new feed tank

[super sappy]

I am mounting a bulk tank on a platform behind the sugarhouse to feed the evaporator. The directions that I got from leader said that I should have no more than 6" of head on my feed line.I want the tank up high enough to feed a higher evaporator If I decide to get one in the future. I was thinking about 3 or more feet of head. I have a z-arm float. Any input is helpful. Thanks Super sappy

[hard maple]

I've used a set up with over three feet of head, seemed to work good. Your gonna have a valve on it anyhow, so that would decrease any back pressure if you had to.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

2 to 3 feet on mine. To me, 6" wouldn't be enough because there would be little head pressure when the level was close to empty. :?

[cropseyvillemark]

I asked the folks at Leader about that last year when I read the directions for my new evap.. They said what they meant was"you need at least 6" of head".Mine ended up being over 5' .that was way too much.this year I will be at 2-3 feet as Brandon says. Or just high enough to walk under the pipe.

[lew]

My feed tank is about 3 feet higher than the evaporator also. What I did was to put a flow meter and a gate valve in line between the tank and the floatbox. When we get up and running, I adjust the gate valve until the flow meter reads around 3 to 3.5 gallons per minute, and adjust accordingly for the day, some days its closer to 3 and others it's closer to 3.5. Anyways, once i went to this system, I got rid of my float all together. The flow meter does the same thing as a float, but I can see at a glance exactly how much is going into the pan with no guess work, and I have infinite adjustment. My storage tank sets on the ground, but my feed tank is up in the air (as stated earlier). I have a pump and float switch set up so that the feed tank has a constant level in it for constant pressure, so there is constant flow through my meter. If your storage tank is also your feed tank, the flow meter system (I think) is still better option than the float and z-arm. When the flow drops from 3 gallons per minute to 2.9 GPM, I know because the gauge tells me so, and I can adjust the flow accordingly without the pans getting too shallow. With the z-arm I wouldn't know that the flow had dropped until I noticed that the pans were getting shallow and then I would have to not only adjust the z-arm to allow more flow, but I would also have to add extra sap to accomadate for the lower level in the pan which can often times lead to flooding the pan which usually messes up the boil and the efficiency of the pan.

[hard maple]

lew
where can I get a flow meter, and how much do they cost? seems like a good way to measure the performance of the evaporator (gph) as well.

[maplehound]

Stay away from the flow meter between the feed tank and the evaporator. Especially if you have a small setup. I put one in my line once and the meter froze up and stoppped the flow of sap to the pan. Almost lost everything. Luckily we caught it in time. The meter was then trown in the junk. If you want to use one I suggest putting it in between the holding tank and the feed tank. Your flow is greater there and will allow the meter to work more efficiently.

[lew]

Hard Maple, I can't remember what the cost was, I think about $35 for a used one with a flow rate of 0 to 10 gpm, you can get them for just about flow rate you want. For a smaller rig I thinI would want one in the range of 0 to 5 gpm or less. this way the scale is spread out over4 to 5 inches for a more accurate reading. I got mine from Schambach maple in Western NY (Sardinia i believe). Probably anyone who handles RO's can get a new one, but I don't know at what price. Maybe you could check Bascom's for a used one or Ebay. I'm not sure if Schambach's is operating any more.

Maplehound, I have my flow meter mounted right beside my flue pan, almost touching it. It also has a drain on the bottom side. There's no way for it to freeze. putting your meter between the storage tank and the feed tank wouldn't allow you to measure how fast the evaporator was "eating" the sap and therefor wouldn't allow you to replace your float with a meter.

[maplehound]

Putting th flow meter in between the holding tank and the feed tank won't let you remove your float, but it would give you an indication of how much sap you are going through.
My flow meter didn't freeze because of the cold but because of to little flow and it was a used meter that may have had some other trouble as well. My point is that for a smaller producer ( as Hard Maple indicates he has a 2X6) The flow rate won't be great enough to keep most meter working properly. Also why ask for trouble when you can be safe.
JUST MY OPINION.

