Spring Harvest 2019

[Amber Gold]

Hey Shaun, Thanks for sending the link. Someone else recommended the same switch, and it's exactly what I'm looking for, but the problem is the switch is for 120V and my pump is 220V. I haven't been able to find one of these for 220V.

Surprisingly (and knock on wood), I haven't had problems with the float string hanging up due to icing like I've heard from others. Lapierre said they'd modify the releaser top for me, but I'd just as soon spend the money on a hi/low sensor switch than on an updated float switch.

[Shaun]

If you have more trouble with the string you can use the HC6000 Hi Lo to operate the 120V coil of a double pole contactor. I used the one in the link for a Vacuum pump starter, for a little more $ you might be able to get a name brand like Siemens. It is simple to build in a little project box and keep it clean looking. Add a 120V plug to small gauge wire, plug into HC6000, terminate wires on the coil of the contactor. Then you can cut or add a break in your 220V pump wires and hook each side of your pump to the terminals on the contactor. Unlike if the string breaks, if this fails the pump is not going to run "usually" which may save your pump from burning up. Not sure if what I typed makes sense? With the aggravation of the string unit I had last year I figured I'd mention an option for 220V. This method is used often in industry when small control relays control large motor/loads.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KGSJ74...ing=UTF8&psc=1

[Amber Gold]

Thanks Shaun. I copied your post to the link below. It's a thread I started last year on this topic. I thought it'd be good to keep the information together.

Lapierre Electric Releaser Float String

[Amber Gold]

Quick update.

Left work early yesterday and turned the pumps on by 4. Walked 4 mainlines and fixed a few leaks. Lines were thawed out, but sap wasn’t really running, which makes it hard to find leaks. I could tell some lines have leaks, but couldn’t pinpoint them. I did get the vac from 22” to 25.5”, but not sure how much of it was from fixing vac leaks or trees freezing up. Sap flow slowed right down by 6.

Still more maintenance work to do in the woods, so that’ll be tomorrow morning. I was hoping to boil tomorrow night, but I don’t think we’ll get enough sap by then to fire things up. It’s not supposed to get above freezing until noon, so not much time to run. Sunday may be the night.

Next week = cold.

[Russell Lampron]

Same here Josh, The sap's running just enough to find the big leaks but it's going to have to run better to find the small ones. I started saving sap today and got about 75 gallons. The forecast doesn't look good right now but maybe the rain on Sunday will get things flowing.

[Amber Gold]

Late yesterday afternoon, I went to get a load of sap, so I could boil Sunday night, and turns out the sap was running pretty good. I brought home a 642 gal truckload and left 2-300 in the woods tank. The hourly said it should stay above freezing almost all night, so I made the game time decision to keep the rest in the tank, collect again in the morning, and boil Monday night instead. This morning, I got another 650+ gallon truckload (~400 gal more in the overnight).

Woods sitting at 25.5". I know there's some smaller leaks on one of the backyard line, but no time yesterday to find them.

Downside to boiling tonight is it’s going to be cold and super windy, and the cold the kids have been passing around finally caught up to me…not so good.

Me being careless yesterday, I broke the register from my sap off-loading water meter. Super glued it back on, and still works…sweet!

Here’s to a good 2019 inaugural boil tonight.

[red maples]

man what is up with your trees. amazing... can't believe you go that much sap. good for you.

[Russell Lampron]

Wow it must be nice to have a warm woods. It's been too cold here for the sap to run. Good luck with your pan sweetening!

[Amber Gold]

Thanks, and I'm not complaining. The sap tested at 2.1%, so I don't think there were many reds. I have sections of my woods that get a fair amount of sun, so on those marginal days, they'll still run even when the rest of the woods is frozen.

Took the sap up to 14%, sweetened the pans, and made 12+ gallons of syrup. This was probably the best first boil I've had. Everything went off without a hitch. The only issue was I put the diaphragm pump back together backwards, but it only takes 5 min to break it down.

Overall, things are good. Just need Mother Nature to cooperate!

[Russell Lampron]

I'm glad that you had a good first boil. I had my best one last year when we made 7 gallons but almost scorched the front pan in the process. It was our first boil with my new WF Mason arch and we didn't know that it would make so much syrup so quickly. The first draw off came out a little heavy. We run the front pan a little deeper now so that there's something to push the syrup out when it's ready.