Probably not a lot. Because we are using CVs we rarely change our droplines these days unless the tubing or fittings start to fail or we are doing an experiment looking at drop replacement.Quote:
Originally Posted by tcross
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Probably not a lot. Because we are using CVs we rarely change our droplines these days unless the tubing or fittings start to fail or we are doing an experiment looking at drop replacement.Quote:
Originally Posted by tcross
I have used the original CV, on a stubby spout. the first generation had some issues with manufacturing that had plugged-i.e. no sap. Enough of them had issues that I am guessing 10% of my trees didn't get any sap out.
I was so frustrated with that I switched to the 5/16 adaptor w/out the Check Valve. I have been using them ever since.
I tried the clear adaptor, and found them to bind really tight to the stubby spout, that I damaged a bunch of the stubbys trying to pull them apart.
So I'm just using the adaptor. I would like to know if the CV2 has had any issues with plugging up, or the ball not sealing well. In other words, is it worth the premium price.
Maybe if Dr Tim and his team are not changing their drops every 3 years, I might stay with CV2's and go out to 5 year drop changes. That will save some time and $ too.
We don't change drops unless the tubing or fittings are either breaking down physically, getting too short (from cutting off spouts each year), or we have to do it as a "control" for some experiment. We have some dropline and lateral line that is 11-12 yrs old or more. Most is in the 5-7 range. We use CV2 spouts in most places. Our production averages 0.6 gal/tap and tends not to vary much from year-to-year (it ranges from about 0.5-0.7 gal/tap...depending more on vacuum than anything else). Is it worth the extra money? Ten years of research at UVM and Cornell show it is. While a new drop will almost always produce the best results in terms of sap yield (for the first year), a CV generally produces the highest net profit over time.
A follow up question. Most years I stop making syrup because of quality issues-sap getting buddy, or sugar drops so much that it isn't worth the effort.
Do you ever have sugar percent recover after a steady drop, say from a significant freeze?
for example, my woods peaked out this year at 2.8%, then slowly dropped. when I quit I was at 1.3.
I have seen some recovery, but minor with 2-3 night in a row of freeze thaw cycles. I think a gain of .2 or .3 is typically about the best in late season, however in the early season I've gained more with the right conditions.
It depends upon the time of the season and on the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff E
Typically sugar starts off a bit low, then tends to rise until about 1/3-1/2 way through the season. After that the trend is downward, with minor increases at some points with freezes (much less than in early season if all all).
The attached figure shows the 2019 and 2020 seasons at UVM PMRC in Underhill. In general the patterns are similar. 2019 had higher overall sugar (avg of 2.14 Brix) than 2020 (average of 1.81 Brix). Bars show the individual daily values. The lines show the 3-day running trendline. The dashed line shows our long-term average sap sugar content, which has actually trended downward a little over the past 15 yrs due to (we believe) two factors: adding in a substantial number of red maples and beginning to tap smaller tree (down to 9" dbh with 5/16" spouts) when formerly we only tapped 12" and up (with 7/16" spouts).
Attachment 21441
The 2020 chart looks quite similar to what I got, except my % were lower. On my first 2 days I got 1.5, 1.6% then a freeze thaw and the next day was 1.8, followed by 1.5, 1.3, 1.2 (several days) then 3 freeze thaws in a row, then 1.5, 1.3, 1.1. I finally quit at .9% after a few days of 1.1.
In a good year I usually average for the season 2% +/- .1%.
My taps are about 50/50, sugars and reds. Back when I was all sugars I got 2.2-2.3% for season averages. Now I only tap around my sugarhouse and I have my sugars all tapped, but can likely add around 100 more reds. I only got to 400 this season, before Covid 19 I had planned about 50 more, but then I sent my help away and I just processed what was already tapped.
As for the taps, I used about 300 CV2 and 100 Zap Bac this season. I plan to go back to all CVs except on first year drops, which will get seasonal taps. I had no taps break as I installed or removed them this year. I use a 7" pair of lineman's pliers to tap them in (using the flat side jaw) and I use a customized Big Lots el cheapo Wonder Bar look alike to remove then. Back a few years I bought 4 such bars (me and 3 helpers) for $1.88 each. I then used my dremmel tool with 1/2" drum sander rounds to cut a notch about 1/2" into the V on the short end of the bar, I still use then , they work well.
thanks for the feedback on sugar%.
My first sap was 1.4%, and used to flush lines, run the RO for a cleaning cycle. Then the next few days as it climbed to its peak, then the long slow decent.
I think I bailed to early when I quit at 1.4. You guys making syrup with 70 to 1 ratios make me look lazy!
I find that as the sugar drops, the niter goes up ( a lot more sap running through the evaporator) and the time doing pan cleaning takes a toll on my motivation as well.
So back to the Thread, Next year 5/16th Check Valve adaptors for the stubbys it is. Cant wait!!!!