Originally Posted by
Kubota
Also have some new equipment this year and an increased tap count. I've got the itch. I plan on waiting at least a few more weeks. My 14 day forecast only shows two days over 40. I don't think my trees will even thaw out in those two days. I'm looking for a more prolonged period of warmer weather. I had some incredible runs towards the end of last season and I'd like to be sure not to miss those this year.
If you get to 70 taps, I hope you have at least a bucket RO.
My first year I had a 2x3. I started with 27 taps, then each time the sap ran I thought, "I can handle more than that" so I added more taps, 8-12 at a time. That kept repeating until I had 70 taps. Then the sap really started and I had more sap than that rig could handle. My wife and I took turns and we ran it for 2 nights and 3 days without stop. In that time we had not gained any, we started that marathon with 75 gal of sap and two and a half days later we had over 100.
I say 70 is too many unless you have some kind of an RO., try 40-45 max. and be ready for looong boils as the sap starts to run good.
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.