energy cost which upgrades will pay off for a less then 500 tap setup

[TRAILGUY]

collecting
now collect with tractor plow or pack roads maybe 1 gallon for 10 taps
posible upgades to vacuum and pumps reduce plowing and tractor use for collecting

boiling what pays
1. RO
2. Better arch air tight air over fire
3. steamaway

the main problem is electricity cost in the woods

[delivron]

Because you will need a generator the RO would most likely be the least cost efficient.
A better arch can be run with a small generator.
Then a steamaway or piggyback unit.

Do you value your Labor?
What could you sell a cord of wood for in New Durham.
How much time do you have to boil in hours?

Those are the typical questions that need to be answered to establish the value of a decision that you are asking.

[maple flats]

Not necessarily. I have a Ray Gingerich gas powered RO, 250 GPH and I paid $3200 new 2 yrs ago. I think that will be your best bet. You will not need a 250 unless you plan to expand a lot. At under 300 taps, even up to 5-600 taps a 125 is big enough, especiallt since you can reconcentrate for higher sugar. The 1st pass will remove 75% of the water (IE 2% becomes 8%) An easy second pass removing just 1/3 more water brings you to 12% sugar. My 250 runs about 4 hrs on a tank of gas (3 qts?), a 125 will run longer I'd think, but may be the same since both use the same engine and for those results you need the same pressures.

[TRAILGUY]

1. does the 250 need more water to clean filters then 125?
2. if close to same cost should I go with 250 as I have other sugar bushes in the area if I was to grow more. max on my land is less then 600?
3. how much power needed for ro or steamaway?
4. If I go with gas is it portable, could I use in the woods and just haul the concentrate ?
my shack is 300 feet from the house and right now I have 15 amps 115. will run lights and blower only.

[nymapleguy607]

1. does the 250 need more water to clean filters then 125?
2. if close to same cost should I go with 250 as I have other sugar bushes in the area if I was to grow more. max on my land is less then 600?
3. how much power needed for ro or steamaway?
4. If I go with gas is it portable, could I use in the woods and just haul the concentrate ?
my shack is 300 feet from the house and right now I have 15 amps 115. will run lights and blower only.

1. The 250 ro will need about 250 gallons of premeate water or more to clean and rinse the membranes. The 125 needs 125gallons or more to clean.
2. The 125 ro is expandable to a 250 ro by adding a 2nd membrane so you can always add another membrane if you decide to expand.
3. A steamaway uses either a 1/2hp or a 1/3hp high pressure blower so the amp draw is around 6amps.
4. An ro needs to be kept from freezing so unless you have a heated shed in the woods that probably wouldnt work.
As far as power at the shack goes you could go with a gas powered unit or some people will put the ro in the basment of there house and just run a line in and out of a window. Once they're done concentrating they take the sap and boil it off. It solves the power and heating issue.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

[
my shack is 300 feet from the house and right now I have 15 amps 115. will run lights and blower only.[/QUOTE]

If your shack is 300 feet from house, you could put RO at power source (house) and let it pump the concentrate to the sugar house.

[maple flats]

Some do RO at the woods, but you will also need to RO more at the sugarhouse so you get the permeate water (removed from the sap, almost as pure as distilled but not quite) for cleaning the RO. The unit does come on 6" casters, I push mine outside to run and back in after cleaning the RO, while I'm boiling.

[maple flats]

You could also do all ROing at the house on electric and either haul concentrate or pump it to the sugarhouse.

[TRAILGUY]

I see two ways I can go I think
1. I have an insulated garage and if I fire the wood stove on sub zero day water never freezes and it has 240 v is that the power a 125 needs
2. I have a tractor with racks front and back or set up on a trailer and park in garage at night

[maple flats]

I can't speak for other makes, but that is what a Gingerich 125-250 needs. They are exactly the same motor, frame and wash tank etc. except the 125 has 1 and the 250 has 2 membranes 4x40". When I bought 2 yrs ago the second membrane, SS vessel, and plumbing added $500. At that time it was $2500 for 125 and $3000 for 250 + $200 for high and low pressure cut off switches optional. I think those are now standard and he no longer makes units without the hi-lo switches.