3/16ths video tutorial with Tim Wilmot

[TheMapleNews]

Hi Traders,

Lot's of discussion about 3/16ths tubing. Here is a video of 3/16ths researcher Tim Wilmot explaining the basics of this remarkable technology. Upwards of 29hg natural vacuum without mechanical assistance...

https://www.themaplenews.com/video/p...tim-wilmot/51/

[BSD]

natural vacuum of 29" is only possible at sea level, I'm guessing not too many people are collecting at sea level.

and did he say that you'll achieve more vacuum further up the line with the steeper elevation loss but then only less vacuum (10") at the bottom where there was only 8' of elevation loss to tank? becase my math says about 7" of vacuum @ .88 per ft. Also, isn't the last drop to tank elevation loss what determines the vacuum for the entire line?

[johnpma]

I noticed he put one drop in (@ 7:00) a tree that would normally get two taps if I were tapping it. Does the number of drops per tree differ with 3/16" systems??

[Biz]

natural vacuum of 29" is only possible at sea level, I'm guessing not too many people are collecting at sea level.

and did he say that you'll achieve more vacuum further up the line with the steeper elevation loss but then only less vacuum (10") at the bottom where there was only 8' of elevation loss to tank? becase my math says about 7" of vacuum @ .88 per ft. Also, isn't the last drop to tank elevation loss what determines the vacuum for the entire line?

I attended Tim's seminar at Verona on this topic, it was excellent. He did say that max vacuum is only achievable at sea level. He also said that vacuum at each taphole on a gravity line is proportional to the vertical drop from that tap to the bottom end of the 3/16" line - not to exceed 29". So you could have 8" at the bottom and much higher at the top.

If a tap at the bottom is 8' of elevation from the bottom end of the 3/16 line then it would see about 7" of vacuum. Every foot higher in elevation would see an additional .88", so another tap on the same line at say 20' above the end of the line would see 17.6" vacuum. In real life the numbers are slightly lower.

You can also add vacuum to the end of the line and it is added to the gravity numbers, up to the maximum, so your lower elevation taps benefit. Pretty cool, I have tested it out.

Dave

[BSD]

I attended Tim's seminar at Verona on this topic, it was excellent. He did say that max vacuum is only achievable at sea level. He also said that vacuum at each taphole on a gravity line is proportional to the vertical drop from that tap to the bottom end of the 3/16" line - not to exceed 29". So you could have 8" at the bottom and much higher at the top.

If a tap at the bottom is 8' of elevation from the bottom end of the 3/16 line then it would see about 7" of vacuum. Every foot higher in elevation would see an additional .88", so another tap on the same line at say 20' above the end of the line would see 17.6" vacuum. In real life the numbers are slightly lower.

You can also add vacuum to the end of the line and it is added to the gravity numbers, up to the maximum, so your lower elevation taps benefit. Pretty cool, I have tested it out.

Dave

I put out 122 on 3/16 last year and 5 out of my 6 lines would hit 23-27" of vac with no pump. i had 30' of elevation drop to the tank from the last taps. One line was either a bad gauge or a line that i couldn't find leaks in. my understanding was that the entire lines vacuum level was determined by the last tap to tank elevation loss. I admit i'm newish to 3/16 but it makes sense to me.

This season i'm adding another set of lines to a new property that is much flatter, so we'll see what sort of production i can yield with minimum elevation loss to the tank and see if i need to put a pump on it or not.

[wnybassman]

my understanding was that the entire lines vacuum level was determined by the last tap to tank elevation loss. I admit i'm newish to 3/16 but it makes sense to me.

I had several lines last year where the last tap was only a few feet above the tank, but at the top I was still getting anywhere from 20 to 26 inches depending on the line.

[maple flats]

I had several lines last year in 3/16, on about a third I put a vacuum gauge at or near the top tree. My fall was well in excess of 35', the top gauges all showed near 27-28" (these gauges are not scientific quality) except on rainy days, then it was 1-1.5" less. Then on just 3 lines I put a vacuum gauge at a guessed 10-12' above the mains, those still showed about the same, some about an inch less, but I also had 19" mechanical vacuum on the mains. I did not put any gauges closer in elevation to the main, but math tells me there was a sliding scale from my 19" mechanical up to the highest that day could get as the rise above the main increased.

[TheMapleNews]

We haven't put the drops in yet. But as a rule, it tends to go at our sugarhouse that if you cannot wrap your arms fully around the tree, two taps. If you can, then just one.

No the number of taps per tree does not differ when using 3/16ths. Whatever you are comfortable with in your own woods...