Originally Posted by
DrTimPerkins
You might want to watch Art's updated video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlxsCiI5Ano
First 20 sec of the video he states "...we found that cleaning lines with water was not sufficient." He was finding considerable plugging of fittings and a loss of sap yield. Art was a real early adopter of 3/16" tubing, so his tubing is a tad older than most installations (and these problems develop as tubing systems age and become more contaminated with microbes). After a phone conversation and an email exchange with UVM PMRC, Art tried and now uses a calcium hypochlorite sanitizing solution with good results.
Spout replacement or CV use with 3/16" is not adequate with 3/16" tubing systems, since the problem is NOT entirely at the spout, but is also related to plugging of tees and union connectors. Therefore, in order to retain high yields with 3/16" tubing, producers must EITHER sanitize adequately (bleach or calcium hypochlorite) annually OR commit to replacing all drops (including tees) and unions about every 3 yrs and spouts each year OR accept that you will experience losses in yield.
Cornell has found the same thing....sanitation is part of the problem, plugging connectors is the other part. I believe they had an article in the Maple News about it this spring.
Sorry, I didn't mention the calcium hypochlorite. I tried that for the first time this past spring. As we pulled the taps we used the wash bottles with the solution, and the vacuum on. Then we flushed with the air/water as described above.
Since we have only used that method the one time, it is too early to say how it worked. I will not know that until the 2020 season.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.