Sap storage tank, RO, & sugarhouse design

[m2salmon]

Not sure what category to put this question into. Many classic sugarhouses have a small low pitch shed roof off one side & a U-shaped stainless bulk sap storage tank. For those of you who have this design & use an RO- what is your process? Do you have issues with freezing up of the ballvalve on the bulk tank? Does this force you to only use RO when above freezing?

For me, we'd typically boil on weekends. Tank would be filled during weekday collection. At some point would like to run through bucket RO once before boiling. Last year we RO'd sap in garage. Maybe that's what we need to continue doing, but wanted to see what others may be doing for similar set-up, to avoid hauling pre and post RO'd sap to a heated area.

[DMF]

I ran heat tape from my sugar shack, along the pipe, and around the valve of my tanks. I use milk tanks and they are "kinda" insulated.

[red/one]

m2salmon- I had the same issues/questions you have. I've improved over the years. I used to have my 290gallon tote/head tank outside and froze/busted many valves. I use a bucket RO type system as well.
This is what I have done up to this point: I took apart by bucket RO and hung it on plywood. Then built an insulated box around it with an incandescent light inside to keep it from freezing. My head tank (now 2 55 gallon plastic barrels) is now in the sap house and I put a storage tank (old head tank) inside as well. I keep a tank heater from Tractor Supply in the storage tank and when we need to boil we will pump into the head tank. I also recirculate the RO into the head tank as well. Hopefully keeping the tanks indoors will lessen the likelihood of freezing sap. Fingers crossed.

[eustis22]

do you preheat? if so, how do you feed from the head tank to the preheater?

[DMF]

I should have added that my heat tape also runs inside the shack and along the bottom of my head tank.

I have a bucket RO system on plywood as well that hangs on one wall. If it's really cold and I'm not running it. I bring it inside. If it's really cold and we are boiling the next day, I often run the RO overnight. In that case, I used to set up a work light stand with halogen work lights pointed at it and it keeps the RO from freezing. We just bought an electric porch heater that I will use for that purpose this year.

When I have partially cooked sap in the evaporator, I put a drop lamp with a 100W bulb in the evaporator firebox on the ramp section between the syrup and flue pan and it keeps the sap from freezing.

[bmbmkr]

Use gate valves on your tanks, ball valves last one freeze if they have liquid in the globe.

[TapTapTap]

Yup, ball valve gets a little sticky when it's cold.

This usually happens when we get an early season thaw and try to boil the next day after the temperature drops. A little heat on the ball valve helps. I try to remember to drain all of my lines before the temperature drop. But I usually forget something on that first boil.

You expanding this year Marty?

Ken

[johnallin]

Not sure what category to put this question into. Many classic sugarhouses have a small low pitch shed roof off one side & a U-shaped stainless bulk sap storage tank. For those of you who have this design & use an RO- what is your process? Do you have issues with freezing up of the ballvalve on the bulk tank? Does this force you to only use RO when above freezing?...

I have plugs for the drains on my bulk sap and head tanks. They're on stainless rods so I can set and pull without reaching down into the tank bottom.
If a freeze is coming, I jamb the plugs in and open the ball valve(s) so they can drain and not freeze up.
Works great...as long as you remember to pull the plugs before you start pumping sap or feeding the arch..