Evaporator Size???

[MapleChaser]

Hopefully I can be on line in 2010 would like to tap around 2 to 3000 taps.

So many people on here with different size rigs I was thinking a 2 by 8 or a 3 by 10 I know I will need a ro. will the smaller unit work good for now and up grade in a few years?

Your input is very helpfull.

[Jerome]

the evaporation rate is 2 times the surface area of the evaporator
so I copied this from the atkinson website

Average sap yield: 1 gallon per tap, per day
Average boiling day: 10 hours (plus 1 hour for morning start up & 1 hour for evening shut down)
Example: If you had 500 taps, we would recommend a 2 1/2' x 10' evaporator.

500 GALLONS/10 HOURS = 50 GPH

10 HOURS
2.5' x 10' = 25 ft2
25 x 2 = 50 GPH

Hope that helps

[fred]

3000 taps

4 x 14 and ro

or

6 x 16 with out

unless you are not collecting or someone else is boiling as you bring in sap.
there arent enough hours in a day to do everything and check the woods every couple of days

[Bradenfish]

My cousin runs 2100 taps on a 3x8 w/STEAMAWAY and r/o.

[Russell Lampron]

I wouldn't go any smaller than a 3x10 with a 1200gph RO machine. Concentrate the sap to 15% or higher and you should be able to handle 3000 taps without too much trouble. 3000 gallons of sap concentrated to 300 gallons of concentrate will be around 20% and will take about 4 hours to boil on a 3x10.

[PATheron]

This is how youll make out with a 600 gph ro and 3 by 10. You can see if you like the numbers. Friday I started R.O.ing at noon. I had 4000 gallons of sap. I think I ran it till around 10 pm recirculating the sap and getting rid of water. Rinsed it every 4 hours and it was still exceeding the rating running easy like that when I quit. Just figure on getting rid of 300 gallons of water an hour. Now keep in mind unlike the big evaperator all that time no wood involved, no hard work, etc. Washed it good and went to bed. Got up yesterday and started in with a clean R.O. and went to recirculating more while were getting ready to boil. Fired up the evap and left it on recirculate and whenever I needed sap in the head tank just turn the valve and send some up. Didnt start boiing till maybe 1030 and by the end of the day late afternoon had 100 gallons in the barrell. So to do 4000 gallons I need two days realistically to do it. I run 3500 taps and I feel I have more than enough evaperator with the 3 by 10 but I dont feel I have enough R.O. I think on that number of taps a 1200 with the 3 by 10 would be perfect. Just some realistic numbers for you to consider. Hope it helps. Theron

[maple flats]

Please rate this anyone. My plans for the next 2 years are to add a 600 gph RO and vac while keeping my 3x8. I only want to grow to between 1200-1500 taps and then stop growing. Does that look workable?

[Parker]

I would add to The(BIGSAPKING)ronn-you need a lot of tank storage and not minde having the sap around for a while
But, if you want to really bust your hump all season burning 2+cords a day(and all summer getting wood) just get a 6x18, the bigger the rig the cheaper it is...(used)
for ease of opperation and plenty of time in the woods (where you make your $ by keeping your vacuum up) a 1200 gph R.O. and a oil fired 3x12 would be a nice set up, if you can afford it..
If I were on a tight budget to get started I would try to find a 5x16 wood fired and a 600 gph R.O. both used,I think that would be a good balance to keep up with 3000 taps, you do however, need quite a bit of sap on hand to fire up a large evaporator,,,,
My 2 cents

[PATheron]

Par(so much wood you could pulp it and provide toilet paper for the entire nation)keer is totall right about the storage. I forgot to add that. I have 3000 gallons at the shed. 1200 across the road for that bush and a 6200 gallon semi trailer and that trailer gets used regularly. My problem is I have a town job and Im underequiped so my sap does sit a little while sometimes but theres nothing I can do. I do it as quick as feasable but its harder to get it in drums than it sounds. Just take everything syrup related you do and think about how hard itll be then double it and your about right. Theron

[fred]

what aggrevates me is the equiptment companies set up a chart for 10 hour boils and 95% of the people dont have that time.they get mad and burned out.very few have the money they need to get what they have to. so we tighten the belt. parker is right if you truley have the number of taps go with the bigger evaporator.as things get payed off you will find yourself with more time ,more taps and an ro which will give you more comfort.