Cage Tanks

[Father & Son]

I thought I had read on here something about the color of the cap on cage tanks being an indicator as to what was previously in the tank but I can't find the post.
I have found some cage tanks that a guy bought and he was told the tanks came from a coke plant and they had coke syrup in them but they have a red cap. They also have a label on the side - it doesn't name the product that was in it but it does say use before September 15, 2006. It sounds like it was a food industry product but I thought I read that the black caps were food products and to stay away from the tanks with red caps.
Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Jim

[Fred Henderson]

I had read that also, to stay away from the red cap ones.However that may not always be the case. You should research it further.

[Russell Lampron]

I can't find that thread either but I think the ones with the red caps are the safe ones. Royalmaple would know for sure.

Russ

[royalmaple]

It is the red caps that are suppose to be NON food grade and black caps that were food grade.

But you can't go by the caps, or just what you were told.

I am working with a company that sells food grade liners for any caged tote and replacement valves for them as well. I will post the results. Then you can use any tote you can find, just put in a liner.

No matter what someone told me what was in it, I think I'd still use the liners for 100% certainty and then throw them away after a season lets say.

[Father & Son]

Matt,
Great information. Keep us posted as to the particulars of the liners and valves. I thought I had seen somewhere on here of the black and red caps, but after looking for about an hour I gave up and started a new thread.

Jim

[MKR VT]

I have a couple of these tanks. One of mine has a red lid, and I know that one came from a baby food plant in the area, and was originally filled with soy oil. If it is safe to feed a baby, must be safe for syrup, but I bleached mine anyway.

[ibby458]

Where are you guys finding these tanks? I've been looking for one for years, but all I can find is the ones that held chemicals.

[royalmaple]

Ibby the chemical ones are easier to find for sure, since not many people want them unless they are going to store fuel oil or biodiesel in them.

When I get all the particulars sorted out with the liners and the valves, it won't matter what was in the containers and the chemical ones will be fine to use, since you are only using them as a means to hold the food grade liner.

I will be able to get a better price the more I buy, is there any interest in some of these liners from you guys? If we buy in a lot it will save us all some money.

From what I have been told from the sales rep they are like 30ish dollars each and he was going to make sure on the valve but was thinking they were under 20 bucks. The valves would be good forever and I was going to just throw away the liner each season, but i think you could wash them / rinse them and keep them from year to year.

The tanks I have are schultz totes, each tote needs a different liner. But there are only like 4 major manufacturers of them anyway.

Even if you have a food grade tote it wouldn't be a bad idea to use a liner to be 100% sure and also no flavor issues.

[davey]

I'm interested

[Fred Henderson]

I am interested.

[Fred Henderson]

Where are you guys finding these tanks? I've been looking for one for years, but all I can find is the ones that held chemicals.


Call or go see the guy in Louisville, or maybe Rex Hwd in Canton.

[NH Maplemaker]

Father & Son, It was me that posted about the red cap on the totes! I'm not 100 % sure that it is true! But when I got two of my tanks, the dealer that sold them to me told me that! He said that the red cap tanks had chemicals of some kind in them ! That could be BS, But I have always stayed away from them just to be safe! Sorry for any confusion. Jim L.

[sbmaple]

I was wondering how safe caged tanks that contained food grade glue would be ??.Not sure what color the cap is.Theres place near me that has severla of them

[Pete33Vt]

They would be perfect!!! Your syrup would really stick to your pancakes!!!
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriuosly I'm not sure. Just couldn't resist!
Pete

[ibby458]

What guy in Louiseville? How do I get in touch with him?

[reddeer]

I have found IBC tote liners on the internet that are food grade.

Has anyone used them and how did it work?

[heus]

Jim, Smell the inside of it. If it had coke syrup you will still be able to smell it no matter how much it was cleaned out. Mine came from Atkinsons in Ontario and even though I cant get the smell out of it, it has never affected the sap quality. I will check to see what color cap I have when I go back down to the sh later.
Now I see this was from years ago. Nice

[halfpint]

http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/grd/2235459965.html

[BradWilson]

I've got three of them that came from the same baby food maker here in VT. They all contained some kind of oil, soy, veggie, etc. Lots of guys use them here and all say that after a good HOT pressure washing they haven't had any troubles. The most difficult time we had was cleaning the ball valves but they are fine now. Two have red caps and one has a black cap but I've been assured by the person that procured them that once washed they will be fine. The underlying issue here is KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM. Good luck all, season is slow to start here in Northern VT.

[thetoteguy]

If you are in the central NY area (Syracuse) I have a bunch of the food grade totes for sale, both 250 and 275 gallon size. You can see my ad in the classifieds section.