150 tap on vacuum evaporator?

[wildlifewarrior]

Hi everyone,

My brother and I are planning on expanding for next year. From 75 taps on gravity to 150 or so on vacuum, with the possibility to expand a bit in the future. My brother is looking to upgrade our 2x3 mason flat pan to a 2x6 mason drop tube. 4000 bucks seems steep to me for the size of our operation. I am building an RO this summer to help cut down on boiling time. How much sap would you guys expect from 150 on vacuum, and is a 2x6 drop tube appropriate?

Thanks guys.

Mike

[spencer11]

I would look for a used 2x6, they are usually around 2k or so for a decent one, you may need a bigger one depending on how many you plan to expand to

[spud]

[QUOTE=wildlifewarrior;212601]Hi everyone,

My brother and I are planning on expanding for next year. From 75 taps on gravity to 150 or so on vacuum, with the possibility to expand a bit in the future. My brother is looking to upgrade our 2x3 mason flat pan to a 2x6 mason drop tube. 4000 bucks seems steep to me for the size of our operation. I am building an RO this summer to help cut down on boiling time. How much sap would you guys expect from 150 on vacuum, and is a 2x6 drop tube appropriate?

If you plan to run high vacuum (25-28) you could get 25 gallons of sap per tap. That is 3750 gallons of sap giving you 87 gallons of syrup if your sap is 2%. A 2x6 should do the job with the help of a RO. Good luck to you.

Spud