LP costs vs. Oil

[DougM]

Here's something to think about for you oil-burners who are sitting around waiting for a run to start:

On our first boil with our new rig we ran for right at 3.5 hours, boiled off 90 gal. of sap, and used 8 gal. of propane. That works out to 2.29 gal/hr., running at about "1/2-throttle".

90 gallons of sap boiled off with 8 gal. of LP = 0.09 gal. of LP per gal. of sap boiled. Or about 4.1 gal. of LP for 1 gal. of syrup, assuming we get our usual 45:1 ratio.
At $1.63/gal., that's $6.68 in LP per gallon of syrup.

How does that compare to your costs for oil?

Just curious, (and too much spare time with a calculator) :)

[michaelh05478]

i used about 2 gals of oil to a gal of syrup last year......at 1.29 a gal...last years price of oil....

ARE YOU AWARE THAT THERE IS ABOUT 2/3 THE BTU'S IN A GAL OF LP COMPARED TO A GAL OF FUEL OIL

[backyardsugarer]

The cost of my wood is about $5 a cord (gas and mileage to the saw mill).
If buying the wood the going price is about $35 per cord for slab wood. I don't know how much I can make per cord, but I am sure it is cheaper than any other heating method. The only real down fall is the time invested in cuttting it. I will be interested to see if propane or oil is cheaper.

Chris

P.S. Oil is $1.69 a gallon in the Rochester area right now.

[DougM]

ARE YOU AWARE THAT THERE IS ABOUT 2/3 THE BTU'S IN A GAL OF LP COMPARED TO A GAL OF FUEL OIL

No need to shout.... :roll:
And yes, I am aware of the difference.

But, regardless of the relative BTUs, our rig came propane-fired, so that's what we're going with, for now, at least. If we need to in the future we could go to oil, since the front is basically set up for it.
We could go back to wood, but the previous owner didn't have the doors.

Anyway, I just thought I'd post that as food for thought.

[michaelh05478]

:evil: :twisted: :evil: .........Had oil delivered wednesday!!! :twisted: :twisted: :evil: ........took 320 gals....$573 worth......SOMEONE STOLE 200 GALS FROM ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I had only used one tank last year....about 120 gals....no leaks.......Need to lock up tanks....Any ideas other than to buil walls around them.....

[DougM]

Ouch!!
Our gas tank is actually an old annhydrous ammonia tank on wheels. It's a good thing you can't see it from the road, or someone would probably be trying to steal it for a meth lab.

[mapleman3]

**** Mike, Do people have access to your road up there? someone had to have done it over time in 5 gal gas cans. do you think they siphoned? I think thats just crappy!! how does your cabin and sugarhouse hold up through the off season does anyone bother it??


Thats a question for others too... anyone ever vandalize your stuff? especially you guys with sugarhouses way off the beaten path.

[michaelh05478]

we have a cable atthe entrence to the rd....We had some low lifes down the rd from us.....Im thinking it was them...they where evicted from there place and when they left the dirt bags stole the furnace oil tank and water pump.......They where know to have light fingers.........

[mapleman3]

Thats just wrong :evil: :evil: someone should show them a lesson or two :twisted:

[syrupmaker]

What country is it that lops off fingers for stealing? Hard to carry and lift stuff when digits are removed at the wrist. :wink:

[forester1]

I worry about it since it is a big investment. There is a gate out at the county road on paper company land and my own gate in 2 miles. But 4 wheelers and snowmobilers go everywhere. I often go in my land on the weekend and see tracks around my building. No trespassing signs and the gate mean nothing to some people. I haven't lost anything yet but someone yanked open my cleanout door on the building that was just hooked inside and tore the hook out. So now I just screw it shut.

[michaelh05478]

Some people have no respect for others property....Jim, They tried to break into my brothers store again the other night....Nothing taken, good thing for the Alarm system.....We need some vigalante groups....... :twisted:

[mapleman3]

It's funny, most of the time we attribute it to " KIDS" but nowadays it can be anybody.... Why can't people leave things alone...

Get this, I had a steam radiator in the back of my truck for weight... Rick and Brandon saw it.. well the other day I went to shovel the snow out of the bed of the truck.... NO RADIATOR.. someone hiested the 150lb thing !! :evil: :evil: Can't leave anything out anymore.. I figure it happened at work I had left the truck for a weekend and had the Co. Van for Calls... :?

[ebourassa]

The was a guy up this way were they took 125 buckets off the trees and spiles, talk about bad day. He now spray paints his name on them, I am doing the same for my tanks, would be easier to spot that way if someone did take them.

[Dropflue]

Jim,
Is that the one I saw bouncing off the back of pickup truck on the Mass Turnpike! (Just Kidding Jim, I thought I would add a little humor) :lol:

Rick (dropflue)

[mapleman3]

that was prolly me bouncing around.. it was a shaky ride home that night... snowed all the way home 4 hrs worth 8O

[syrupmaker]

Guys don't bother painting any of your stuff. A little carb cleaner and any paint wisks off easy. Better to get a electric engraver and buzz it in to the metal. At least if they try to grind it off you can compare the stolen goods to ones that weren't snatch.

Jim... scrap prices are up ! 150 lbs of cast brought the theif a nice chunk of spending dough.

Rick

[mapleman3]

very true Rick!!! and where I work is in the heart of where all the can collectors with their shopping carts go through, I usually leave nothing in the back of the truck.... but a radiator?? jeeze

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

They definitely won't steal a few old cinderblocks or two or three bags of old sand. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. That was the way I was brought up, but not too many people think like that anymore. :cry: :cry: