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Thread: 3/16 tubing - we are believers

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Salt Point, NY
    Posts
    185

    Default 3/16 tubing - we are believers

    I just went to check our new 3/16 setup today - 21 taps were overflowing my 55 gallon drum far before I would have ever expected. This is really amazing stuff and we will surely use a lot more next year.

    We posted a handful of photos on our facebook page including our maxed out vacuum gauge and a few descriptions.

    My next thought is that this method, combined with a battery-operated diaphragm pump is the best of both worlds for remote locations using 20-100 taps - use the battery-driven pump to get the flow started in slow periods, and then let natural vacuum keep it rolling and preserve the battery.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Middleville, Michigan
    Posts
    154

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    That is awesome thought of trying it next year. Do you have alot of slope to the 3/16 line
    First year 2012 34 taps 4 steam pans on blocks
    2013 130 taps on homemade sap bag holders trying new fuel oil tank and 2 x 4 divided pan made 42 gallons of liquid gold
    2014 Bought English tin drop flue 3 by 10 pans each 5 ft long Made arch for them. 83 taps on gravity 138 taps on sap bags
    2015 268 taps on gravity short season oonly made 52 gallons
    2016 328 tap on shurflo sold sap to help pay for stainless pans

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Hubardton,Vermont
    Posts
    697

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    I know a guy near me that had 21 inches on a run last week using 3/16.
    4x14 Hurricane Force 5
    Lapierre 1500 GPH R.O
    7800 Taps on vac.
    24x26 Sugarhouse

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Salt Point, NY
    Posts
    185

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    Quote Originally Posted by huntingken111 View Post
    That is awesome thought of trying it next year. Do you have alot of slope to the 3/16 line
    I wouldn't say it's exceptionally steep - this is why we made sure to make the final tubing run after the last tap long enough (around 250 feet) that it could accumulate a good vertical drop over the run. I need to go up with my altimeter to get a little better measurement of the system.

    One thing I'm wondering is just how long a run the 3/16" could handle. For example, we could run this a 1/4 mile and come all the way down the hill to a creek and pick up right there.

    And a nice bonus with this setup is that the tubing costs a little less than 5/16" and uses less plastic - thus less waste at end of life!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Campbellford, on
    Posts
    682

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    So what is the advantage of 3/16 over 5/16? Better vacume? The results speak for themselves but just curoious why.
    Maple Rock Farm
    www.Maplerockfarm.ca
    400 taps on Vacuum
    18”x60” Lapierre propane evaporator with Smokey Lake auto draw off
    Homemade 3 post RO with MES membranes
    Ford TS110 tractor sap hauler

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Salt Point, NY
    Posts
    185

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    Checked again this morning - 34 degrees, still flowing, and vac. gauge pegged at 29.9 inches of vacuum!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Polk, PA
    Posts
    1,363

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    Mine ran about 27" last year. This year I haven't kept up on leaks an I'm still at 25". The advantages are that this vacuum level is at the tap hole. Normal vacuum system has best vacuum at the pump. The disadvantages are that you need slope and a leak will really slow the flow where as a pump can overcome some of that.
    136 on high vacuum for 2019
    A&A 2X8, raised flue evaporator
    hood, parallel flow pre heater and air over fire
    12X28 sugar shack

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Raymond, NH
    Posts
    347

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    I have 30 taps at my brothers house on 3/16. 2 lines. 1 with 12 and 1 with 18. Feeding a 55 gallon drum. I emptied his drum last night at 8:00 and he just sent me a text this morning saying that the drum is already half full. I am very impressed with this setup. I have almost 90 on buckets at my house and he gets about the same amount of sap that I do with just those 30. Man, I wish I had a hill like he does! I also wish he had more maples on his hill. I could probably get 5 more taps if we really stretched it out, but thats it.

    One line had 26" of vac last night and the other one was at 8". I actually think I might just have a gauge issue on the 2nd one because I have spent a lot of time looking for leaks and have not found anything wrong. Both lines seem to be moving at the same rate where they feed the drum too. Anyway... 3/16 gravity is where it is at!!
    More taps than the year before. Bigger shack than the year before. Leader Patriot 2x6 w/hood. 3-post Dolly, but still too much sap and not enough wood or time.
    www.wickedsappy.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Mason, New Hampshire
    Posts
    156

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    Quote Originally Posted by Snowy Pass Maple View Post
    Checked again this morning - 34 degrees, still flowing, and vac. gauge pegged at 29.9 inches of vacuum!
    What pump are you using? Usually only the automotive AC draining pumps are rated for that. Also are you sure your gauge is calibrated correctly? I threw the calibration of a gauge off once when there wasn't a lot of air volume to pull and the pump tacked the gauge too quickly. I'd attach two gauges at once to cross check the value. If it is at that value be really careful it could boil the sap in the line and cause it to clog.
    Last edited by Ittiz; 03-21-2014 at 08:32 AM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Southern Maine
    Posts
    64

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    That’s awesome. I’ve gotta get a vacuum gauge to see what my setup is pulling. I have 13 taps on a 1000 foot run of the 3/16 tubing with a 20 foot drop over about 75 feet at the end. It’s collecting almost as much sap as my older run with 90 taps on gravity with 5/16th to a 1 inch mainline. Definitely going to be doing a lot of work out in the woods this next season. I’m totally convinced.
    143 taps on a brand new 3/16th tubing setup.
    2'x6' W.F. Mason Drop Tube Evaporator
    12"x24" W.F. Mason finisher.

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