Starting and evap with RO

[Brent]

I'm starting to think about how to do the plumbing and how to start up boiling with the (new to me) 160 GPH RO.

On the 2 x 6 evap I think it was doing 40-45 GPH with 2 to 4% sap coming in. I've heard a few comments of situations where highly concentrated set ups were making syrup in the flue pan. Are there special start up proceedures needed to avoid this. If I flood the whole system with 8-10% it seems that the flue pan will get pretty rich before I start to draw off the syrup pan. Do I need to be concerned about this or just flood and light the fire ??

[Jim Brown]

Brett; Just flood and light the fire. We concentrate to 8% and we just flood and fire up.Be ready to take 2 gallons + of syrup per hour off the rig after every thing gets hot.(ours takes about an hour to get thing up to temp) and the steamaway running wide open. We have a 150GPh RO and a steamaway and we have to let the RO run about 3 hours before we build the fire.we pull about 3-4 gallons per hour with 8% sap. With 1700 gallons of 2% setting in the tanks our total boil time was 7 hours,Your going to LOVE that RO!

Jim

[ennismaple]

We flood and light the fire. At startup you're constantly pushing fresh sap into the back but nothing is coming off the front as you boil. That creates the gradient regardless of the incoming sap concentration.

[Russell Lampron]

Yup like the others have said just concentrate to 8% or so, fill the evaporator and start boiling. I like to have 300 gallons of raw sap on hand before I start concentrating and sweetening the pans. That way I can get the pans sweet and draw off a couple of gallons on the first boil. At the levels that you will be concentrating to you don't need to worry about making syrup in the flue pan.

[caseyssugarshack93]

I made syrup to the float box last year 20% is amazing! lol:D :lol:

[802maple]

I have been making 20 percent plus sap for years and have never came close to syrup in the flue pan

[caseyssugarshack93]

im boiling on a 2x6 lol and i was starting to make syrup near the float box

[Brent]

Cassey you must have some kind of huge insulation failure to do that.

By the way, you've been posting here for quite some time with the "16 years old" handle. Don't you have birthdays any more ? I've been married about 35 years but my wife is still 29.

[caseyssugarshack93]

insolation failure? ha no failurs whats go ever, she was just really boilin, And yeah i do have birthdays, on febuary 23 i put 16 years old, because thats my b day and then when it hits febuary 23 this year ill put 17

[Brent]

Just seems like you've been 16 for a couple of years.

Let's see 1200 in 08 1900 in 09, That's about 60% a year.
Keep that up till you're 30 and it will be over 1/2 a million.
I'looking around hard to find a way to get a bit over 500 this year.
Good luck.

[caseyssugarshack93]

might be around 3500 next season not quite sure on how many taps are in this new bush im in lol ha, hope everying goes well with you hope you give 500 gunna need it with the New r.o

[PATheron]

Casey- Ive got one thing to say to you with the rate of increase of your tap count each season, "MY SON!!!! MY SON!!!! GO!!!!!! GO!!!!!!!! GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like to see that Im not the only nutjob around. I cant wait till season. I literally cant think of anything else from the time I get up to the time I go to bed. Cant wait to see how the two RO's work. Really sucked last year when I couldnt keep up. This will be a fun year. Theron