We use gate valves on ours. We replaced one tote ball valve and used a male adapter....tote threads are a little different. I don't recall the web site off the top of my head, but it came up on this site.
We leave the tote's valve open and use just the gate valve.
Mike
Tapping since 1985 (four generations back to early to mid 1900s). 200-250 taps on buckets and then tubing in the mid 90s. 2013- 275 taps w/sap puller 25 gal. 2014-295 taps w/sap puller 55 ga. (re-tapped to vacuum theory) 2015-330 taps full vac. 65 gal, 2016-400 taps 105 gal, 2017-400 taps 95 gal. 2018-additional 800' mainline and maybe 400 new taps for a total near 800 taps. 2x6 Leader WSE (last year on it) supported by a 250 gph RO.
I have hauled a lot of water in freezing weather (for my job before i retired) and we went to gate valves years ago and they worked great. We would lubricate the slides with food grade silicone and they would work in most all weather. I would bet that defoamer would work on sap tank gates, as it solidifies when cold and is pretty slick. If anything froze it was the outside or channels and we'd just splash some warm water over them and they'd work. If they are plastic a little salt sprinkled in the channel and the outside helps, just rinse it before unloading. However, when it gets in the mid teens and single digits nothing works well.
I was thinking about this last night.... would a small fish bubbler or air pump at the end of the tank with the valve help to stop it from freezing? Is see people use them around the boat docks during the winter.
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