Storage tanks freezing up

[Clan Delaney]

This will be my first year storing sap in a large quantity. I got my hands on a nice 100 gallon potable water storage tank. Two things:

1. For those of you "weekend warriors" who have to collect and store sap all week, what has been your experience with your storage tanks freezing up? Would it have to essentially have to stay below freezing for a few days for 50-90 gallons of sap to freeze solid? Also, the tank has a valve at the bottom. Is this where I should be more concerned with freeze-ups?

2. The previous owner painted the outside flat black. This is going to mean warmer sap during the daytime toward the end of the season. The tank is in the shade, but.... What do you think: paint it white? Could I just wrap it in white plastic sheeting? Anything to keep is from absorbing heat.

[johnallin]

Keep it flat black until the weather warms up and the sun comes out - then put the white plastic over it.

Doubt that you will see it freeze solid unless it gets really cold - pull any ice out that you can as it's all water. Been there and done that.

[Haynes Forest Products]

The valve can be the weak link as if it does freeze and break you will be out the sap. All the insulation in the world wont keep it from freezing without a heat source. Over insulating will also keep it from staying cold if it cant cool down over night. If the valve is the problem remove it and put a plug in it until you want to drain and swap the valve quick. Yes you can do it its messy but if your good you wont lose but a gallon if you dont flinch and drop the valve:mad:

[PerryW]

A real cold snap could easily freeze the tank pretty much solid in a few days, but should only give you problems if you have a big run on monday or tuesday, then drop into the deep freeze on wed-friday. The tank will form ice not just on the top, but also on the sides and bottom.

The valves can even be more problematic. I use a 100 watt light bulb pointing at the valve to keep it thawed, but that might not work for extended cold snaps. For small operations you can at least bust the ice open and dipper the sap out of the tank.

Is there a possibility of bringing the tank inside in a partially heated room if you have a cold snap?

[Saltlick]

I have a 100 gal collecting tank in the woods. I have had problems with the valve freezing up. So what I have been doing, is a few hours before I plan on collecting the sap, I ty wrap a couple of large hunting hand or feet warmers, over the valve, than ty wrap some foam insulation over that. It works, but I have to do it everytime I plan on collecting if I know that the valve is likely to freeze up. Good Luck.. BJS

[Stickey]

Heat tape! or the anti ice dam wire! maybe both? Foil back or bubble foil insulation. If you want to get really creative, hook it up to a thermostat, viola. I've been thinking about this myself. Another Idea was a heat exchanger (copper tube coiled inside the tank with hot water circulating through). You could just circulate the sap, running water (or sap) wont freeze (will it?) maybe just a bubbler in the tank. When my sap froze up last year, I just waited for it to thaw, My trees stopped producing when it got that cold so no worries on additional storage.

[maplwrks]

Heres' what some of the guys up here in VT. do to keep valves from freezing.
They "syrup" the valves--which means that they put pour a pint of syrup into the valve to keep it from freezing. You can add sap to the tank and the syrup will not mix back into the sap. You won't lose the syrup, it'll be there when you boil it.

[Farmboy]

Look for a stock tank heater at the local tractor supply. Get the smallest one they make. You dont want your sap too warm. It would work better for a tank at least 200 gallons.

[Brian Ryther]

Heres' what some of the guys up here in VT. do to keep valves from freezing.
They "syrup" the valves-
The things that you can learn on trader! Great Idea.

[Brian]

I use a propane torch and or A pail of hot water,that works for me.

[Teuchtar]

I put a brass 4" nipple on the tank drain, with a 3/4" ball valve. Freezes solid, but only needs a minute with the propane torch to thaw it. Don't use plastic fittings, since you can't torch them.
Its practically impossible to freeze a tank more that a couple inches of ice layer around edge in a couple of days. I have 300 and 600 gallon tanks.
Sometimes I've let it freeze hard for 4-5 days, and really not had a problem thawing out the valve.

[3rdgen.maple]

Heat tape! or the anti ice dam wire! maybe both? Foil back or bubble foil insulation. If you want to get really creative, hook it up to a thermostat,
They make a heat tape with a thermostat in it. The thermostat is taped down onto the area that is in danger of freezing.
The syrup in the valve is a great idea but what if your tank has sap in it when you shut down for the night? I think the simplest solution is to put a valve on the tank. When you are done boiling close the valve, take the float out of the floatbox and let the line drain in the float box or just push the float down, there is no need to disconnect the pipe and drain it in a bucket. If the temps are gonna drop below freezing just stick a light bulb next to the vavle, make sure you hang it so it does not catch anything on fire. Also if you have a sight tube hooked up to the tank if you put it after the valve it will drain when the valve is shut off and that line will not freeze either.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have heat tape with a thermostat on it taped all on the underside of my head tank and around the valve. It doesn't heat up the sap, just keeps a big chunck of ice from freezing around the bottom of the tank and the valve of which either would prevent you from boiling the next day. I don't normally ever leave sap in it, just if I need the extra storage as I have over 1,000 gallons of storage at sugarhouse and about 1200 gallon of storage in the woods.

[paul]

what i do with the plastic ball valves is drill a hole in the ball on the drain side so that when you close the valve the ball drains out. works for me!!!!