Stainless steal vac tank

[wilson maple]

I have found a 600 gallon stainless steal vac tank that was used for a milk tank. I was wondering if i could put my sap line directly into the tank and hook vac to the tank and eliminate the sap extractor. It seems like the tank would act just like a big extractor plus I would have storage at the same time. Can you guys help me out?

[caseyssugarshack93]

Yes u can hook ur mainline to the tank and hook the vac to it just like how it was used in milking.

[Homestead Maple]

There's a person near me by the name of Paul Messer and he had a vacuum tank such as this and he gave it up because the amount of warmth in the tank caused the sap to make mostly dark syrup. If you have away to cool the sap in the tank or the sap didn't stay in the tank more than an hour or so in a closed environment, you would be okay other wise the sap will be quite warm in there and bacteria will grow a lot faster, hence the darker syrup. If you'd like his phone number so that you could talk to him I could get it for you.

[802maple]

I know of a sugarmaker that has a endless supply of water by his tanks. He drilled a hole on the bottom of his tank in the outer skin and attached a 1/2 or 3/4 inch line to that and then he drilled a hole in the upper part of the tank in the outside skin to make an over flow. He then started a siphon from his water supply and he had a source of cooling his tank all sugaring long as he just kept it running.

[brookledge]

Another thing you need to be aware of is the amont of vacuum the tank is rated for. don't go beyond or you will implode it. Many have done that.
But yes you can. Also make sure you have a moisture trap in line so that there is no chance of the tank filling and then going into your pump.
Keith