+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: Electrical Consumption

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    1,978

    Default Electrical Consumption

    I'm curious what others electricity cost/gallon of syrup produced has been. This year with a 3 hp vac. pump running basically constantly through the season, a 1 hp blower on the evap., a 1 hp. sap pump, an electric releaser with a 3/4 hp. submersible pump, electric heater for equipment room, lights, heat lamp for sap lifter, occasional tool use, and other random stuff like cell phone charging I was at $1.18/gal. of syrup.

    To calculate, divide your electrical cost by gallons of syrup produced.
    Last edited by GeneralStark; 07-01-2014 at 12:35 PM.
    About 750 taps on High Vac.
    2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
    Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
    Springtech Elite 500 RO
    14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
    16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
    www.littlehogbackfarm.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Wellsboro Pa
    Posts
    305

    Default

    I never thought about it that way but should. I run 2 vac pumps a 5 1/2 hp and a 7 hp, 1200 gph ro, steamaway blower, blower for arch, electric heater for ro room, lots of lights. spent $1100 on electric made 1300 gallon of syrup for about $.85 a gallon.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    What are you using for the elec. cost, just the months of production and clean up or the whole 12 month total. If using Jan-Apr I spent $92 and made 173 gal thus $.532 a gal. If using 12 months, I spent 3x that. Next year the total may be zero since my solar now covers my electric usage. On the other hand, I ran 2 gas powered vacuum pumps. I haven't totaled the fuel cost yet, but it will scare me. I used about 70% as much gas as last year (shorter season) but only made 52% as much syrup.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    1,978

    Default

    I am using electrical consumption during the production season which for me was March 12 - April 13th plus a little on either end of the season for setup and clean up as I run the vac. pump when pulling taps and rinsing tubing, and I had a couple short boils to clean the pans. During the off season my consumption is pretty minimal. A chest freezer for storing maple cream and open 5 gallon jugs of syrup, occasional lights in the sugar house and occasional tool use.

    I'm really curious about electrical cost to produce syrup, not total business consumption.

    It would also be interesting to look at total energy consumption as well, especially for those using gas vac. pumps and generators.
    About 750 taps on High Vac.
    2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
    Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
    Springtech Elite 500 RO
    14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
    16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
    www.littlehogbackfarm.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Poultney VT
    Posts
    2,420

    Default

    GMP BENT ME OVER SO HARD I STILL CANT SIT DOWN! When employees of electrical companies come in charge them double see how they like it! My sugar house just march $260. our vacuum shack for 13 days $274
    welcome to the theory of spread the wealth through social unequality electrical bills HELLO SOCIALISM.
    Business Name
    Flat Lander Sugaring (who would think a guy from Az be making syrup)
    125 on Sap Suckers
    Close to 475 High Vac
    400 gravity adding more
    leader 2x6
    home made preheater
    hoods
    1 7D749 for AOF
    New FLS Tsunami Arch
    4 membrane TR Industries RO 2HP 3 phase 601GPH 250 PSI
    PID Display for Arch Temp.
    Chumlee of the trader

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Westminster, VT
    Posts
    706

    Default

    Only thing on electrical I can comment on is that before I put on a insulated room for the Ro my biggest electrical expense was electric heater to keep RO from freezing.

    I also ran 2 gas 5.5 hp delaval pumps and spent $350 in case for the month of march. Plan to switch to electric if possible.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Lemington, Vermont
    Posts
    503

    Default

    We run a 30,000 watt generator to run our RO, Vacuum pump, evaporator blower, filter press, lights, etc. Our cost this past season was .93 cents per gallon. We boiled 30 days and ran the generator a few other days for checking leaks and pulling spouts. We ran a separate 100cfm Indiana vacuum pump which required about 10 gallons of gas per 24 hrs (when your system is tight).
    3x10 Leader Inferno Arch
    14,200 Taps
    2 - 14 HP Indiana Vacuum pump
    1800gph Lapierre RO
    10" Lapierre filter press
    2 - 25,000 tap Lapierre releasers
    3 - SS 1500 gallon tanks
    1 - SS 8,400 gallon tank
    8x8 Argo ATV
    50k John Deere generator


    24'x32' sugarhouse

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    1,978

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Flat Lander Sugaring View Post
    GMP BENT ME OVER SO HARD I STILL CANT SIT DOWN! When employees of electrical companies come in charge them double see how they like it! My sugar house just march $260. our vacuum shack for 13 days $274
    welcome to the theory of spread the wealth through social unequality electrical bills HELLO SOCIALISM.
    What are you paying per kwh? $274 to run a vacuum pump for 13 days seems very high. What type of pump is it?

    Welcome to VT's utilities being owned by Quebec corporations through NIMBYism. HydroQuebec ain't cheap my friend.
    Last edited by GeneralStark; 07-01-2014 at 08:22 PM.
    About 750 taps on High Vac.
    2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
    Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
    Springtech Elite 500 RO
    14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
    16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
    www.littlehogbackfarm.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    Before I went solar, electric cost $.165/kwh with taxes, here in the spend and tax state. Then I put is solar and even though I produced more than I used every month, I had to pay the utility $22.93 each month for the line charge to send them free power. Talk about unfair monopolies.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bristol, VT
    Posts
    1,978

    Default

    Some of the smaller utilities here in VT have been making noise about limiting net-metering projects. With all the state and federal incentives, more people than anticipated have been installing systems, and with all the lease options available now it is pretty appealing for many folks. Solar is not just for treehuggers anymore.

    We don't have a great site for solar, but we have been considering investing in a local project that would enable us to offset our electrical consumption. I like the idea of electricity being produced locally. We are becoming far too reliant on Hydro Quebec since VT Yankee power started going elsewhere.
    About 750 taps on High Vac.
    2.5 x 8 Intens-O-Fire
    Airtech 3 hp LR Pump
    Springtech Elite 500 RO
    14 x 24 Timber Frame SugarHouse
    16 x 22 Sap Shed w/ 1500 gal. + 700 gal. tanks
    www.littlehogbackfarm.com

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts