sap storage

[twstate]

I am new on here posting and first would like to thank you all for much info.
Now I just wanted to tell you all I have a small operation (for this year) but have found that my two coolers that we use camping, one is 32 qt w/wheels and the other 40 qt w/wheels makes a nice couple of storage tanks and keeps sap cool plus you can move them around. Of course the big people wont find much use for a holding tank for 18 gallons+- but it works this year for my 12 taps. I have found a used 2X4 for next year so I hope I wont use them either but they work if you keep them clean for small operations.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Twstate,

Welcome to the trader and good advice on the coolers. There are a lot of small producers on here who are always looking for good ideas. At one time, about all of us were small producers if we haven't gotten larger. As I read your post, I liked the part about the sickness. Sure is hard to stay small isn't it? :D :D :D

Hope you enjoy the trader and post any questions or suggestions/ideas you have because they are always welcome and we love reading new posts! :D :D :D :D

[Al]

Welcome to Mapletrader.com. I started with 10 taps then 20 and a homemade barrel evaporator. Now I have 76 taps and a 2x51/2 evaporator. Getting 40 more buckets on Friday for next year!!! :D
I used some of those small white barrels at 15 gallons apiece when I was smaller. Now have several laying around and nothing for them to do. A 2x4 is a nice size rig and you'll make some really good syrup.
You ever get up around Fairfield stop on in.
Take care.

[MaineMapleDave]

The use of coolers for us SMALL guys is a great idea.

I used to freeze sap in 2-gallon buckets and use those giant cubes to keep the big (11 gallon, woo hoo) sap storage tank cold in the barn until I could boil. Should note that I can usually only boil on weekends.

The big sap cubes worked great, and I would then add them to the preheater pan and as they melted, they would then feed into the half pint. With the actual boiling rate of the half pint, the big cubes would melt and be preheated in the pan before I ever needed to add any sap to the evaporator.

Now, I have a few more taps and use an aquarium pump and inline UV sterilizer to sanitize the sap. I hook up the tubing into and out of the storage tank to continually recirculate the sap until I can boil. Keeps the sap from getting nasty, and the recirculation keeps it from freezing.

Maple syrup--more than a mere obsession................

[DougM]

Dave,
What was the cost of the UV unit you use? We have talked about it, but haven't found anything reasonably priced yet.
Thanks

[MaineMapleDave]

Doug--
welcome to my mad science..............................

I got both the pump and the UV unit for under $200 from: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/. They are designed specifically for recirculating and sterlizing water in aquariums.

Specifically the pump is the Little Giant 'Quarium Pump 2-MDQ-SC, and the UV unit is the Turbo-Twist 3X UV Sterilizer.

The setup works pretty darned well-keeps the sap from going nasty over the course of a few days--I can usually only boil on weekends.

It's a low-budget operation and the UV unit relies on recirculation to be truly effective. The many-hundreds-or-thousands-of-dollars in--line UV units that the maple dealers sell are very similar to whole-house UV units that are very powerful and are designed to sterlize in one pass.

I have a small dumping tank that I pour the sap into (through a filter). The tank outlet is connect to the pump inlet. The pump pumps the sap through plastic tubing, through the UV unit and then up to the storage tank up above the evaporator.

Once I have pumped all the gathered sap up to the tank, I disconnect the hose from the dumping tank to the pump, and connect it to the hose from the storage tank outlet. Turn everything back on and let the pump continuously recirculate the sap from the tank, through the UV unit, and back up to the tank until I can boil. When it's time to boil, I shut everything down and connect the hose from the storage tank outlet to the preheater pipe inlet in the preheater tank on the Half Pint.

You can also install a valve directly downstream from the UV unit and close it partially to create a back pressure to slow down the pumping. This will increase the time that the sap is in contact with the UV light, but will minimize the effectiveness of the recirculation somewhat.

Have fun, and if you have any questions, by all means ask 'em.

Interesting. I think Race, who posts here, is one of the owners of Drs. Foster and Smith, if i remember correctly. I wonder if he uses that unit for sap sterilization.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Where is a good place to get one of the "whole house" type sterilizers that kill the bacteria with one pass :?: I am dealing with several hundred to well over a thousand gallon of sap each week, so I don't want to have to recirculate it, but let it pass through once!

[brookledge]

www.caitechnologies.com click on water treatment then online store they are stainless and cost less than 500. they also give you an extra bulb worth about a 100

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Thanks for the info. They look good and I will be checking them out more fully! :D :D

[twstate]

Hey thanks everyone for the welcome. I have been already thinking ahead to next year. Thanks to my brother like I said I may have a 2x4 or 2x6 available he isnt sure yet I hope to go next weekend to see for my self and now he has checked with his neighbor (they are all about 15-20 mins from me) and they have he thinks like 150-200 trees in an old maple grove, I like can't sleep until I can verify all this then I will be sleepless until next year if it is all true!!
Hey Al I may have to find you one of these days the family and I love to just ride around on the weekends and stuff.
Is anyone going to the VT Maple fest in a couple weeks?

[Al]

Come on up and see us. I'm going to the Maplefest for sure. Friday and Saturday are the big open houses for Leader and D&G. Taking my Dad to see them this year on Saturday. Send me a e-mail when you come up and I'll try to get meet.
Take care