3/16 on high vacuum

[gmack]

Has anyone used 3/16 on high vacuum ? I have installed 1 inch main line and I have a Airblo vacuum pump . My Lateral lines are 3/16 because thats what I used on shurflo pumps . I was just going to use them because they were there aprox 600 taps or should I switch to 5/16 .

Thank you

[DrTimPerkins]

Has anyone used 3/16 on high vacuum ?

It is certainly possible to use 3/16" in combination with a pump. In general, pumped vacuum and natural (3/16") vacuum are additive up to the maximum level reachable depending upon your elevation, barometric pressure and your tubing system "leakiness." There are significant differences however in sanitation strategies for 5/16" or 3/16" tubing. Replacement strategies (such periodic replacement of droplines, annual spout replacement, use of CV) work quite well with 5/16" tubing, but are not nearly as effective in 3/16" tubing systems, unless there is also some type of chemical sanitation employed. This is most likely due to physical plugging of 3/16" tubing connectors (unions, tees) by microbial build-up in the system.

What we have seen is that 3/16" works great the first year and out produces 5/16" (on a slope). The second year they are about the same. By the third year (without flushing with a sanitizer), plugging causes 3/16" to under perform 5/16" tubing. Because the plugging is not restricted to just the spout, annual spout replacement or use of CV spouts cannot solve the problem. Replacement of droplines (including the tee) will restore the system to a higher performance level, but it isn't reasonable to replace droplines EVERY year.

So for those who wish to use 3/16" tubing, sanitation via chemical flushing is required to maintain high production levels.

We still have some 3/16" tubing in experimental areas of our woods. In our production woods, because we don't sanitize (we "dry clean" -- pull spouts with the vacuum pump on) and because we use vacuum pumps capable of pulling high vacuum, we are in the process of replacing the 3/16" with 5/16".

[gmack]

Thank you
Dr Tim .

[upsmapleman]

I know you like to post pictures of you operation but please do the industry a favor and refrain from posting pictures of you collecting sap in a hazardous material container. It gives us all a bad name and brings on more regulations and inspections.

[gmack]

I know you like to post pictures of you operation but please do the industry a favor and refrain from posting pictures of you collecting sap in a hazardous material container. It gives us all a bad name and brings on more regulations and inspections.

It is a FDA approved Tote that contained spirits , so next time do your homework before commenting.

[upsmapleman]

Actually I did googl the #s and it came up Ethanol. You could be like the gas companies and put a disclaimer on your syrup jugs and say it may contain up to 10% ethanol.

[n8hutch]

I am going to dive down the Rabit Hole, that Plackard is for Ethel alcohol I believe, if memory serves me correctly from the MSDS it is not good for your nervous system but generally doesn't have long term side effects. I dont care what the container had in it the Plackard would lead others to believe otherwise. I wouldn't use the tote personally but you have made a choice to use it and that's fine it's a free country I guess, it does make all producers look bad and it does make Maple Syrup appear unsafe. At a minimum and again I repeat I wouldn't use that tote, but as a minimum I would Take that Plackard off it. How much effort would that take. I'd also remove those pictures that contain that from the Web.

No offense, nothing personal, it's just a bad image.