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Thread: Looking for Head Tank\Feed Tank advice...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Posts
    7

    Default Looking for Head Tank\Feed Tank advice...

    Looking for advice and ideas on head tanks. We have recently built a new sugar house and we’re boiling on a 2x6 raised flu smoky lake evaporator. We’ve put into an order for one of the head tanks they make but I’m worried it won’t be here in time for the season. Would love to see pictures and plans of what everyone has!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Cornwall, CT
    Posts
    356

    Default

    I have a 60 gallon poly tank up on a shelf in the peak of the shack. Pump up to it with the RO and gravity feed into the pan. It comes down easily for cleaning.
    1980 - 6 taps, stone fire pit, drain pan evaporator, 1 pint of syrup
    2016 - 55 taps on 3/16 and gravity, new sugar shack, 2x3 Mason XL, 16 gallons of syrup
    2017 - 170 taps on 3/16, 2x4 Mason XL, NextGen RO. 50 gallons of syrup
    2018 - 250+ taps on gravity and buckets, 2x5 Smokey Lake arch and Beaverland pan.
    2019 - 250+ taps on gravity. A few buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
    2020 - 300+ taps on gravity. 50 gallons of syrup.
    2021 - 280 taps on gravity and 40 buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.

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

    Default

    I use a typical SS sap tank. Mine is 150 gal and it sets outside on a platform attached to the north wall of the sugarhouse. It is high enough that the bottom of the tank is about 20-24" higher than the top of the float box on the flue pan. Sorry no pictures. I made the platform using 4x4 posts 3' in the ground, and the edge at the sugarhouse is screwed to a 2x4 attached to the sugarhouse wall. The tank is small enough that the 8x12' platform leaves room to lift the SS cover and wash the tank. The tank as I said is butted tight to the sugarhouse. The valve is in the sugarhouse, about 3" inside the wall, then I have a tee, pointed up with a reducer /adapter and I use a 3/8" vinyl hose connected there and extended up and over the top of the gable end wall and then outside, back down to about 4' from the ground. That is used as my site gauge for sap/concentrate level. I have a few marks on it, one at 6 gal, one at 12 gal and one at 18 gal. The 18 gal is where I stop fueling the fire. Then I have a line at 50 gal, 75 gal ,100 gal and 125. The 6,12 and 18 were measured by dumping that amount of water in the tank. The rest were marked as I pumped water in from a IBC tote, using the gal marks on the tote.
    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
    Jun 2011
    Location
    South Colton, NY
    Posts
    642

    Default Minimize float travel

    Your pump will start more often but by keeping the tank level the same it will minimize variation of your head pressure which should help keep a constant flow into the float.
    3,100 taps
    60 cfm flood
    HC2
    5 by 14 oil

    Brian

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    159

    Default

    I have a large clear plastic storage container (15 gal) that sits on a shelf about 1.5 - 2 feet above the level of the pan. There is a step, and I dump buckets of RO-ed sap and then it trickles down, through a small preheater, and then into the pan via gravity. This year, I want to do what Woodsrover has - to set up the RO to pump directly into the header tank. I think I need a bigger header tank.
    2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
    2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
    2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
    2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
    2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Nashville, MI
    Posts
    939

    Default

    I have SL's 50 gallon head tank. I made a rack for it to sit on and it gravity feeds to the float box.
    2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
    2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
    2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
    2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
    made 17 gal. syrup
    2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
    2021 - Didn't work out
    2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    497

    Default

    We use a 100 gallon SS head tank that is mounted on a raised platform above the evaporator inside our sugarhouse. Our RO feeds directly into the feed tank. To eliminate the tank sweating, we have insulated the tank which helps to keep the concentrate from warming up inside the sugarhouse. With our 2'x6' evaporator, that size works well. We plumbed it so that the tank has a drain valve below the line going to the evaporator for cleaning purposes. The open top allows for easy cleaning each day.
    Gary
    16' X 24' Sugarhouse
    2' X 6' Leader Inferno Arch with Revolution Raised-Flue Pans, Smoky Lake preheater and hood
    Deer Run Maple gas-powered 250 RO
    WesFab 7" filter press
    Kubota 1100 RTV with tracks and 125 gallon tank for transporting sap
    800 taps on gravity and vacuum
    Very supportive wife who is the best coworker
    http://mapletrader.com/community/sho...ing-Sugarhouse

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Thanks everyone for the advice!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Cayuga Ontario Canada
    Posts
    48

    Default

    I use the 60 gallon plastic drum as well which is probably the minimum size i would want for an evaporator your size. Mine is filled via a float switch and using a 120 volt RV type water pump that runs via garden hose from my outside storage. Also used a garden hose fitting adaptor from my tank to the float box. I dont know how you are planning to hook this all up temporarily but this is why i want to mention how i did it. My set up will comfortably support 30GPH, it would not be good enough to support what you have for an evaporator! You must go larger than i have on both the pump and feed line to the float box.
    Cheers
    THOR 20x68" + for 2022 Homebuilt 4-40 single post RO
    2022 180 buckets and 300 on 3/16 gravity 500L Syrup
    2021 305 Buckets and 95 on 3/16 gravity 423L Syrup
    2020 350 Buckets 375L Syrup
    2019 250 Buckets 270L Syrup

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Wakefield,New Hampshire
    Posts
    504

    Default

    Interested in seeing some photos of how people elevated their head tanks either inside the sugarhouse or outside on a platform.
    6th season solo sugar maker in a young sugar bush of mostly red maples
    320 taps
    2x6 self built arch, Flat pans w/ dividers
    New 12x16 sugar house
    CDL hobby 250 RO

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