Most syrup made per cord of wood.

[log cabin luke]

I was just wondering what others are getting for fuel efficiency when it comes to gallons of syrup per cord of wood. I am looking into getting a place off the grid and I don't want to buy gas for a generator to run an RO . I build most of my own equipment and have come up with an evaporator design that I really think can make between 65 to 75 gallons of syrup at 2% sap with one cord of quality hardwood. It sounds almost impossible but I am going to try and build it for the next season. I'll let everyone know if it works.

Luke

[adk1]

Wow I really do not measure how much wood I use each season so hard saying for me. I think the rule of thumb for non ROr is 1 cord per 10 gallons? Of course there are so many variables to it between wood specie and how dry it is all they way to how you load the evap

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Standard rule of thumb (pre RO) was 25 gallons of syrup per cord of wood. Good luck!

[nymapleguy607]

I think I gat around 25-30 gallons per cord of wood, It really depends on the wood. If I were to burn my arch in gasification mode I could probably save alot more wood, but I want to get done in a hurry so I burn closer to full forced draft. Last year I timed the sap coming in about halfway through a firing cycle and tha sap was moving through the evaporator at about 60 GPH. The average GPH I get is 45-48.

[RC Maple]

The sugarhouse design guide put out by UVM says between 28 and 33.5 gal made when using good hardwoods.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I always averaged about 15 gallon to cord of wood before Steamaway. After Steamaway it went to 25 to 1. With RO, I am hoping to go to at least 100 to 1 and shooting for sap to hit Steamaway at 12% which will put it into the evaporator at aprox 18%.

[GeneralStark]

I was at about 25-30 gallons/cord last season with my intensofire. This was boiling a mix of good hardwood and aspen slabs. I too was running mainly with in forced draft mode and not gasification mode to maximize boiling rate. I think it will be tough to get much better than 35 gallons/cord with a direct fire arch. Combustion can only be so efficient. Most arch manufacturers have pretty much maxed out the combustion efficiency and now are trying to better automate the systems for the last scraps of efficiency.

With the RO, I hope to be able to gasify more and get to 100 gallons/cord at least.

[ennismaple]

I made 113 gallons on a single chord of wood on my best day last spring. It was good maple firewood, good sugar in the sap and I recirculated concentrate back into the sap tank for a few hours before I started to send concentrate to the feed tank. Since we are adding another membrane this year I expect this to be the norm in 2015.

[red maples]

it does depend on type of wood, evap efficiency, etc etc. but I burn all pine and before RO I was at a little less than 10 gallons per cord but with RO I am about 45 to 50 to 1 . I would have done better but sap in large quanities was hard to come by last season (first season with RO) it was alot of 50 to 75 gallons of concentrate boils you just get things heated up and running good and it time to shut 'r down.

[tuckermtn]

we were at 20 gal per cord with a natural draft 2.5 x 8.

50gal to 1 cord with RO and natural draft arch.

65 to 1 with RO and intensofire copy.

RO only to about 7 or 8%. 50 - 50 mix of hardwood and softwood for all situations.

now make about 100 gallons per ton of pellets, concentrating to 10-12%.

[maple flats]

I always averaged about 15 gallon to cord of wood before Steamaway. After Steamaway it went to 25 to 1. With RO, I am hoping to go to at least 100 to 1 and shooting for sap to hit Steamaway at 12% which will put it into the evaporator at aprox 18%.
Brandon, with those numbers you will exceed 100 to 1 easy. Before I had my RO I got about 22-24 gal per cord. Now I get between 110-120 gal per cord and I only on average take my concentrate to between 10-12% and I have no Steamaway. If you get 18% to the flue pan you should be in the range of 150 gal per cord. You will love the new RO for sure.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Dave,

I am excited about it, that is for sure. Probably be a lot of 1 to 1.5 hour boils, but that is good too. Thanks for all your help, you have been a great blessing and a truly nice guy.

[Mark-NH]

We have always run 10 gallons per cord or less. We burn only pine with a basic forced draft system on a 3x8. Half way through stacking my 10 cord I got fed up and ordered an RO.

The ratios you guys are throwing around are making me giddy.

[adk1]

I basically burn pine myself cause it is what I have. Cleans up the woods.

[Jebediah]

Worth considering that a limitless amount of "maple water" can be produced without ever striking a match.