What size evap

[Ridgeland Farm]

Im starting a sugarbush this year. Going from 75 taps or so to 2500. What size evap should I get to handle 3000 taps using an RO? I was thinking either a 3x8 or a 4x10. Right now im not looking for one that will take the least amount of time to boil. I Dont mind the long days right now. I am starting from scratch and am on a budget! My goal is 800gal. of syrup next year. Just wanted to know your opinions.

Stefan

[Jeff E]

With an RO those sizes will do. It will be important to match your evaporator to the output of the RO. Makes for effiecent sugarhouse time.

My RO will do on average about 500gph input, with the output of about 110 gph. My evaporator does about 100 gph. Mine is a 3x12 with a 8 ft flue pan, wood fired, natural draft.

If you jack up a 3x10 or even a 3x8 with oil burner, forced draft wood, or what ever, you can get to the same or better evaporation rates.

If you have good trees, and 2500 of them, you could end a good day 5000 gallons of sap:D . Storage is a big issue. Set up your RO so you can recirculate the concentrated sap back to you tanks as well as your feed tank. That way you can pull out water before you start a fire, and get your sugar % even higher if you like.

So, 5000 gallons of sap going into a 500 gph RO = 10 hrs of run time. Fire in the evap for probably 12 hours. Not a bad day.:)

[gmcooper]

My advice is talk with guys like Glen Goodrich, Bascoms and the maple supply reps. You've got a major project and you want to get it right. As far as the budget, yes bugets are nice but you need a really big one for 2500 taps from scratch!
Good Luck!
Mark

[Ridgeland Farm]

So if I understand it right your 5000gal of sap will turn into roughly 1000gal of processed sap at im gonna guess around 9% would equal right around 105gal of syrup a day. So theorhreticlly if you had 10 good days of sap run and got 5000 gal a day you would make around 1000 gal of syrup?.?.? So Jeff E.... Do you have an operation that produces 5000 gal of sap on a good day and if so how many taps do have to produce that much. Thanks for the help guys.


Stefan

[Ridgeland Farm]

The sugar house will cost me only labor time. I have all the supplies to build that. and Im looking at about a 75k budget or so to get started. Not sure if that will get me there or not.


Stefan

[Jeff E]

I have 1750 taps, and I have tapped all maples that I have lines going by down to 6" trees. So I am not getting big numbers per tap. Yet. I am built to handle 2500 taps (get there by next year). I have 3500 g of storage. My biggest day this year with 1750 taps was 2400 g of sap. So I am going into next year wondering if 3500 storage is enough. I may have to add another tank. We will see.

You probably will not get 10 max days a year. This year was a monster year around hear, and some guys got 1/2 gallon of syrup per tap. Good trees, high sugar. 2500 taps at 1/2 gal per tap = annual total sap per tap at about 20 gallons.

My biggest processing day was 73 gallons of syrup. That was a fun day.

[Jeff E]

Budget wise, you will be close if you have limited building costs.
My budget was around that

[Amber Gold]

when you set your woods up go with vacuum. you won't regret it and will pay for itself in no time. I'd plan on $10 per tap which includes the vacuum pump, releaser, and misc. stuff.

[Jeff E]

That $10 per tap will be the woods work done.

You will need to budget addtionally for RO, Evaporator, tanks, pumps, filter press, fittings, valves and more fittings. Wiring, 200 amp service, a good idea from the get go.