Nicely done.
Nicely done.
Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014
175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph
Very nice! How often can you clean and reuse the "peel-away" filters?
2016 - 2 x 4 Randy Worthen built arch and pans 11 taps; 2.625 gallons of syrup!
2017 - 29 taps; 11.625 gallons of syrup!
2018 - 30 taps; 98 pints bottled! New sugar house being built, new equipment coming!
2019 - 125 taps; 50 gallons made! New 2x6 Smoky Lake Corsair arch, drop flue pan, auto draw. Smoky Lake filter press and Steam Bottler
2020 - 173 taps; only 35 gallons made.
2021 - 242 taps; New record! 50.5 gallons made!
2022 - 321 taps; New record! 80 gallons made!
200f is too hot? Good to know. I have been fed bad information from an old-timer and will adjust. Thank you.
I suppose it's a balance between getting it hot enough to sterilize the bottles but not too hot to cause more sands. Any suggestions? I pre heat my new bottles over steam from the evaporator before filling.
I built it. I love it.
This feels like when I built my first RO, or added a blower to my evaporator....it’s not just a step up from cone filters, it’s next level.
Thanks 4Walls!
2x6 Waterloo pan on an antique Piette & Fils arch
2019 - 60 buckets, 85L of syrup, 2x4 pan outside
2020 - 100 buckets, 105L of syrup, 2x6 flat pan in a Redi Rack Shack
2021 - 137 buckets, 110L of syrup and a homemade RO (why didn't I do this sooner?)
2022 - 154 buckets, 201L of syrup
2023 - 166 buckets, 343L of syrup, cold sap float box, walking beam sap trailer, 4Walls vacuum filter
In my opinion, 200F is not too hot, but the 200F should come before the reheat for bottling.
I often filter at 205-210F, then I bring it back up to 185-187, but never over 190. Reheating to over 200F creates more niter, even 195 can create more niter (sugar sand). Once you filter, do not heat it back into the sugar sand zone (any temperature 195 or above.
While on initial filtering I heat to 205-210F, if it gets packed in a SS barrel and seals properly, I then only heat it to 175 max and filter again, then I heat it to the 185-187F and bottle. I hold it in that range using my water jacketed bottler.
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 have never had a niter problem heating to 200 degrees. It all depends on your syrup and when during the season it is made.
First introduced to making maple syrup in 1969
Making syrup every year since 1979
3 x 10 oil fired
Revolution syrup and max flue pan
Almost 1300 taps total with 900 on high vacuum
Bought first Marcland drawoff in 1997, still going strong.
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