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Thread: Realistic ways to thaw out a frozen tank

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    Washington County, VT
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    Default Realistic ways to thaw out a frozen tank

    I have a couple of cage tanks half full with frozen solid blocks of sap in them. Is there a good/safe way to thaw them out enough to get the valve open and boil? I'm going to collect some fresh sap this afternoon and pump it in there with the hopes that it might "float the block"
    173 on 3/16 natural vac for 2023
    36 buckets
    2 x 5 Smoky Lake Hybrid pan on a custom arch
    RB25 from RO Bucket
    12x24 salvaged sugarhouse built by wife's grandpa
    1965 Massey Ferguson 165 tractor to haul sap.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
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    New Brunswick
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    Quote Originally Posted by billyinvt View Post
    I have a couple of cage tanks half full with frozen solid blocks of sap in them. Is there a good/safe way to thaw them out enough to get the valve open and boil? I'm going to collect some fresh sap this afternoon and pump it in there with the hopes that it might "float the block"
    Hit up Princess Auto or Amazon once you put in some sap and buy a tank heater. Used for farming to keep tanks from freezing and should slowly melt the block... could take a while depending on the size but I have done it with some success.
    Geoff
    Big Daddy's Sugar Shack
    2014 - 4 Taps
    2015 - 8 Taps
    2016 - 12 taps, propane boiler 6L
    2017 - 100 Taps, 24L
    2018 - 100 Taps, 100L
    1.5x6 CDL Econo Evaporator

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Chatham NH
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    Quote Originally Posted by billyinvt View Post
    I have a couple of cage tanks half full with frozen solid blocks of sap in them. Is there a good/safe way to thaw them out enough to get the valve open and boil? I'm going to collect some fresh sap this afternoon and pump it in there with the hopes that it might "float the block"
    Space heater pointed directly at what you want to thaw, I've had good luck using tarps and space heaters to thaw out tanks, build a triangle of sorts to keep the tarp away from the hot part of the space heater and cover what you want to heat, the tarp will fill up with hot air and will get things thawing rather quickly.
    Nate Hutchins
    Nate & Kate's Maple
    2022 1000 taps?
    3x10 Intensofire
    20x36 sugarhouse
    CDL 600gph RO
    A wife and 2 kids.

  4. #4
    Haynes Forest Products Guest

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    Now if the valve is closed you need to get heat to it so you can open it don't over heat it with a torch. A good shop light close will help. Now if you want to get things flowing ASAP once valve is open take a spade bit and drill straight into the valve as far as possible and then drill straight into the top of the ice block onto the hole you drilled from the valve. Once you get a pathway for the water to travel you can get the tank to melt and drain. If you have hot water you can speed it up. Cold water will melt ice it just takes longer. The key is getting just a trickle of water moving out of the tank and you will get it done.

    Get a cement blanket for future heating.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Washington County, VT
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    Thanks for the suggestions. Ill get the space heater/tarp combo going and a blow dryer on the valve. I like the idea of a stock tank heater to prevent future freeze ups. They're not really that expensive, especially compared to what we normally spend on this endeavor!
    173 on 3/16 natural vac for 2023
    36 buckets
    2 x 5 Smoky Lake Hybrid pan on a custom arch
    RB25 from RO Bucket
    12x24 salvaged sugarhouse built by wife's grandpa
    1965 Massey Ferguson 165 tractor to haul sap.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Fingerlakes NY
    Posts
    33

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    Take a two gallon pump sprayer from the hardware store filled with near boiling water or better yet sap and spray around the ball valve to open it ( or just unthread it if possible). Then spray into the valve to open the passage. Quick and easy, do it all the time.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Wisconsin
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    I wrapped a heat tape on my valve and the line coming into the shack. Then covered it with pipe insulation. This keeps at least the valve from freezing

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Bristol, VT
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    If you care at all about the sap quality then just add more sap to the frozen block tanks and proceed. If you just need to thaw out the valve, then a torch on very low and very careful will do the trick. Heating a whole tote to thaw out a block of ice seems like a fools errand which will only degrade the quality of the sap.
    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
    Mar 2015
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    eastern ontario- Williamstown
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneralStark View Post
    If you care at all about the sap quality then just add more sap to the frozen block tanks and proceed. If you just need to thaw out the valve, then a torch on very low and very careful will do the trick. Heating a whole tote to thaw out a block of ice seems like a fools errand which will only degrade the quality of the sap.
    If you dont boil it today, you will boil it tommorow
    Ian McDonald
    2000 on vacuum
    1000gph cdl ro
    2.5'x12' intensofire

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
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    11,544

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    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.

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