Sap Tank Placement

[Trapper118]

Hi everyone, I have a question for you all. I just finished building our new sugarhouse. The building sets east and west. The question I have is should I put the sap storage tank on the south side (more sun) or on the north side (not much sun)? Thank you for any advise you can give me!

[madmapler]

You want to keep your sap as cool as possible. They say it has spoiling characteristics similar to milk. I would keep it on the north and try to devise a way to preheat it just before it enters the evaporator.

[maple flats]

North is always better if possible. Then add shade if you can. I put some greenhouse shade fabric over mine, I use 80%shade. A roof is even better, but anything is better than nothing.

[sg5054]

I have a 300 on the north side of my shack under a roof. As soon as it starts snowing I start burying it in snow to help keep it cold. I also freeze at least a dozen milk jugs full of water in my chest freezer. We had a week last spring where it warmed up with rain and foggy nights. The jugs and snow bank saved me as I was sitting on a full tank when the weather changed. I'm thinking about getting some blue board and insulating the tank.

[BreezyHill]

Cool is good...cold is better, let it freeze and remove the ice...its water. warm sap goes faster than milk. Blue board is a good idea but I would have it on hinges that you would pull away from the tank to allow the cold night air to chill the sap and shut her up in the day time. Open top tanks release more warmth but you can get FM(foreign matter) in the sap. While a screen over the top will work both ways. What ever you do keep it out of the sun one way or another.

[Trapper118]

Thank you all for the information! North side it is.