Considering upgrading to tubing, but need advise

[BSD]

I think a vacuum gauge at the top of the line is almost a necessity with 3/16. I would suspect an air leak or plug as well.

vac gauges need to be standard equipment when you install run of 3/16 IMO. it will help you identify problems and give you a place to start tracking them down. you can get a vac gauge for $4-10, is that really going to break the bank with all the other expenses of sugaring?

[Joel M]

Looking at adding a pump to my 3/16 lines, where would you recommend I go for vac gauges?

Thanks

[Sugarmaker]

We tap just over 300 taps mostly in a wood lot. We are currently tapping with metal buckets, sap sacks and some single tree tubing into 5 gallon buckets. Would like to look at some tubing but do not have any slope in the woods and worried that trees are not close enough to do this. We could tap more trees, but do not have enough equipment to do so. If we are going to invest in more equipment, should it be tubing? I live in Clinton county and wondered if anyone would show me there tubing setup and give me some ideas. Thanks.

I have not used 3/16. I don't use vacuum. But I do successfully make approx .25 gallons of syrup per tap each year on short run tubing 5/16. These are short run tubing systems mostly on fairly flat ground. Developed the slope by elevating the lines from the low profile gathering containers to the last tree in the run. (approx 12 to 25 taps per line).
It depends what you want to accomplish in your operation! My goal was to reduce my collection labor, and time. I went from servicing each of 400 buckets, to 35 gathering stations for the current 650 taps.
I am not in a wood lot, so this system is not for everyone.
I think I would be looking at maybe vacuum and sap ladders to bring it to one point for gathering.
Just some ideas.
Regards,
Chris

[motowbrowne]

My favorite syrup supply store (Pittman's in Arkansaw WI) has them for $6. Otherwise, I'm sure the internet has a good price them. The ones I bought were 1/4" male NPT, so I used a 1/4 npt to barbed adapter. You gotta heat the tubing to get it on the barbs, but it works. Only place I could find them in stock locally was Ace, so I paid $3.50 for each adapter, bringing my total cost for each gauge installation to $9.50.

[ronintank]

http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...628#post298628

[Joel M]

Great! Thanks for the ideas!

[GV2]

What are the bubbles doing? It seems more like you might have plugging at a tee from drill shavings or an air leak problem. I would expect a steady stream, assuming your trees are cooperating.

As I think about it a plugged tee along the line is a reasonable theory. Even if I had a leak or 2 I would think that I would get something close to what bucket did in this stand for years. But a plugged line could explain the weak performance. To study bubbles more closely I need to get some daylight hours out in the stand when things run again (close to single digits the last 3 mornings in western MA!) Nobody has questioned the long 4% drop line yet so if that is not the issue then this setup may still have potential. thanks..

[BSD]

As I think about it a plugged tee along the line is a reasonable theory. Even if I had a leak or 2 I would think that I would get something close to what bucket did in this stand for years. But a plugged line could explain the weak performance. To study bubbles more closely I need to get some daylight hours out in the stand when things run again (close to single digits the last 3 mornings in western MA!) Nobody has questioned the long 4% drop line yet so if that is not the issue then this setup may still have potential. thanks..

i had a problem develop after 2 weeks. the line collapsed at a Tee. it was running slow at the tank and the top 3/4 of the line was chock full and couldn't drain. the trees were actually pushing it out around taps on the upper trees.

20170227_140414.jpg

[Cedar Eater]

Nobody has questioned the long 4% drop line yet so if that is not the issue then this setup may still have potential. thanks..

The long line does not matter. It only adds some small amount of friction which will translate to a small decrease in vacuum. Gravity is acting on every molecule of sap in the line and it is relentless. Same with the dip under the bridge. The sap is being pushed and/or pulled up that slope with only a slight increase in friction.

[firetech]

I have the setup you want to see near Lainsburg pm me and we can look it over 650 taps no slope to the woodlot