SevenCreeksSap
02-13-2013, 07:01 AM
Well, I figured I'd tell this story even if it makes me look silly, and maybe get some ideas. its already a learning experience this year. I have a caged tank on a wood stand on the back of the sugarhouse, outside, with a 2" dia pvc pipe running thru the wall, and it drains into my 55 gal blue barrell, which is mounted on it's side so the pipe is over the opening. I had it necked down to a 3/4 in pvc valve over the barrel for flow control, and also the valve on the tank.
I had drained the sap last week from the caged tank and left that valve open (stupid), and the smaller pvc valve closed after draining the tank. more sap flowed in and froze in the 2 in pipe, which then broke off the smaller inside valve due to expansion I guess. I didn't fix it immediately thinking if it thawed it would just flow into the barrel. Well, I had to leave town for work for two days, and the temp went right and the sap flowed, and the pipe thawed. The sap overflowed the barrell, and I lost several gallons at least onto the floor of the sap shack. :cry:
So, is there somewhere to get stainless 2" pipe and valves, or would that blow out too? I haven't seen 2" copper anywhere, and that would cost as much as stainless probably these days.
I was a little concerned this would happen but didn't fix the ^*&% valve, thinking no way would we get that kind of flow off of the taps. The only good thing about this was when my wife called when I was away the first thing she said was "you were right, it thawed".
lesson learned. Keep the valves in good shape. close the tank valve before it freezes. drain the pipe.
I had drained the sap last week from the caged tank and left that valve open (stupid), and the smaller pvc valve closed after draining the tank. more sap flowed in and froze in the 2 in pipe, which then broke off the smaller inside valve due to expansion I guess. I didn't fix it immediately thinking if it thawed it would just flow into the barrel. Well, I had to leave town for work for two days, and the temp went right and the sap flowed, and the pipe thawed. The sap overflowed the barrell, and I lost several gallons at least onto the floor of the sap shack. :cry:
So, is there somewhere to get stainless 2" pipe and valves, or would that blow out too? I haven't seen 2" copper anywhere, and that would cost as much as stainless probably these days.
I was a little concerned this would happen but didn't fix the ^*&% valve, thinking no way would we get that kind of flow off of the taps. The only good thing about this was when my wife called when I was away the first thing she said was "you were right, it thawed".
lesson learned. Keep the valves in good shape. close the tank valve before it freezes. drain the pipe.