frozen sap tank

[softmaple]

any suggestions on how to unfreeze a 60 gallon sap tank? the tank is plastic, 2 feet wide and about 4 feet tall. the tank is located in the hut and i had an ice chunk leftover in it from last weekend. after i added the 60 gallons of new sap on monday the whole thing froze through with this cold weather. i want to boil on sunday, so i'm trying to figure out what the most efficient way to unthaw it would be.

[tapper]

Cover it with a tarp as if it were in a tent leave one end open and blow a space heater into the open end. Set the space heater just far enought away so that most of the heat stays in the tarp but doesnt melt it. I would thaw just enough of the ice to make the tank usable. Use the remaining ice block to keep future sap cool.

[brookledge]

Just don't use a kerosene heater to blow under your tarp the fumes will end up ruining your sap. Probably ok with propane. Another thing would be to drop in a few electric heaters like the ones used to keep cattle water tanks from freezing.
I always try to boil up everthing I have when I know things are going to freeze up for a while.
Good luck
Keith

[325abn]

I dont know that a good size chunk of ice to thaw! Chance are you are going to have buco amount of sap this coming week and the 60 Gal chunk of ice will remain ice for some time.

I too collected about 60 Gal last Sunday and kept it thawed with a drop light hung down in the tank.