We finished tapping yesterday. Got the vacuum going late in afternoon. Had a bit running, but quite a few vacuum leaks to chase down. We've doing repairs all week, but until things thaw out, you really don't know if there's a leak. Need to get tanks cleaned out, hopefully will be able to collect some later this week, after the lines get flushed out.
Murray
Somewhere around 800 - 900 taps on Atlas Copco vacuum
1 Sap Ladder & 1 can
2 1/2 x 10 Waterloo/Small, with Piggyback & hood,
Air over & under fire
CDL autodrawoff, Homemade drawoff/filter tank with pump,
Lapierre Sirofilter, modified steam pan bottler
Just checked my taps. A couple of them were dripping but it seems like the tree haven't quite thawed out yet. Hoping it will pick up over the next two days
Maple syrup enthusiast
Same thing here Erob. Thought I would've had alot more to collect but not even enough to boil yet. I hope it goes below zero tonight but looking too warm for Friday. I'm not having good luck with my first attempt at a shurflo vacuum setup. Can't seem to get good vacuum. I don't know if it's because it isn't running good yet or what. Murferd, would you have any tips since you have vacuum?
Never had anything to do with Shurflo, but have read a lot of the threads on here. Other than everything needing to be leak free & possibly needing a recirculation line, it seems quite simple.
Hasn't run much here yet, but has thawed out enough we can hear the vacuum leaks. We didn't think we had much line damage this year, but have found a bunch of teeth punctures in some sections of the woods . Never seen that before, have had lots of squirrel & deer chews in past, but this is new, wondering maybe a bobcat.
Hopefully gets most of leaks fixed today, so when it runs after warming up today, the lines get the flushed good & maybe collect sap tomorrow.
Murray
Somewhere around 800 - 900 taps on Atlas Copco vacuum
1 Sap Ladder & 1 can
2 1/2 x 10 Waterloo/Small, with Piggyback & hood,
Air over & under fire
CDL autodrawoff, Homemade drawoff/filter tank with pump,
Lapierre Sirofilter, modified steam pan bottler
Trees are running this afternoon in my area. Not enough sap to collect yet but I'm hoping to have enough by tomorrow if the weather cooperates.
Maple syrup enthusiast
Starting collecting yesterday around lunchtime. We figure we got 350 gallons or so. Filling the evaporator today & boil away, doesn't look like sap weather again until maybe Wednesday. Need to get what we got pasturized.
Murray
Somewhere around 800 - 900 taps on Atlas Copco vacuum
1 Sap Ladder & 1 can
2 1/2 x 10 Waterloo/Small, with Piggyback & hood,
Air over & under fire
CDL autodrawoff, Homemade drawoff/filter tank with pump,
Lapierre Sirofilter, modified steam pan bottler
I boiled about 100 litres Saturday. That was a couple weeks worth. But it was froze solid for a good part of that two weeks. Hope to get a decent run soon.
Good to hear ya'll got some syrup made. I boiled down my sap yesterday and ended up with a little over a litre of syrup. Very light and super sweet syrup. Good to start to the season.
Maple syrup enthusiast
Looking like it'll be over Sunday here. Collected a bit yesterday, hopefully it runs a bit today, but didn't get down Cold enough last night. Worst season for me.