[super sappy]

I like the idea of a flo meter to take out the guess work and I think that I will install one in the supply line .It will be easy enough to leave the float hooked up <for now (belt and suspenders to keep my pants up). I will install everything with unions so if it screws up I will simply take it out and add it to the pile of junk that someone will need someday.I alwayse boil with a fresh pail of sap right next to the evaporator for emergencies anyway.I have a feeling that 15-20 gallons per hour may not be enough to make it work properly ,we will see. I also want to install a clear sight tube inside the saphouse, Massey Jack had a good setup last year and I think that I will copy his Idea. Now all I need is an extra day added to the week to get all this stuff done. Thanks guys- Super Sappy

[Parker]

I think the flow meter idea would work a lot better on an oil fired rig than one fired with wood,,,I know my rigs rate is always changing depending on how well i am tending the fire,,what I fire with,,and weather variations-time of day,,ect,,,,,,,My Opinion,,,,having never tryed one

[rschoo]

Instead of a flow meter I just note the level in the feed tank and keep track of it. I know how much is in it + or - about 2 gals. If you add to the feed tank during a boil just note the before and after levels. This works out pretty accurate for me judging by the Brix of the sap and what I end up with in syrup. I don't know how accurate a flow meter would be unless it measured the actual amount of liquid that passed instead of the rate per minute.

[maplehound]

I do wish those of you who are going to try the flow meters lots of luck. I hope it works better for you than it did for me.
Supper sappy: I don't know how Massy Jack set up his site gauge but on mine I used glass milk pipe line. It works great. I even have a big enough one that I could put a bober inside to help see the level. I have it marked at the overflow point and the point when my pump comes on to fill the tank. I have also put in a drain on the bottom to drain it at night so It won't freeze. I could get some pictures of it if you would like.

[brookledge]

Just remember what ever you do, do not restrict the flow coming into your evaporator. If and when you realize you have no sap in your pan you want unresticted flow as fast as possible.
Keith

[Parker]

I have my head tank (600gallons)inside my sugarhouse next to the evaporator,,It is fed by gravity from 3000 gallons worth of tanks from the hill side above the sugarhouse, leavel in the headtank is controled by a float in the headtank,,I have 1-1/4" pipe out the bottom of the headtank going into a "T" with a valve on the bottom to drain the tank,,then I have enough pipe to go past the bottom of the tank and another "T" with a piece of clear plastic milk house pipe that is a littel taller than the tank,,this gives me my tank level at a glance,, from there the pipe goes across the top of the evap. to another "T" with a valve and a downspout into the cover on my flue pan,this is my OH S*#T line,,in an emergency I can flood the flue pan quickly,The pipe then has anothr "T" just befor it goes into the pre heater with another piece of milkhouse tube on it going up to a height even the top of the feed tank for a burp tube for the preheater,when you really get boiling bubbles that are created in the preheater are vented here, I always keep a couple of 5 gallon jugs of sap next to the syrup pan for emergencys...I would like to put the tank in a seprate room cause it is hard to clean now and the sap in it gets too hot,,I run just the regular float,my head tank is about 16" above the float box,I have a parrelel flow pre heater,,the feed problems I have had were from the pre heater becoming air bound,,evevtually I would like to get a diffrent preheater,{or steamaway) the features of this set up i really like are the stand pipe, the emergency valve, and the drain,,,

[forester1]

I have what Parker has for a sight gauge. A T on the line from the head tank to the evaporator and clear plastic tubing hose clamped on the T and run up to a level higher than the feed tank. You can see at a glance the feed tank level.

[Brad W Wi]

Are your feed tanks inside or out side?

[forester1]

My feed tank is outside but the T is inside at the preheater entrance and the clear hose goes up to the ceiling to get higher than the highest level of the feed tank.