Sanitizing taps with backpack sprayer no vacum pump

[windyacres]

15- 20 % alcohol/water solution pumped into the pulled tap-dropline after making a single or double knot in dropline. the knot should hang below line of sight on lateral. The old spile is snipped off and empty line capped (variety of ways) A portion of the Alcohol will lay in the bottom of knots and acts in same way as a peetrap in a waste water system. the vapours are now locked in dropline till tapping season as long as cap is not removed (ie windfalls or wildlife). I have had samples tested for bacteria ( both knotted-with and without end caps. Capped ones very low in bacteria but soon as air hits (uncapped ) gave high readings.OMAFRA (Ontario) did the samples.There is controversy over the proper % solution- some are using 70 % to 100% alcohol at considerable cost.

[DrTimPerkins]

The highest microbial kill efficacy of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and ethyl alcohol falls within the 50-70% range. Too low and the kill is inadequate, too high and there is less efficacy as well. The recommendation is typically 70% because if you have some sap residue in the lines the concentration might drop somewhat.

Of course producers should keep in mind where they are.....IPA is permitted for use in Canada, but is not approved for use in maple lines in the U.S.

There is very limited evidence suggesting that IPA vapors are effective in killing the wide range of microbes found in maple tubing lines. IPA is not recognized as a "gas phase sanitizer" (meaning the liquid is what is doing the sanitizing, not the vapors).

Finally, IPA doesn't kill spores. Many of the microbes in tubing lines produce spores. As soon as the alcohol is gone, the spores will germinate and grow.

[windyacres]

Thanx Doctor Tim for clarification on potency of alcohol as a sanitizer. I much prefer, the alcohol to chrorine which has been used for years up here. My bearbites, and other bite damage are way down as this is 3rd year using alcohol. First and only year with chlorine the damage from wildlife was so heavy- especially mainlines that I almost gave up. I leave the alcohol in place till the first run flushes it on ground. I think the best test for quality of sanitization is the ability to produce some light syrup at start of season. Nevertheless nature does throw curve balls, a number of producers made only amber to dark syrup up here in Ontario this spring . Perhaps related to the fact we had 45 consecutive days below 32 farenheit