Milk Tanks

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

I just purchased a used stainless insulated milk tank. However I'm not sure what size it is. I have figured out that it is approx. 76,800 cubic inches which is somewhere around 330 gallons, but the round bottom make this measurement somewhat difficult. There is some sort of gauge inside the tank but it doesn't make any sense to me. It starts at 0 and goes up to 30L. I'm not sure what unit of measurement the L stands for. (Liters doesn't make any sense) The gauge is divided odd as well. Inbetween each main number (ex. inbetween 3 & 4) it's divided into 28 or 30 smaller parts??? I can't figure it out, If anyone know please reply.
Thanks,
Jason

[mapleman3]

well you could fill it up and empty into a 5 gal bucket and count it as you empty it... that will take awhile though... usually there is a model # which usually corosponds to the gallonage... as for the gauge. check with a local dairy hauler, they can help you, tell them you'll give them a bit of syrup if they help you out.

[Brian]

The bigger numbers on the measuring stick are the amount of inches of liquid in the tank. To read a measuring stick, you need to have a chart, the chart tells how many pounds of milk is in the tank. The smaller number on the stick is the row number on the chart. Every three years or so a new chart is issued to a farmer after the tank has been recalibrated, farmers sell their milk by the pound. The milk truck driver also uses this stick to figure out how much milk they have bought from the farmer. :D

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I don't know a lot about milk tanks, but from what I have seen, they are sold in 100 gallon increments. I stand to be corrected, but that seems to be the case! :?: :? :?

[Al]

Brians right on the mark. Called my Dad he hauled milk for 10 years and that was roughly the explanation he gave me. I think it made his night. Some of his best years were working with the farming community. Nice people like he says. Sort of like the maple community except for Rick. The only reason he likes me is I brought the heater. :lol:
Have a great night.

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

Thanks for the info guys, that's pretty interesting. I guess I have to make up a chart of my own which coresponds to the gauge so I can have a rough idea how many gallons are in the tank. I can dump five gallon pals into the tank and take readings based on the height of the sap.
Thanks again,
Jason

[Brian]

I grew up on a farm that was how i knew,Brandon the tank come in all diffrent sizes. One of my bulk tanks is 545 gallons ,The smallest bulk tank I have is 175 gallon

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brian,

Thanks for the info. Didn't know that but as I stated, I don't know much about them. I had only seen ones that were in 100 gallon increments. :)

[Brian]

That is why I like this web site, to learn new stuff and get new ideas. Also may be help some alts alittle to. :D

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Give him the Lb. to gallon caculation figure for milk and he'll be all set on knowing the gallons in the tank by the stick reading...Kevin

[mapleman3]

Brian, just curiuos ... why does a milk tank have to be recalibrated? does it change size after three years? I recieved a chart with my 310 gallon sunset... I have yet to figure out also how to read the dipstick.. but now I have a little more idea how it works.. thanks

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Jim-Research this one--Milk is about 8 3/5 of a Lb. to a gallon.It's due to the butter fat variation within the milk/Thats why they buy milk by the 100Lb. weight. What does you chart tell you now??...Kevin

[Brian]

Calibration charts won't match other tanks due to the size of the tank and the slant of the floor. A calibration chart is made specifically for each tank. After a tank is installed, it is anchored to the floor and due to moisture in the milkhouse, sometimes the floors heave a little bit, the person that is buying the milk will recalibrate the tank to make sure both parties are satisfied. It is done by the state of vermont or the dept. of weights and measures, so therefore, my chart is no good to anyone else. It just gives me a rough idea of how many gallons are in my tank.

[mapleman3]

I'm looking at my chart now along with the dipstick it has the larger #s that go from 0 - 23 and then each one is broken into 30 increments... I see on my chart as you said there is each inch then broken into parts of 30 so by my calculations 15" and 10 in the tank = 1750 lbs of milk which calculates intoappx 200 gals.. give or take.. I rounded the lbs/gal to 8.75

cool... now to figure out the correct decimal for 8 3/5

and now I understand why the calibration changes too !! 8) 8) 8)

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Yee Ha...I hope you came up with 8.60 Lbs. per gallon--Jim/Wanna sell it now that we talked you through it??? How much??...Kevin

[mapleman3]

ummm.. no.. I like my tank.. would like to get to use it :lol:

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Jim-Just kiddin'. I would need one at least 2,000 gal min. and would like to get a hold of a 4,000 gal in a couple of years?...Kevin

I have a milk tank question. If you take the inside tank out of the insulated part can you use both tanks. I was thinking about using the inside part at my pipeline and the outside (insulated larger part) at the sap house.
There is a sealer on the seams of the insulated part that I sanded off and it looks as though it is water tight except a few openings that i will have welded up.
Any thoughts?

[michaelh05478]

I'd go for it......stainless is stainless..... two tanks for the price of one......i have a half i paid 40$ for....around 300 gals........

[themapleking]

The 2 sections are welded together for strength. If you seperate them they may buckle when filled. Something to think about.

