Sap Spoilage

[highway]

This weather blows, literally.

I have 200 gallons of 10% concentrate I cant boil because of the weather. The State has issued a red flag warning for all of Southern, NH.
I hope the sap doesn't spoil. The bummer of it is I have a walk in cooler I could use for the sap but dont have enough 55 gallon drums to put the sap in.

Hope it holds until tomorrow.

Ed

[wmick]

Whats the sap in now? Could you maybe add some ice blocks to it? Unwanted water, but better than dumping it, maybe?

[RedMapleCreek]

Are you sure that a red flag warning prohibits operation of a sugar house? Boiling over an open fire yes, but running an evaporator with a proper stack?

[ecolbeck]

A spark from my stack started a fire in the dry grass and leaves in my yard last night. After looking like a fool running around and stomping it out I turned off the blower and finished the night on natural draft.

[RedMapleCreek]

It should be a judgement call based on your local conditions. Running a blower with no remaining snow cover would clearly be a higher risk than natural draft and/or if your local area still had some snow cover. The red flag warning for southern NH expires at 8PM, so the OP could consider a late boil tonight or if he still has local snow cover then there is no real risk even before. Some higher elevation areas of southern NH do still have some snow cover.

[highway]

We have no snow cover and I have an airtight arch so can’t run the rig without the blower. All my sparks head directly towards the machine shed and the neighbors barn next door. Just checked the temps in the sap tank inside the sugarhouse and it was still at 35. Hope it holds for tonight or tomorrow.

[RileySugarbush]

In risky conditions, do what you can to minimize them. Burn only hardwood and reduce underfire air flow a bit with an inlet restriction or blast gate.

Also, adding AOF dramatically reduced the sparks on our rig.

[maineboiler]

I have used plastic jugs of ice in the past to avoid spoilage. Use a rope tether to pull them out later

[Bucket Head]

I'd say you'll be alright. I keep concentrate in a working bulk tank that is set at 34 degrees. Go get some bags of ice and drop it in. Don't let the temp. climb. It's easier to try and maintain that temp. then it is to try and bring it back down to 34 from something higher.

Steve