3/16" Blocked

[maple flats]

Not if the tree has a positive pressure in the tree, but when the tree starts to freeze as temps drop, yes it can. That is the same way the tree pulls more water up in the roots.

[CaptT820]

Thank you all for commenting on this. I went out and checked on 20-30 of my tees yesterday and about 1/2 of them had some sort of blockage due to schmoo or woodchips. I should've cleaned the holes better when I tapped, especially due to using a new bit (very sharp, larger chips), but some of my taps are quite high and I couldn't blow into them as usual. Lesson learned. To answer some other questions, I did not clean the older lines from last year (about 80% of the lines got replaced this year), but probably should have with the addition of the new 3/16" tees. In trying to get a bit more vacuum I ended up causing an issue. Again, lesson learned. Fourth season, still learning new techniques.

[bmbmkr]

but some of my taps are quite high and I couldn't blow into them as usual.

Blowing into the tap hole is proven to introduce bacteria and reduce the amount of sap you'll get from that tap. It;s the instinctual thing to do, but it's also kind of the cardinal rule in sugaring. Caught my dad doin it when we tapped this year! Just keep the bit spinning when you pull it out, usually pulls all the chips out.

In regards to drops- I used 3/16 drops the first year, and switched to 5/16 the second after watching my lines late at night draw sap all the way to the tap as the run ended. 2nd year I used CV spouts, but with 5/16 drops, I never saw more than 4 inches of sap draw up at night when the run ended. 5/16 is roughly 3x capacity as 3/16. This year I have 5 laterals (62 taps) on a shurflo, pulling 24" when everything is tight. I turned the pump off one night to bring it in and watched the sap run backwards and some of the drops filled up about 6 inches with sap. I went to every single drop on the line and none of them pulled back into the tap hole, no where near it. I did not use CV spouts this year. These lateral on the pump are pretty level, not much drop at all- one I'm actually pulling uphill about 4' from the last tap. I have not been down and seen how much if any my steeper laterals draw back towards the trees- 35-50 of drop n those after the last tap, if any, they usually freeze before they stop running.

[Paul VT]

Never suppose to blow or stick anything other then a spout into hole after drilling. Spend the money of a good tapping bit. Drill on high speed in and out and hole should be clean. Never had another issue after spending the money on a good drill bit.

[hogisland42]

I cut one end off a wire tie and use it to clean out a hole if needed. then I stick it through the hole in my jacket zipper to hold it till needed

[CaptT820]

Would a can of compressed air work properly? I have a brand new stainless steel bit, but still apparently got some chips left in the hole.
In commenting on the other part of this conundrum, have people had better luck with the 3/16" or 5/16" drops? Of course I changed everything to 3/16" drops this year and Im having some issues.

[CaptT820]

As an update to this thread. I pulled several 3/16" tees to find that 90% or better of them were not blocked with anything. It turns out my problem was with the taps. I am using white 5/16" to 3/16" nylon taps, and the sap actually froze in the tap and upon removal of the tap I found frost at the end of the taphole. We had two consecutive below zero nights here last week, so that probably didn't help our cause. I pulled all of my taps, cleaned the holes with a stainless wire and placed them back in the tree. Hopefully that'll fix what has been wrong. Tough season so far.

[Daveg]

Thank you all for commenting on this. I went out and checked on 20-30 of my tees yesterday and about 1/2 of them had some sort of blockage due to schmoo or woodchips. I should've cleaned the holes better when I tapped, especially due to using a new bit (very sharp, larger chips), but some of my taps are quite high and I couldn't blow into them as usual. Lesson learned. To answer some other questions, I did not clean the older lines from last year (about 80% of the lines got replaced this year), but probably should have with the addition of the new 3/16" tees. In trying to get a bit more vacuum I ended up causing an issue. Again, lesson learned. Fourth season, still learning new techniques.

Blowing into your holes to clean them will do the opposite and encourage schmoo to grow.

[CaptT820]

Just to clarify, i normally do not blow into the taps unless necessary (most are too high anyway). We also consume our own syrup, so we are not selling it. On top of that nearly every bacterial organism dies if the temperature gets down to -4F regardless of what type of bacteria. I don't want to get into a science discussion on this, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who has ever blown into a tap hole. I will clean with a stainless wire from here on out.

[DrTimPerkins]

...nearly every bacterial organism dies if the temperature gets down to -4F regardless of what type of bacteria.

Several types of bacteria and lots of other types of microbes survive cold temperatures just fine. Most cannot grow/reproduce below freezing, but cold temperatures alone do not kill them. Many times cultures of different microorganisms are frozen to preserve them. Microbes that form spores can be extremely cold tolerant.