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Thread: Trying 3/16. Wont flow?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    203

    Default Trying 3/16. Wont flow?

    Hey guys , I switched from 5/16 to 3/16 this season. We have had some favorable weather the last few days so I tapped 10 trees earlier in the week. Im running tap down to buckets on the ground with about 3ft of drop. All of the 3/16 set ups I checked this evening were full of sap but very little if any was making it into the bucket. Kinda like holding your thumb on the end of a straw full of water. Is this normal? Does 3/16 fill up completely and pressure pushes out the drops at the end? I pulled the taps from the tree and the sap released immediately. They started dripping after that. The couple of 5/16 I had were dripping like normal. Now , we are not experiencing gushing flows so maybe it takes greater tree pressure on 3/16? Thanks in advance for advice!!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,774

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    3/16 is not generally used on buckets because you don't have enough drop in elevation (or have mechanical vacuum).
    That being said, was the sap flowing out the bottom of the tube? If yes, just wait until you get more favorable weather. If the temps there in Tennessee below freezing over night and in the 40's during the daytime and the trees had time to thaw you may have another issue, like were there drill shavings left in the taphole? To remove them, do not blow into the hole, use a little twig to clear, and use a fresh twig on each hole.
    Dave Klish, I recently bought 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.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Manchester Maine
    Posts
    128

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    Question I hear a lot about not blowing in the tap hole to clean out the chips. I can under stand that but why would you have to use a different twig on each tap hole just asking ? I use a stainless steel dental pick to clean mine out am I ok to do that ?
    Backyard sapper

    Mason 2X4 XL with blower
    12x24 post and beam shack
    30 taps on 5-Gallon buckets
    134 taps on tubing into the shack
    15-30 gallons a year for family and friends

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Southern Ohio
    Posts
    1,394

    Default

    It will still flow just give it time. Here is a link to Cornell's maple info videos, you'll find some answers there
    125-150 taps
    Smokey Lakes Full pint Hybrid pan
    Modified half pint arch
    Air over fire
    All 3/16 tubing
    Southern Ohio

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    NE PA (Pocono's)
    Posts
    1,426

    Default

    As others have said, your set up is not the recommended use of 3/16 but the sap will flow. Takes a little bit of time for things to thaw out. Good Luck and enjoy
    CDL 2x8
    Around 4000 taps
    Polaris ATVs, Ski Doo snowmobiles to get around
    Atlas Copco pumps
    Lapierre two post RO




    http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...Sugar%20shack/

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,774

    Default

    The reason to use a different twig on each is to prevent cross contamination, if micro-organisims get on the twig you used on one hole, you don't want to then use the same twig on the next hole.
    Dave Klish, I recently bought 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.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Manchester Maine
    Posts
    128

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by maple flats View Post
    The reason to use a different twig on each is to prevent cross contamination, if micro-organisims get on the twig you used on one hole, you don't want to then use the same twig on the next hole.
    Ok sounds good I will start doing that plenty of twigs thanks.
    Backyard sapper

    Mason 2X4 XL with blower
    12x24 post and beam shack
    30 taps on 5-Gallon buckets
    134 taps on tubing into the shack
    15-30 gallons a year for family and friends

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    203

    Default

    As always , thanks for the input and knowledge. I usually clean out the tap holes with a twig. The weather has been pretty perfect really , highs in upper 40's. ,lows in 20's. I suppose I should have done some research on using 3/16 as drops to buckets. The lack of fall makes sense. Good thing I only bought 500ft of it!!!! Anyhow , Im going to check them tomorrow , If nI have the same results , Im switching back to 5/16. My season is EXTREMELY short down here , I get very anxious......

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    1,022

    Default

    I have always used 5/16's on my drops to buckets, 3/16's seems to small for a good flow into the bucket.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 gal. syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
    2025 - No tapping for me

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Southern Ohio
    Posts
    1,394

    Default

    esetter- if you have fall through your bush, why not just buy some tees and run a lateral and hook in your trees to a central collection point. You can even do multiple lines. Even 10 feet of fall would be better than what your doing.
    125-150 taps
    Smokey Lakes Full pint Hybrid pan
    Modified half pint arch
    Air over fire
    All 3/16 tubing
    Southern Ohio

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