Disappointing sap sugar %
I tested my first tank of sap just as I started to RO it, The lowest starting % ever. It read 1.2%. I sure hope we get more freeze thaw cycles to help raise that. If I didn't have an RO, I'm not sure I would have boiled it. Ouch!
I had about 400 gal, it's all in the evaporator, didn't get to first draw, only got up to 211 F. The barometer was at a boil temp here of just 210.7 yesterday every time I checked.
Last edited by maple flats; 03-04-2020 at 06:33 AM.
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.
I don't normally pay too much attention to the suger content of the raw sap since it can at times be disappointing. Rather, I look for sufficient raw sap volume to concentrate and boil.
Then at end of season is a good time to look at sugar per tap.
Last edited by TapTapTap; 03-04-2020 at 07:24 AM.
Ken & Sherry
Williston, VT
16x34 Sugarhouse
1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/
Even though my operation is small, I want to make a profit, or I'd just be making 10-15 gal to share with my kids and their families. Processing very low sap sugar uses too much RO time and fuel to be profitable. At 1.2% My little RO had to make 3 passes to get it to 12-14% before boiling. This is fun, but not that much fun! I check every day's sap % to help make informed decisions.
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.
Dave, I feel you pain. First run last week was way down at 1.4-ish. Then, I pumped yesterday and it was all the way up to 2.2. But since it didn't freeze last night and still ran, I bet today will be back down again. The wx this year is making for a challenging season for a small guy!
2023: Award Winning Maple Syrup and Honey!
2023: 200 Taps on 3/16" "natural vac"
2022: 150 Taps on 3/16" "natural vac"
2022: Lapierre Vision 2x6 with Preheater & Marcland Autodraw
2022: Brand new post and beam sugar house
2022: 4"x40" RO
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30 Acres of Wooded Bliss
vikingmadeforge: Artist Blacksmithing & Bladesmithing
https://blackdogbeesandmapletrees.com
same deal here. yesterdays sap read 2%... tested what was coming in this a.m and it reads 1.4%... need the freeze thaw cycle to start. not freeze for 6-8 days then be warm for a day then back to freeze!
Awfully thankful for an understanding wife!
“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
- Vincent “Vince” Lombardi
Good luck to all!
This reminds me of the season that I tried some birch trees. I had saved some permeate from maple season and concentrated the .5% birch sap all the way up to a whopping 2.5% Then simmered it for two days on a propane finisher because I only had like 40 gallons of concentrate. BIG WASTE OF TIME!!!!
Another day, no freeze, 1.2% sap. We could use a long string of freeze/thaw cycles to make this more fun.
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.
My sap was 1.5 today and my highest has only been 2%
110 taps W.F Mason 2x3 and two turkey friers for finishing
2011 expanding to a Mason 2x4 with a blower increasing taps to about 200
2011 Hurricane Irene rips thru my small sugar bush cost me to lose 20% of taps
2014 I have reworked my lines for 2014
32 taps on 5/16 line with check valves
57 taps on 3/16 line with check valves
55 buckets with total tapped trees of 144
Profit? I try not to made too many measurements on that either. It's more disappointing than low sugar sap!Originally Posted by maple flats
Ken & Sherry
Williston, VT
16x34 Sugarhouse
1,500 taps on high vacuum, Electric Releaser & CDL Sap Lifter
Wood-Fired Leader 30"x10' Vortex Arch & Max Raised Flue with Rev Syrup Pan & CDL1200 RO
https://www.facebook.com/pumpkinhillmaple/
I am outside Pittsburgh and tap mostly reds (only have 4 sugars out of 50 trees) and I am averaging 0.87% on the season. Over 75 gallons of sap for 1 gallon of syrup. It's the lowest I have seen and painful.
D. Roseum
www.roseummaple.com
~100 taps on 3/16 custom temp controlled vacuum; shurflo vacuum #2; custom nat gas evap with auto-drawoff and tank level gas shut-off controller; homemade RO #1; homemade RO #2; SL SS filter press
2021: 27.1 gallons
2022: 35 gallons
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