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

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Allegheny and Mercer Counties, PA
    Posts
    68

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    I'll be stepping up from a 3 buffet pan process to a small divided pan and I hope to add an elevated head tank to feed my anticipated float box.
    I'm considering many different variations for a head tank including smaller 10 or 35 gallon options to modified 55-gallon drums.

    I looked on-line at a bunch of options made by a company called Norwesco, and they offer a lot of different shapes and sizes.
    Does anyone have experience with a style called "leg tanks".
    I'm wondering if they are easy to keep clean, and if the "legs" will retain a bunch of sap that I'd rather be able to drain easily and not have it cause mold.

    I'd love to hear any raves or concerns about using enclosed tanks like Norwesco offers --- not to mention modifications you may have made to 55-gallon drums.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    whitney point NY
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    151

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    DSCN1787.jpgDSCN1794.jpgDSCN1792.jpg----when-I-biult-sugar-house-----poured-pad-for-house-and-4-foot-x2foot--3-feet-deep-block-made-support-for-tank-out-of-6x6-guard-rail-box-beam.----then-set-tank----then-built-sugar-house-around-tank-----front-of-tank-sets-just-inside.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Grafton, Ohio
    Posts
    27

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    Polish Wizard,
    I would avoid the leg tanks as a head tank. I have 3 of them and while they are pretty stout for holding sap, they are a pain to keep clean. The "legs" can and do hold some sap in them even when they are empty. We use a 55gal food grade drum with a closed head. I lay it on its side on a shelf in the corner of my shack. I cut a hole in the side of it to place a food grade bucket and lid in it. Cut the bottom of the bucket out and you can pump you sap in through it and then pull the bucket out and it's very easy to clean. I originally used the bungs to thread in a fitting to feed to my evaporator but found this also left 2-3" of sap in the barrel. So I then put in a 1" bulk head fitting that allows the sap to drain out of the bottom of the tank and leaves minimal sap behind. My barrel, I bought brand new from Wally-mart website. I don't think it was too badly priced a few years ago. Not sure what it costs now. 16126600002112134295258364271582.jpg16126600536127587939048301258654.jpg16126601145967198618797157330316.jpg

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Grafton, Ohio
    Posts
    27

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    Sorry for sideways pictures. First time posting pictures in a comment.

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Southern Ohio
    Posts
    1,349

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    Last edited by buckeye gold; 02-07-2021 at 05:46 AM.
    125-150 taps
    Smokey Lakes Full pint Hybrid pan
    Modified half pint arch
    Air over fire
    All 3/16 tubing
    Southern Ohio

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    ns
    Posts
    98

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    polish wizard
    i got one of norwesco tanks this fall. you should take a look at their ''loaf tanks'' .no legs, sits flat, nothing for the sap to hide in, so its easy to clean, comes with no bulkhead fittings so you can set it anyway you want, my dealer threw in a bulkhead filling for free. i got the 100 gal. tank it comes with a 8 inch cover and allows fairly easy access and of course they come in all different sizes. check out their web site.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

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    Quote Originally Posted by Buddy 58 View Post
    Attachment 21881Attachment 21882Attachment 21883----when-I-biult-sugar-house-----poured-pad-for-house-and-4-foot-x2foot--3-feet-deep-block-made-support-for-tank-out-of-6x6-guard-rail-box-beam.----then-set-tank----then-built-sugar-house-around-tank-----front-of-tank-sets-just-inside.
    Looks like the milk truck lost its brakes coming down your Hill. You should mount a front grill on the other side. I

    But I've got to say that it looks like something I'd build!
    Last edited by TapTapTap; 02-07-2021 at 09:08 PM.
    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/

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

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    PXL_20210208_010504928.jpg

    hard to see mine in the loft over the kitchen-RO room. It's a 375 gallon as open top. Kind of hidden behind the heat shield. I have steel beams built into the loft framing and swing out door on the gable end that I installed thru. I access the tank from the stairs behind the evaporator and heat shield.


    Sorry, my pic came out sideways too.
    Last edited by TapTapTap; 02-07-2021 at 09:04 PM.
    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/

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Allegheny and Mercer Counties, PA
    Posts
    68

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    Craig's List for Pittsburgh area shows a vendor with food quality 55 gallon barrels available. I'm checking for transparent plastic ones at reasonable cost locally.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Williston, VT
    Posts
    615

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    Quote Originally Posted by Polish Wizard View Post
    Craig's List for Pittsburgh area shows a vendor with food quality 55 gallon barrels available. I'm checking for transparent plastic ones at reasonable cost locally.
    I couldn't afford the transparent stainless (haha) so I installed a site glass to indicate the tank level. It's actually a clear pvc tube the full height of the tank connected just past the valve. It also serves as an overflow back to my raw sap tank.
    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/

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