Switching from 5/16th to 3/16th drops?

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Well for us, it is only 30 taps and soon to be 50 of our taps on 3/16" line so I had it flowing good in part of a day. I went in the woods during a good run and broke the line in 3 sections (1 at a time) to let the gunk out. Replaced 3 or 4 more additional tees after chasing the sap to where it stopped flowing and was good to go for the rest of the season. Only had this issue in year 3. So I guess it depends on your availability to check the lines. This year (year 4) - two new 500' rolls of 3/16" with new taps and fittings are going to be installed to start over again.

I certainly much prefer real vacuum and 5/16" lines. I would never swap out a 5/16" vacuum setup for 3/16". But real vacuum isn't economical for only 50 taps so we ran the 3/16" and I like it. Pretty neat seeing 28" of vacuum at the end of the line without any mechanical means or cost.

[ADK_XJ]

If you guys are having the tees plug on the 3/16, if you figure in the amount of sap lost from plugging, is it worth it or would be better off just running 5/16 line and staying with that? I know the natural vacuum is better on the 3/16 vs the 5/16 but time is money and the cost of the fittings.

I'm not sure that I could achieve the same kind of natural vacuum effect with 5/16th and I do have the advantage of slope that pushed me toward a 3/16th system. I'm just a hobby sugarer so, for me, it definitely is a question of low investment and relatively low effort/time.

I will definitely swap out my tees and other fittings because I do see where there is gunk built up in the line right ahead of a junction and that indicates to me slow movement through that fitting. I think switching to 3/16th drops is as much about efficiency with installation as anything.

[buckeye gold]

I'm not sure that I could achieve the same kind of natural vacuum effect with 5/16th and I do have the advantage of slope that pushed me toward a 3/16th system. I'm just a hobby sugarer so, for me, it definitely is a question of low investment and relatively low effort/time.

I will definitely swap out my tees and other fittings because I do see where there is gunk built up in the line right ahead of a junction and that indicates to me slow movement through that fitting. I think switching to 3/16th drops is as much about efficiency with installation as anything.

I agree. As a hobby guy and 150 taps on six laterals of 3/16 I usually can do a little maintenance on fittings during season. I still change most out every year due to squirrel chews. I don't struggle with much gunk obstructing lines. I think this all goes back to your sanitation strategies. I repair and work all my lines prior to every season and I start at the high end tree using a garden sprayer filled with Calcium Hypochloride solution and under pressure I inject solution. I take the wand off and a spout fits well into the remaining fitting on the sprayer. This blows gunk out and disinfects before season. I do this all the way down the line at each tap and if I see a fitting with a problem I cut it out. If I see sections with mold I cut it out. Cleanliness and maintenance are key. I repeat this at the end of season. I just finished this work about two weeks ago in preparation for the season and I only cut one 6" section out for mold in approx. 4,000 feet of 3/16 tubing. I never found a single tee that didn't have good flow. ON a few I did have a little gunk flush loose from a tee. I still ended up replacing at least 50% of my tees due to squirrel damage. I replaced all my spouts and probably half my drops.

[eustis22]

no thought to using the 5/16 --> 3/16 tees?

also, rinse out your lines after the season....will cut down on the gunk

[maple flats]

I by far prefer 5/16 drops and spiles on my 3/16 latrals. While it doesn't prevent back flow it radically minimizes it. The sap does not get pulled back into the tree as it does with 3/16 drops. The gasses pass the sap in the drop leaving cross contamination minimized, if not eliminated. While the gasses get pulled back into the tap hole the contaminated sap in the drop is left behind in most cases. The exception might be is there is a solid column of sap in the drop whice is very rare if ever.

[DRoseum]

I use 3/16 for drops and CV spouts to prevent backflow. One advantage of CV spouts over 5/16 drops is that you can still prevent backflow when tapping below the lateral line. I like the flexibility of being able to tap below the lateral - whether out of necessity or just to increase the tapping band for tree health.

On year 5 of my 3/16 tubing and never had any clogging issues. I think this depends on your sanitation practices. I push food grade hydrogen peroxide up my lines each year and out of each spout and cap the lines full for 24 hrs minimum before draining them / pulling them dry and coiling up the tubing until the next season. So far my tubing looks nearly brand new. I cut off the CV spouts and replace them each year. Considering use of CV stubby spouts in the future to save a few bucks and simplify things.

[eustis22]

how much peroxide do you use?

[DRoseum]

You can buy concentrated food grade peroxide (12% or 35%) and dilute using boiled permeate to 3%. I think I use around 10 gallons of the 3% to clean all my lines.

[ADK_XJ]

You can buy concentrated food grade peroxide (12% or 35%) and dilute using boiled permeate to 3%. I think I use around 10 gallons of the 3% to clean all my lines.

I suck at math, what's the calculation for getting 3% from the 35% peroxide? I have a jug from our water treatment system.

[buckeye gold]

here's the formula for needed amount of 35% - total fluid ounces desired x .03 /.35

example; to get 10 gallons of 3% solution multiply 10 x 128 oz ( number oz in a gallon) =1280 ounces

1280x.03 divided by .35 (the active ingredient strength of your concentrate) = 109.71 ounces of Hydrogen Peroxide into 1170.29 ounces of permeate or water

put the 109.71 ounces in your container and fill to 10 gallons

for one gallon 10.97 ounces 35% in a container and fill to one gallon

Of course it's easier just to round up and make it a bit stronger.