the air pressure and in response more sap is collected. On average, each inch of additional vacuum (vacuum is usually for our purpose measured in inches of mercury) will typically yield 5-7% more sap. This gain is compounded, like a good interest bearing investment.
Even without vacuum the maple tree yields more sap when the air pressure outside the taphole is lower, like in a low pressure event, using mechanical vacuum we reduce the pressure far more than a low pressure front.
that probably what I will have as a setup, something along those lines. I'm going to scope out my father-in-laws house this summer and see what he has for maple trees. I may do a vacuum setup there. I dont think my home Is set up well for vacuum because everything is spaced pretty far apart. I saw someone use google earth to map out there bush, I may try something like that also. I fear having a lot of long runs, and I have a lot of 5/16 tubing to use up since I got a 500 foot roll this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by West Sumner Sugar
and thank you flats. good info to know. I love the maple community. So helpful.