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Thread: Best 5/16 drop line tubing?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    New Hartford, N.Y.
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    Default Best 5/16 drop line tubing?

    I know this question is a lot like the Ford vs. Chevy question, but I'd still like to hear everyone's opinions.

    Who makes the most flexible, user friendly 5/16 drop line tubing? What have you used and liked? I'm looking to change all my 3/16 drops out to the 5/16 drops and would like to get something that is easy to use. The last 5/16 tubing I bought for drops was very difficult to get on the fittings with the single-hand tool. I'm hoping to get away from that kind of workout!

    Thanks.

    Steve
    2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
    400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
    Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
    Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
    An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
    And a few puzzled neighbors...

    http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    vermont
    Posts
    94

    Default

    Everyone has there own opinion on this, and I have tried most brands. I have always been a big of leader tubing, but this winter I tried some green tubing that I got from H2o and I love it, for drop lines at least.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Rutland, Vermont
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    326

    Default

    I have used leader max flow flex on my 5/16 drops with no problems. I think on any brand as long as you are getting a flexible material you should be good. Stay away from 30P or material like that for drops. On a side note you'll like the 5/16 drops in 3/16 lines. It works great.
    CDL 2.5*8 Venturi with all the bells
    Leader Clear 5 bank filter press
    Memprotec 350H RO
    600ish taps and looking for more.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    New Hartford, N.Y.
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    2,091

    Default

    Thanks for the suggestions guy's. -Steve
    2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
    400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
    Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
    Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
    An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
    And a few puzzled neighbors...

    http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
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    5,099

    Default

    Yep 30P is way to stiff for drops. But lots of other flex tubing out there from all the suppliers!
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    NW Wisconsin
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    Default

    Not to be a stick in the mud, but I have used the Leader Max Flow Flex, CDL tubing and 30p for drops. I still prefer the 30p as it has such a slick inner surface, it cleans up real nice. the Flex just holds scum for ever. I really like for ease of tapping, but for cleanliness, I prefer the 30p. I haven't had the CDL tubing out there long enough to be convinced yet, but so far is cleans up nice, and is more flexible than the 30p. Time will tell.
    by the way, I don't change my drops, just the tap adaptors each year. I tend to replace a lot of drops anyway due to critters.
    Jeff Emerson
    www.emersonsmaplehill.com
    3x12 Leader with over air, custom piggyback, 600gph CDL RO
    2500 on 25" vacuum
    350 4 wheeler, 500 snowmobile, and 1950's Ford 600 tractor, Husqvarna! (261, 372xpBigBore, 562xp), Stihl MS193 for in tree work

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill Ctr, VT
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff E View Post
    I tend to replace a lot of drops anyway due to critters.
    We've used a lot of Leader 30P also, and you're right, it does seem to stay a bit cleaner. Since we use a lot of CV spouts, our biggest issue with it is that our laterals and drops tend to be fairly old. When you get to about 8-10 yrs, the fittings on 30P start to spin on the tubing or pull apart at tees/unions. To counter that we'd cut out every tee and union and replace them. If you're going to do that...might as well replace drops too. That, combined with our starting to do quite a bit more tapping below the lateral means that we've started using semi-rigid (flex) tubing more for drops than we used to in order to gain some flexibility in taphole position.

    In summary...both rigid and semi-rigid work, but can require slightly different approaches. Not a big deal either way.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    New Hartford, N.Y.
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    I agree, the max flo flex drops have all sorts of crud in them. And I had a fair amount of difficulty getting it on the fittings. Despite the great flexibility of it I don't think I'm going to get any more of that.

    And I also agree on the spinning fittings after some years use. 30p is good stuff- I have a lot of it in use and like it overall- but it would be a little stiff for drop lines.
    2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
    400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
    Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
    Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
    An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
    And a few puzzled neighbors...

    http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Fulton, NY
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    Used lots of Leader 30p and some flex. Started with cdl two years ago. Two seasons in and it's my favorite so far. One nice thing is I can kink it when checking for leaks, and when released, it doesn't have the memory like 30p, and less money than flex. Pushes on polycarbonate spout easily, too.
    Tim Whitens
    Willow Creek Farm
    Fulton, NY

    3000 on vacuum, 3hp 3ph Busch pump, 2567 Gast
    30X8 Leader oil-fired evap. w/ steamaway
    Airablo 1000 RO
    6 Alpacas

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    New Hartford, N.Y.
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    2,091

    Default

    I think I'm going to go with CDL also. My 3/16 lines are all CDL. A neighboring sugar maker has used CDL products now for a few years and is very happy with it's performance.
    2014 Upgrades!: 24x40 sugarhouse & 30"x10' Lapierre welded pans, wood fired w/ forced draft, homemade hood & preheater
    400 taps- half on gravity 5/16, half on gravity 3/16
    Airablo R.O. machine - in the house basement!
    Ford F-350 4x4 sap gatherer
    An assortment of barrels, cage tanks & bulk tanks- with one operational for cooling/holding concentrate
    And a few puzzled neighbors...

    http://s606.photobucket.com/albums/t...uckethead1920/

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