How about propane?

[Sapcat]

I only have 50 taps and normally only collect 120 gallons of sap. Is setting up an arch using propane a bad idea?

[markct]

Its not very economical as it seems to put about half the value of the syrup in as fuel. Turkey fryer is the least efficient due to low surface area but some people i have seen use a larger flat pan on an old gas grill with better results

[Troy D]

I used propane last year for one boil and the amount of LP I used was WAY to much for me. (Turkey cooker) I used wood the second time with a leaf blower under the turkey pot. Great boil!!! I can get wood for free so I am going to use wood this year. I received syrup from several different people over the last year I noticed a "smoke" flavor in some of the syrup. I REALLY liked it. I know one of the jars we had is boiled start to finish outside with a wood fire. I did not tell my wife and she commented on the great light smoke flavor. Good luck

[TerryEspo]

If at all possible use wood fire not propane, so expensive with propane.
Configure some kooky way to have a wood fire under your pot, blocks, steel sides, whatever if only boiling 120 gallons. That being said if you have access to free wood.
Maybe finish it all with propane once down to 5-10 gallons of sweet. Keep it fun and not spending too much on propane keeps it fun or me.

Whatever you do good luck and enjoy every part of the season ahead.

Terry

[Sapcat]

Thanks to everyone who commented. Much appreciated.

[Rangdale]

I use propane and have it down to one tank per gallon. Certainly not as economical as free wood but a tank only costs me $12 at the local BJ's Wholesale Club so not too bad. However, it's not super fast, we only get about 6-7 gallons an hour evaporation rate. But it works nicely for us as I can get the pan boiling in about 5 minutes and can shut it down instantly if need be. We usually make a quart when the kids get off the bus each day and a little more on the weekends. Our girls have a lot of fun with it and that's what really matters to me I guess.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Just curious if anyone is using propane that is boiling high concentrate on a commercial flued evaporator and what cost is per gallon of syrup with normal cost of propane?

[Tidajo]

I use propane and have it down to one tank per gallon. Certainly not as economical as free wood but a tank only costs me $12 at the local BJ's Wholesale Club so not too bad. .
Using a turkey fryer last year, it ended up costing me $7 in propane per pint of syrup. If I could boil 40 gallons of sap for twelve bucks, I'd build a homemade R/O machine and make three gallons for the same $12.

[On the ledge]

I used propane my first two years, I probably could have bought it for the same price as it cost for propane, but it would not of been mine. I have upgraded since but I don't regret the learning experience. Nothing tasted better than the first batch of syrup I made.

[1ruralmailman]

n i use propane on my homemade 2x3 evaporator.i get three days from a 100 pound tank,and will make around 2.5 gallons in the process.i have a local place that fills a tank for 50 bucks so it works out ok.

[Rangdale]

I have two 3 burner cast iron burners that I built a table for. Under the burners on the table I used 18 feet of copper tubing for a pre-heater which made a huge difference. I have been toying with the idea of a homemade RO and hopefully can do that this coming summer.

[Twin_Maple]

As a a small hobby producer in a close neighborhood, I have been using propane for 10 years or so. I don't have time to wait for a fire to warm up and cool down nor a place to store the wood. I also would have to buy the wood. I just upgraded my set up to a 20 x 39 3 section pan with pre-heater on a much larger 6 burner event style grill that I will fire brick and insulate. I use 40lb tanks in tandem but plan next year to hook it up to my home supply next year. It depends on your needs, for my 20 taps it works well and it is not messy so the wife does not complain. The convenience of propane for a small hobby producer not worried about the nickles and dimes might outweigh the perceived lower cost of wood. It is not about what you can buy it for in the store, it is the experience of making it yourself, giving your friends that gift and teaching your children, their scout troop and fiends where real maple syrup comes from. Again, I am not looking to make a profit on this stuff, it is a hobby, like brewing beer, it costs money to do, sometimes more money than the stuff in the store, but it is my beer and my maple syrup.

