Wireless Main Line Tips

[Bill Southern NH]

I have a chance to run tubing in a new sugarbush. The owner doesn't mind if the tubing is left up all year, but does not want any wire strung up. There are about 300 possible taps and the terrain has a gentle slope to it. (6% to 15%) I was wondering what the best way to install a tubing system. What is the best mainline tubing to use is? I saw videos on rapidtube but not sure about it. I was also wondering what to use as side ties. Does the material that rapitube uses need to be used, or will a plastic landscaping chain work. They are both similar, but I don't know the difference. I don't have to pay for a lease so I don't want to let this opportunity go by. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Bill

[GeneralStark]

I have been using "wireless" mainline in some areas for several years. In some low slope areas <2% I have added wire to these installations as I have found it is tricky to keep the mainline from sagging during the warmer part of the season, especially with black pipe. But, it areas with decent slope, it works great as long as you stretch it tight and if you set it up in the winter, you will have to tighten it during the season.

I have done it a few different ways, but I generally try to run the mainline straight and use tension grips at each end of the run with a ratchet tensioner at the end tree. This way I can add tension easily if needed. I do use a few side ties with the rapi-strap material, but I have come to rely more and more on supports made from rough sawn 2x2s or something similar. Generally I put these every 10-15' depending upon the slope. I use a clinometer to keep the lines at a consistent slope and put a nail or screw in the post to support the mainline and then wire tie it to the pipe.

I have used several types of pipe including CDL Blue, FW Webb Maple Pipe (black and grey), and charter plastics black water line. I have found they all work well, though the black does seem to stretch more in the sun. I have used 3/4" primarily, but I have had good luck with 1" as well.

All of my main wet/dry 1" or 1.25" conductors are on wire as when the wet lines are full they get pretty heavy and will sag if not well supported. It certainly can be done if you pay attention to the slope and support them well.

[village idiot]

I put up a few thousand feet of the RapidTube wireless mainline 3 years ago. It was really easy and I liked the fact that I could continue to log/clear areas that have tubing in them with very little extra effort. I used the rapid straps things that are sold along with them and they are fantastic. I would assume that any plastic side tie would work just as well. The installation was completely done in 1 day with 1 helper. The tubes do seem to sag a little bit in the summer months, so you have to go around and re-adjust the slope before the start of the season. I can't say how durable they are, but I can pull 25" of vacuum easily so the saddle holes have not expanded considerably over the last 3 years. All in all it was a pretty painless install.

If I had the chance to pick up a few hundred more taps for free and the only condition was that I used the wireless system I would jump at the chance.

[BreezyHill]

Bill I wish I had your luck!

Rapidtube is great; but costly.

I have thousands of feet of nonsuspended mains and more that is suspended.

Rapid Tie(RT) vs. landscape chain is a subtle difference. landscape is heavier and will not give way as easily when trees, branches, deer, etc. hit the tubing.Spring 2014 048.jpg

I have around 1000' of rapid tie in use and always adding more. I find it is the easiest way to tension 5/16 lines for the bush.

if your slope estimates are right you will have very little issue with pooling as long as you use tie back points at 20' to 30' or so...less on the 15% slope will be needed. I like to tie back around 20' on 1" stretched mains and 25-30 on 3/4"

Make the runs as straight as possible and set a aluminum nail to in the back of the tie back tree to maintain rapid tie position and repositioning if limbs come down. I don't use many support sticks as the deer clean them out and I am left with a sag.

Leave some extra RT on your tie backs if setup in the summer incase you have releases from the cold contracting the mains too much.

The black will sag the most. The warmer the day the more it will sag. Later part of the season I always have to go out and tension up the long runs over the brook to keep the pools limited. In the fall I have to release them or they will pop the tie back loose and it is a chore to get them back up into the support trees. Three lines 50' in the air over the brook. Sucks but it works.

I built a spinner for my atv that works well. We can do a 1000' roll in under an hour and that is: set end hook, walked out, set other end hook and attach, return to main connection point, measure, cut, cut in Y to main, tension and connect. This is with 2 people in the snow. This summer I hope to be quicker and use or 2 way radios.

We also use our 5/16 laterals to tie back the main and keep the lats tight. Some where I have pics of this and will add them for you.

I spend the most time designing the mains than actual installation to speed the process along and to best use man power hours.

I will not put up 1" with out wire support at less than 2% any more, as it is very tough to eliminate pools for optimum vac transfer without many trees to support the line. I did 890' on wire, at 1% and it took a week of daily visits to eliminate every little pool of sap. This line is mostly at 5-7' in the air to Y into another lateral and of to a main.

I have far less slope...1% - 2% are all my mains...and I use a lot of ladders.

Spend the time to design out and calculate your tap counts so as to use 3/4" when possible as it is much lighter than 1" and will sag far less.

Use grips and High Tensile (HT) wire to secure your grips and tension the tubing. I use the 3% you saw in the Rapid Tube video for the HD CDL tubing and it works very well. On others it has been an issue.

Inline HT fence strainers will tighten and release the HT wire easily. I don't use ratchets as they are weaker and blow apart. Have not had a inline strainer break in 30 years of High tensile installation or farming. Have replaced cases of ratchets over the years.

Stretch the mains in 500' or less sections by using an open face tension grip for even stretching and best saddle sealing. IMG_2303.jpg

Good Luck!

Ben

[Bill Southern NH]

Thanks for the information. Does anybody have a recommendation on tubing? Leader, D&G, CDL...?

[maple flats]

I have also done all of my 1" lines without wire for about 4 years. I have only used Leader 30P and used the landscape strap so I can't comment on other brands.I have had good luck, but as others have said, it needs to be tensioned and re-adjusted for slope before the season. That process goes very quickly. When I put up a new section, I lay it out the way I want it to go and then I attach a pipe grip on both ends. I start by pulling by hand as tight as I can, then I attach a come-a-long. I pull just until I can start to feel some resistance when operating the come-a-long. Then I let is set for 1-7 days and then I pull again, this time I pull until the come-a-long has even more resistance to tightening but by no means is it getting hard to crank. (by the way, I back up each pipe pull (Chinese finger) with a single band clamp so the pull can't get bumped and slide. From there on, all additional tightening is by side ties. This seems to work fine if you have support by side tie to a tree at least every 30'. If you have a longer space you may need to place some posts. I have no issue unless the slope in 2% or less, there I always need support posts on longer spaces. I wasn't aware that the Rapi-tube strap was weaker, but I never had any issues with the heavier landscape strapping. I do mine up to about 1000' max length, on the few I have that are longer, I anchor to a tree and then start again.
For my 1.5" dry line and my 1.25" wet line I used wire, as well as on my transfer line of 850' of 1.5" 30P.