Cleaning your lines on shur flo

[markr]

My partner and are are planning on going with the shur flo method next year put we are wondering how how we clean our lines at the end of the year

[Biz]

Here's how I did it - all short runs of 3/16 tubing, 3/16 or 5/16 drops, 20-40 taps per run on a shurflo pump or gravity. I am not sure it is the best or most effective way but here is what I did this past season. At least I know that there is no old sap left in the line to spoil, only a very dilute bleach solution.

1. Connect Shurflo pump and turn on. Lines should be intact and a good vacuum is built up.
2. Prepare a bucket of water with very small amount of bleach. About a capful or two per gallon.
3. Start at top of line, remove tap from tree.
4. Dip in bucket for about 20 seconds. You should see the liquid suck into the drop.
5. Pull out of bucket, wait for liquid to clear our of drop, and secure tap into cup in tee. It should not leak. Might need to twist slightly. I use the CDL tees with the cup. If you use the pin type you can cut tap off and insert on pin.
6. Repeat for each tap.
7. When all are done, remove end tap and let pump run for a while to suck any remaining fluid out. You will never get everything out.

You might need a recirculation line on the pump so that vacuum doesn't drop as it sucks air in. The Shurflo pumps won't pull good vacuum when running dry.
If you are worried about the dilute bleach solution, you can repeat the process with rinse water. But it takes twice as long.
Let sap run on the ground for a day when new taps are installed next season, to flush everything out.

Dave

[markr]

Thanks that gives me a start

[maple flats]

The steps are good as shown above, but I prefer food grade hydrogen peroxide. Squirrels love the salts left behind when you use bleach, but H2O2 leaves just water and oxygen. Food grade is by far best because medical grade has additives (preservatives) which are not good in a food product.

[RileySugarbush]

There is way to much going on in our woods year round to think of leaving them up. Plus it's only half the bush on tubing and only about 4 acres at that. I agree it's a pain though.

[DocsMapleSyrup]

I'm with Wiam. I pull my taps and let the sap drain out. No cleaning. No problems. My lines don't have any sags to hold sap/moisture so there is no mold. I don't put my taps in the cups either, I let them dangle in the air as I don't want to any moisture vapor in the lines.

[markr]

Thanks from the info

[Goatogether]

Has anyone tried vinegar/ water solution? Thanks

[RileySugarbush]

I second the use of peroxide. But I reverse the flow and pump into the line at the bottom with the shurflo. Then from bottom of line I pull the tap until it flows out and plug into the tee. Move up the line This lets the h2o2 to sit in contact in the drop.

[maple flats]

That would work well as long as you don't exceed the head of the pump (it's max ability to push to a higher elevation).