[1ruralmailman]

As a a small hobby producer in a close neighborhood, I have been using propane for 10 years or so. I don't have time to wait for a fire to warm up and cool down nor a place to store the wood. I also would have to buy the wood. I just upgraded my set up to a 20 x 39 3 section pan with pre-heater on a much larger 6 burner event style grill that I will fire brick and insulate. I use 40lb tanks in tandem but plan next year to hook it up to my home supply next year. It depends on your needs, for my 20 taps it works well and it is not messy so the wife does not complain. The convenience of propane for a small hobby producer not worried about the nickles and dimes might outweigh the perceived lower cost of wood. It is not about what you can buy it for in the store, it is the experience of making it yourself, giving your friends that gift and teaching your children, their scout troop and fiends where real maple syrup comes from. Again, I am not looking to make a profit on this stuff, it is a hobby, like brewing beer, it costs money to do, sometimes more money than the stuff in the store, but it is my beer and my maple syrup.

right there with you.the convenience of the fire up,i can boil in 5 minutes,and when i shut it down at night it is done.yes it is a expense,but it is my hobby i like to do,it reminds me of time spent with my dad as a kid.all in all it is worth it for me to do it this way:)

[jeffeich]

I used propane my first year in a 2 x 8 arch, used two pipe burners that were 6 foot long each. Really could not get a good boil going, it worked by I should have had three of the burners. I pulled out the burners and now use wood. I did make 75 gallon of syrup with propane, used about 50 gallons to do it. It will work but only in a smaller operation. Good luck, I still have the pipe burners if anyone wants to buy them. Hope to start tapping soon.

650 taps
75 bee hives
2 John Deere Gators
2X8 Smoky Lake Evaporator
3X8' Homemade outdoor evaporator

[KV Sappers]

I agree with Twin_Maple and 1ruralmailman. I started out on a custom made 3 section pan on top of 3 high propane burners. Worked fine boiling around 4 gph. Only problem I had was the 40 gal propane tank could not keep up with the burners. Once the tank became about half full I had to swap it out for another full 40 gal tank. This got to be a pain, so this year I've invested in a Lapierre raised flue propane burner. I'll have 2 100 gal. tanks hooked up to this and my boil rate should be around 8 gph. Propane is certainly not cheap but I also like the fact that I can just turn off the burners and walk away whenever I want. As the old saying goes .... different strokes for different folks. I'm not looking to make any money off my sugaring. Just a great hobby. Only you know what you want to get out of your sugaring. Whether it's propane or wood evaporator once you start you will be hooked the rest of your life. Have fun.

[Clinkis]

I used to use wood but have been using propane now for past 7 years. Like others have mentioned, the convenience of instant startup and shut down is great! As far as the expense goes, it's a hobby and I always sell enough syrup to pay for it and cover all my other costs. I used to use Turkey burners on flat pans and used various methods to help improve efficiency but still loose a lot of heat. 3 years ago I also bought a lapiere propane evaporator. Greatly improved my efficiency. That, combined with a small RO I can make syrup for around $3 a litre. I borrow one of my 420L tanks from my house and it will easily get me through the season.

10698

[Clinkis]

I agree with Twin_Maple and 1ruralmailman. I started out on a custom made 3 section pan on top of 3 high propane burners. Worked fine boiling around 4 gph. Only problem I had was the 40 gal propane tank could not keep up with the burners. Once the tank became about half full I had to swap it out for another full 40 gal tank. This got to be a pain, so this year I've invested in a Lapierre raised flue propane burner. I'll have 2 100 gal. tanks hooked up to this and my boil rate should be around 8 gph. Propane is certainly not cheap but I also like the fact that I can just turn off the burners and walk away whenever I want. As the old saying goes .... different strokes for different folks. I'm not looking to make any money off my sugaring. Just a great hobby. Only you know what you want to get out of your sugaring. Whether it's propane or wood evaporator once you start you will be hooked the rest of your life. Have fun.

I'm assuming that you bought the same evaporator as me. If so, a little tip before you fire it up. Run the burners without the pans on it for an hour or so to burn off paint. If not, when the paint burns off it will make a mess of the outside of your pans. Been there done it and it made an awful mess I still cannot get off. Other then that I love it!

[KV Sappers]

I'm assuming that you bought the same evaporator as me. If so, a little tip before you fire it up. Run the burners without the pans on it for an hour or so to burn off paint. If not, when the paint burns off it will make a mess of the outside of your pans. Been there done it and it made an awful mess I still cannot get off. Other then that I love it!
Thank you for the heads-up on burning off the paint. I've never used float boxes and raised flues so any pointers you can give me would be deeply appreciated. Thanks again.

[bowtie]

I get the fast shut down times but it should not take more than 5 minutes to get a boil going with a wood fire and blower. I finish with a propane finisher but this year I plan on using it as little as possible. When I am ready to shut it down for the night I usually draw as much off as i can and "flood" the pan with an extra inch or so of raw sap, shut off the blower and usually go in. Should not have any problem so long as you let fire die down, the biggest issue with a flat or hybrid pan is keeping the gradient.