# of taps/barrel

[syrup junkie]

Whats the maximun number of gravity fed tubing taps would you put into a 55 gallon plastic drum before it would overflow with a good days run,,,, 20 ?? . thanks

[Cuseman1000]

I have 3 large road front maples with 4 taps per tree and they will fill a 32 gallon garbage can on a good day

[lew]

Reguardless of what you use for a tank, a good rule of thumb for gravity systems is 2 gallons of storage per taphole. That should hold most good runs. There are always exceptions, but it's a good general rule.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Reguardless of what you use for a tank, a good rule of thumb for gravity systems is 2 gallons of storage per taphole. That should hold most good runs. There are always exceptions, but it's a good general rule.

exactly what I do

[3rdgen.maple]

Good lord Im just going to shut up and let someone else start in this time. This is getting real old. And Im not talking about the question that was asked.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Good lord Im just going to shut up and let someone else start in this time. This is getting real old. And Im not talking about the question that was asked.

what I do now:confused:

[Thad Blaisdell]

I have 3 large road front maples with 4 taps per tree and they will fill a 32 gallon garbage can on a good day

Is that a food grade garbage can? This is exactly why we will end up with all the rules and regulations that are coming. If a customer knew their syrup was coming from a garbage can what would the ramifications be from that.

[3rdgen.maple]

You did nothing wrong Flatlander Thad has it right. It makes my shorthairs curl when I read the garbage can crap and other non food grade crap in the maple production. Its only a matter of time before we are told what we can and cant do or be shut down if we keep up with such practices. How many articles a year about sugaring are published every year. One of these days it going to be about some polititian visits a sugarhouse and finds garbage cans for sap storage or other crap and then it will hit us smack dab in the face with government interaction.

[Cuseman1000]

I know that a garbage can is not the best choice, but its the cheapest I could find. With that being said the cans are made of HDPE 2 plastics which is the same as syrup jugs.

[3rdgen.maple]

Go dig through some old threads about HDPE2. I am just trying to help preserve our industry from uneeded regulations and just want to point out that a garbage can is a garbage can and made to put garbage in it. The point is its recycled plastic and who knows what in the world it was prior to being recylcled and made to hold garbage. Do the search and then please go invest in a suitable collection container.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Garbage in---Garbage out.

[Ozy]

Is there any info on food grade liners that are available through several suppliers they are made for 55 gal drums. At end of season you could just throw the liner out and start new next season.

[Greenwich Maple Man]

Is that a food grade garbage can? This is exactly why we will end up with all the rules and regulations that are coming. If a customer knew their syrup was coming from a garbage can what would the ramifications be from that.

I agree if you are selling your syrup you need to be exact as to how it is produced. However, who is to say that a brand new garbage can is wrong to use if the syrup is only for yourself. Lets face it any bigger producers are not going to be gathering sap in garbage cans. Rules and regs. will come because of the cleaners that larger producers are having to use in there ROs and so forth along with how and what kind of barrels they are storing there syrup in. The old timers never used plastic syrup jugs only tin now, that is wrong. We are all getting to edu. for are own good.

[DrTimPerkins]

I agree if you are selling your syrup you need to be exact as to how it is produced. However, who is to say that a brand new garbage can is wrong to use if the syrup is only for yourself. Lets face it any bigger producers are not going to be gathering sap in garbage cans. Rules and regs. will come because of the cleaners that larger producers are having to use in there ROs and so forth along with how and what kind of barrels they are storing there syrup in. The old timers never used plastic syrup jugs only tin now, that is wrong. We are all getting to edu. for are own good.

Wrong. Larger producers tend to carefully follow all the rules and regulations. They have a lot more to lose than the small guy. Smaller producers (a few, not all) tend to be a bit more lax.

The entire lead scare of the 1990s was caused by a small producer doing the wrong thing. He was making syrup for just his family. Basically put one equipment manufacturer out of business. Took the industry 5-10 years to recover and cost about $1million in research, education, and promotion. So that garbage can can be very costly indeed.

[BryanEx]

With that being said the cans are made of HDPE 2 plastics which is the same as syrup jugs.
This is correct... but not the whole story about HDPE2. Syrup jugs are specifically made to hold a food product.


The point is its recycled plastic and who knows what in the world it was prior to being recylcled and made to hold garbage.
This is partially correct. HDPE 2 is regularly used for food packaging and handling but just because it is HDPE 2 does not make it food grade. HDPE 2 plastic which contains any recycled material, has ever been used for anything beside food, or that is not white or clear in colour is not food grade unless specifically labeled as such.

[SDdave]

This is definetly not my place to say anything, but I will:lol:

I agree with BryanEx 100%. I do believe I asked that question prior about food grade vs. non-food grade plastics. I did alot of research via internet...found same results.


SDdave

[tuckermtn]

Rubbermaid BRUTE containers are food grade plastic. Get 'em at gnome Depot or many other large hardware stores...

come in some cute colors also...