Amount of sap storage.

[18mile]

How much sap storage so most operation feel they need? The assumption here is that sap is processed within 24 hrs. Gallon of storage per tap?

[TapTapTap]

Here is data from last season, although I don't know about exactly 24 hours, it was likely longer:

I filled my 3,000 gal tank last year on 1,150 taps (2.6 gal/tap).

Using that math you should have an 8,000 gallon tank.

[Mead Maple]

I think it's important to note whether or not vacuum is being used. As I can see in your signature that you are, I would plan on a minimum of 2 gallons of sap per day. Like Ken eluded to, 2.5-2.6 is definitely not uncommon. Hence why the old traditional buckets had the capacity that they did, because on those "heavy run" days the sap would be at the brim but as many of us have seen, you can even have buckets overflowing even on a 24-hour gathering schedule.

[bill m]

Almost all of my taps are on gravity and I plan for 2 gallons per tap storage capacity. If I was on high vacuum I would double that just to be safe.

[TapTapTap]

I'm increasing tap count this year from the 1150 last year to around 1750 for this season, and on the same tank storage. I went from a comfortable storage capacity to a more aggressive approach. I expect to run an occasional preboil RO cycle to squeeze the raw sap down to make room. I also have a woods tank under my mechanical releaser for some extra, plus my 2000 gal permeate tank. Bottom line is more effort, coordination, and plumbing.

BTW - I'm on high vacuum.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Minimum 2x tap count for a bulk tank at the shack. Might need more depending on what you have for storage in the woods.

[Ultimatetreehugger]

I have 5770 gallons on 3300 taps. I am slowly working on increasing my storage because I am at the mercy of my buyers capacity as well.

[maple flats]

On my current 400 taps, I have 3 sap tanks, a 415, a 545 and a 300, if I run towards full, I also have 4 IBC totes at 275 ea, cleaned and ready to use. Part of my excess is because I also accept sap on shares and I keep that separate from my sap. When I take in sap, it is often 275 gal at a time. That producer boils his own on the rest he may have. I also process daily as soon as I have enough sap, so I'm reducing my stored sap by about 250 gal/hr.
Even with all of that I've had all of my 3 SS tanks full at the same time, but I've never needed the IBC totes since I could boil all day.

[Sugarmaker]

About 2 gallons per tap on gravity systems maybe more on vacuum.
Regards,
Chris

[JoeJ]

When I expanded in 2014 and added a remote woods with 2,100 more taps, I ordered a sap tank that gave me 1.8 gal per tap storage, 3859 gal. I should have gone bigger for that once a season sap flood. In 2016,I had finished emptying the 3859 gal sap tank at about 4:00PM. When I went to haul out sap the next morning at 6:00 AM, just 14 hours later, the tank was overflowing. 1.8 gal per tap in 14 hours. Plus there was no way to figure how much sap spilled onto the floor. Two days later the tank filled overnight again and overflowed. After that, if the sap is gushing out of the trees late in the after noon, I solved the over flow problem by hauling one or two 700 gal tank loads back the 4.8 miles to the sugar house when I am done boiling at 10:00 or 11:00 PM. Hindsight is always great. If had known this in 2014, I could have gone to either a 5789 gal tank with 2.75 gpt for an extra $1843.00 or a 4824 gal tank with 2.3 gpt for another $924.00. The extra cost to now have the correct size tank would not have been that bad considering I put $67,000. into the new woods clearing, tubing, labor, bigger RO, vacuum, a 3,859 tank and 3-725 gal tanks at the sugar house and all the other associated costs. Go bigger than 2 gal per tap storage.

Joe