Time spent evaporating?

[mike z]

Not sure if this is the correct place to ask but, how much time do you people spend at the evaporator each year? I know every year is a little dif. and there are difs. from system to system but I'm just looking for some rough numbers from the guys who go at it pretty hard. I have a small back yard set up and would like to expand. I boiled 8 times last year at about 10-12hr ea. for 80-96 hr. total. I was probably closer to 150 hr. the year before with the better sap runs. As one expands does the time spent boiling usually increase as well?

[red maples]

Honestly I didn't keep my notes that well as to when I started and stopped just what days I boiled. It really comes down your set up. you could expand but potentially cut your boiling time way down.

For example if you had (for round numbers) 250 taps on vac. and a 2x6 and boiled for 100 hrs. then doubled... and increased to 500 taps on vac with the same 2x6 you may have boiled for 200 hrs.

now say you had the same scenerio but with the 500 taps you added in a time saver such as a bigger evap 2.5 x 8 or even 3x10. Maybe you kept the 2x6 and added and RO. or a steam away pan or a preheater or forced air. there are really so many variables.

So in my opinion its all relative no matter how you look at it. personally if I have to boil for 10-12hr at a time I think I would invest in a bigger evap!!!!!:)

after saying all that I would have to estimate the following and mind you it was a bad year for me and my first so I have no prior data.

Had 250 on vac. 50 on gravity tubing and buckets
2x6 evap...no extras.but it is pretty!!!:)

Produced approx 40 gallons syrup
boiled apporx 2600 gallons of sap
aprox average 65-70 gallns sap per gallon of syrup based on crappy %sugar
hours boiled approx 80 hrs total. based on an average 35gph
it was probably more but its a rough guess. this I will be taking better notes!!! and trying to measure better!!!

I guess that would be my 10 cents!!!:)

[Haynes Forest Products]

As things increase so does the time it takes or the equipment you buy to keep up. Its quite simple. BIGGER, BETTER, FASTER Its your choice if you love doing it then staying small and simple is the way to go. BUT if you want production then you know what to do..........Go ask the wife for some money:lol:

[red maples]

Very true....the thing is you expand. if your not boiling your time is spent doing something else...collecting buckets,constantly checking lines for leaks, cleaning what ever!!! there is always something to do!!!!! which isn't always a bad thing!!!! Gives me an excuse to get out of the house and into the woods!!!;)

[3rdgen.maple]

Not nearly as much as I would like.

[Sugarmaker]

Mike z,
If your adding more taps and the evaporation rate does not increase then you will need to spend mor time boiling. How many taps are you planning for in 2010?
example:
On our rig make it about 2 gallons of finished syrup per hour. so I always figured 80 gallons of sap boiled per hour. Point is it depends on the run. If we brought in say 400 gallons of sap then i would expect to boil about 5 + hours for that run. Plus time to start and finish so about 6+ hours in the sugar house just getting that sap through the evaporator. Its all about scaling the operation to the time that you have. Or making improvements to reduce the boiling time. like larger evaporator or steam away or R.O.

Bottom line we made 100 gallons of syrup so we probably boiled 70 hours total.
Different approach than you, I am not planning to expand the number of taps but am trying to add several features to reduce the wood consumption and the boiling time. I'll let you know how that works out.

Regards,
Chris

[mike z]

The last couple years I've been boiling off a cobbled up multi- steam table pan set up. (18" x 60"). Had 100 taps with buckets last year, made 21 g. syrup. This year we've built an evaporator around a Maple Pro. arch front that the kind people at Roths practically gave us. $25.00. I have 2 pans 24"x30" and 24"x72". both with channels but not fluted. Hope to upgrade to that some day. No preheat yet. No air. I was thinking either 150 or 200 taps. How does that sound? I still should be able to put in 100-150 hrs. boiling time. How much wood do you think I'll go through?