Feed Tank Question

[michigansugarman]

Hi all:

I've been an avid reader of the forum for over a year and finally joined!

I've been a hobbyist for 16 years. I tap 50 -60 trees and for most of my years have used a Leader Half Pint. This year I am upgrading to a Leader 2 X 4.

Upgrading will necessitate using a feed tank. I have an aluminum tank approximately 2 ft wide by 4 ft long and 18 in high (about 95 gallons) with an outlet on the side. I am also looking at using a 50-65 gallon plastic tank (TSC has them), also with the outlet on the side.

It does not appear to me that either of these tanks would drain fully. Being employed full time, I can only boil on the weekends and some weekdays. It seems to me it would be necessary and/or desirable to drain and rinse the feed tank between the times I can boil.

I would appreciate any thoughts you might have on how to deal with this problem. Thanks!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

These tanks will work as a feed tank if you don't want to spend any more money. The round bottom tanks are better with a drain on the bottom as they drain fully. You can use one of these tanks or get a 55 gallon barrel and cut off the top and put a valve in the bottom of the tank on one end and built a platform for it with a slight slope towards the valve end.

Either way, you are correct in that it needs to be nice and clean every day if possible. If you go with one of the TSC tanks, just tilt and drain the remaining sap into a 5 gallon bucket. I used one of the 150 gallon stock tanks for a feed tanks many years ago when I had a flat pan and they work good. You can also tilt the tank towards the outlet when it quits running and this will drain out about all the sap in it.

[Russell Lampron]

If you build a stand for the tank it wouldn't be to hard to put a fitting in the bottom of the tank so that it could drain more completely. A replacement one like the one that comes out of the side of the plastic tank would work. Keeping the tank clean is very important especially near the end of the season.

[danno]

Do you plan to empty your evaporator after every boil as well and throw out the partially boiled sap? If so, I understand your concern about starting fresh with every boil. But if you are going to leave your evap full, I don't think leaving 10-20 gallons of sap in your holding tank is gonna hurt you if you are going to boil ever third day or so. Gotta figure the raw sap can't be much different than the sap that entered your evaporator just as you were shutting down. You may start out the boil with a little darker syrup, but the grade will come back as you get back into fresh sap.

My feed tank has a flat bottom and the drain is mounted on the side. I just leave a 2x4 under the opposite side and drain out as much as I can once a week and flush tank with a little bleach and lots of clean water. Do the outdoor holding tank about once a week as well the same way.

[Russell Lampron]

The sap that sits in the bottom of the feed tank will still have live bacteria in it that will multiply while sitting. If you get all of that into the evaporator when you shut down the heat from the evaporator will kill the bacteria.

[jrthe3]

i made mine head tank just like i poly tank i use a poly 55 gal drum put a 3/4 bulk head fitting about 4" up from bottom then on inside i treaded a 3/4 pvc street elbow with a 6" pice of pipe that is cut on angle on one end i keep it about a 1/8" off the bottom of drum and it drain neer emty

[michigansugarman]

Thanks for the ideas. Sounds like maybe adding a valve on the bottom on one end and raising the other end slightly is going to be my best option.