I had run into a incident this last season with a vacuum pump going down. I let everything run on gravity I was getting quite frustrated with less sap out of the bush I decided to investigate. My lateral lines that were over 50' long or so with at least 4-5' of drop the sap would flow good into the mainline. Now my lines that had maybe 20' or less of branch line with a foot or two of drop would hydro lock. Sap would not make it to the mainline. I found the saps weight would not overcome natural vac. Longer lines with a little more drop but using same pitch the weight would pull the sap using the 5/16. I guese the moral of the story follow leaders tapping guides close as possible that they put out in there catalogs
30x8 oil fired
1800taps
Lapierre 2000 series ro
20x30’ sugar house (originally)
John Deere 3005
Bobcat 753
Kubota excavator
2 ram 3500s