[Brian]

The old water bank milk tanks can be taking apart but they wont make two tanks with out alot of work because the outside is a thin layer of ss with insulation. the bottom is steel fram with like big ss cookie sheets that sit in the steel fram. The insulation sits in those. there are copper pipes in there for the refregerant to cool the milk. The reason most people split them is to make it easy to move the tank.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Mapleman3 did you research the weight of milk? Have you heard of the Milk tank caper that took place on a few farms in Vermont a few years ago with the "Artificial tank readings"??? Well i had no part of it but know 1 individual that was in on it real well.What was going on was "salt water" was added to the tank so that the tank reading was higher in height and so was the milk check for the month.Salt water was added to elevate the freezing point of the now doctored milk to compensate for the freezing point of the milk.Which is different from the freezing point of water. Salt water weighs in at 8.57 Gal and milk=Well you know the rest of the story.This went on for a while before they finally caught up with the farmers and milk truck driver that was in on it...Kevin

[Brian]

How would the milk sample test out at the creamery with the salt in it? I know a sample of milk is taken from each farmers tank before the milk is pumped onto the truck in case a cow was treated with penicillin or other antibiotics and were milked into the tank. If a farm does this, the farmer has to buy the whole tractor trailer truck load of milk. Each sample is tested at the creamery for bacteria, added water, butterfat, antibiotics, and other things. They even test for milk replacer.

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

They pulled it off with the assistance of the milk truck driver-Other then that i know nothing.You probably heard of it? 5-6 farms were in on it...Kevin

[Brian]

I never heard about it.

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

My Milk tank is leaking from the bottom of the ball valve. Any quick fixes?

[syrupmaker]

Can you snug the gland nut down? Even a 1/8 of a turn might be enough to do it.

Rick

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

Even with the bottom nut completly tight it still leaks. This is the first time I've used this tank, I was thinking about putting some vasoline around the valve??

[Brian]

I use crico shortening because it is food grade. :)

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

Thanks,
I'm on my way out to try it!
Jason

[NH Maplemaker]

Brain, Will crisco work to lub syrup filter pumps?

[SUGARSMITH]

http://www.aquadyntech.com/sitetools.html

Follow this link use the volume for a cylinder and then divide by 2

[howden86]

what is the diameter of your tank along with the length of the side

[Brian]

Maplemaker, I believe crisco shortening would work fine to lube your pump but can't stand behind it because I have not used it for that. I might try it some time. :)

[NH Maplemaker]

Brain,thanks for the help! What are you using as a lube in your pump?
If the weather dose'nt come around our way soon I won't need to worry about it for this year!!

[Brian]

Maplemaker, I bought a new grease gun at wal-mart and a cartridge of grease for the filter press pump from Danforth's. I think the cartridge was 10.00 but won't swear to it. This will be my first year with a filter press. I am sure I will learn a few things by summer.

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

Hello,
Does anybody know where I can buy a fitting that will change the threads on my milk tank valve to NPT, I want to run a line from the valve on my tank to my evaporator however I can't find anything that threads on to it.
Any Ideas???
Thanks,
Jason

[tstew]

try this go to ebay and look for handi-valve its from hamby dairy supply
http://search.stores.ebay.com/HAMBY-DAIRY-SUPPLY
http://search.stores.ebay.com/HAMBY-DAIRY-SUPPLY_handi-valve_W0QQfciZ11QQfclZ4QQfsnZHAMBYQ20DAIRYQ20SUPPL YQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftsZ2QQsaselZ3395926QQsofpZ0
if this doesn't work u can downsize with a fern cone witch is a rubber reducer with clamps

[maplehound]

I have asked several dairy suppliers about this. They all tell me that you can't do it. It seems dairy stuff is very specialized just to them. So I took one of the blank plugs that ussually come with my tanks and had it drilled out and a ss nipple welded on to it. They often crack and leak but JB weld fixes that real fast.

[maple flats]

I got the same answer but found they do have a plastic adapter to hook a tank washer to that hooks to the drain valve. I got 2 (1 for spare) and it came in 1" out, I hook this to a 3/4" copper pipe by using a piece of dairy tube (a semi soft vinyl ) and ss hose clamps. Everything from there is copper and pieces of this tubing so it remains movable if needed, I support it where I want to get good flow and complete drain.

[Seibold's Sugarhouse]

Thanks for the Info,
Jason

[MASSEY JACK]

Try calling Schleuter Co in PA. or WI. 1-800-359-1700 or 1701. We have an employee who worked in the Milking equip business for years and he gave me that name and number and said they were good with this kind of stuff.

Jack

[maple flats]

I have assembled my 415 gal bulk tank to the valve and out to a washer adapter converting it to 3/4" copper size by use of a clear vinyl section of tubing and clamps. From hereb it runs into the sugarhouse and into the evap. Question, the valve has an O ring on a butterfly to shut off, what is best to lube this with? is crisco best or something else better? Without any lube turning the valve handle tries to roll the O ring off the edge of the butterfly so I gave up turning all the way.

[brookledge]

You can buy food grade spray lubricant I have a can called Haynes Spray.
It is authorized by the USDA for equipment. Or you can try crisco also. Sounds like a mojoiner tank (not sure on spelling) I have one and the O ring never last long. I wonder if there is a special O ring that is meant for it?
Keith

[Sugarmaker]

Two things:
I bought some food grade grease in a tube from Mann Lake or Dadant Bee supply(??) to grease the bulk tank valve. (a tube is enough to last 10 life times) Yea around $10 . I can find the catalog if needed. Just pm Me.

Second I took the stainless stopper (flat plug) on the end of the tank valve and had it drilled for 1 inch pipe thread and screwed in a copper nipple, works fine. I have two or three tanks set up like this.

Regards,
Chris