My first tubing setup based upon advice from the guy at the shop. Is it right?

[elitts]

I'm running a gravity tubing system with 5/16" line for drops and no mainline. I've got very flat land so I'm depending on starting high on the tree to get slope. I think each line has a total drop of about 5' from start to the final tree and then another 1' drop from the final tree to the a 55 gallon barrel. Below is a rough approximation. What I don't know is how the sap should flow through the tubing. Should each line be full of sap or partially full, or what? Or is this system destined to not work well unless I can get some kind of artificial vacuum on it.

Lines.jpg

[mol1jb]

For a tubing setup on flat 5/16 is a logical choice. If your dots are trees that setup should work good. Each run should be partially full

[maple flats]

The trees give up both sap and gases, thus you will have both in the tubing. Try to eliminate sags and it should work fine.

[Sugarmaker]

As mentioned above the key to this is "Tight and down hill". Sounds like you have it correct for slope. You should produce .25 gal of syrup per tap per season if your doing it right. Some years more, some years less! Have been using 30 short run tubing systems for 15 years. Most of mine have from 4 to 25 taps per line.
Regards,
Chris

[elitts]

Alright. Thanks for the reassurance. I've got it pulled about as tight as physically possible, so there's no sag at all except for 1 or 2 spots where I'm going like 30' between trees; and even there, it's minimal and I've compensated by increasing the slope in that section. I'm definitely getting movement through all the lines, although either some of the trees weren't maple (I accidentally tapped a poplar last year not paying attention) or my one large sugar maple was just being uncooperative yesterday.

Ok, back to the supply store for more taps. I have WAY more maples than I guessed for a 1 acre chunk of woods. I have about 2 dozen more taps to set today, then I'm gonna start cleaning out my new pan from all the welding mess.

[Dave Puhl]

Just remember no y's if a tree needs two taps use two t's and dont try to bring in a line into another one..when you have a good run walk the lines and look for leaks...if you reuse a t be careful not to nick the barbs..

[Daveg]

The book "Sweet Maple", 1993, describes the "DTS" system for tubing installation. Downhill Tight Straight. Your number of taps per lateral is good. If you see sap backing up, the tubings' not sloped enough, but as long as it flows, you're OK. Any chronic sags that are always full of sap due to not being sloped are a breeding ground for yeast. You asked if the tubing will be full or partially full. Yes to both, as the sap output ebbs and wanes.