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Thread: Sap Flow Meter

  1. #11
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    I believe you need the pressure from a pump to get an accurate reading. The ones I have seen have the same type of setup internally as the ones that tell you how fast your boat is going which when compared to gps speed are very inacurate. So like already said putting them inline with the gathering tank to the holding tank will work. But so will some measurements with a ruler and then sticking a yard stick in your tank and knowing how many gallons there is in an inch. We have a chart written down and a quick dip with the yardstick I know how many gallons I have or how many I have boiled. Yardstick was free at county fair.
    2X6 deluxe Phanuef
    Adding 200 more every year
    27 years left of building a Hobby into a retirement time burner.

  2. #12
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    I'm going with home built this year. I have never had an accurate guess as to my gph, or how much sap I boil because as I boil, more sap is filling the tank constantly.
    Right now what feeds my evaporator is a ss warming tank that holds about 6 or 7 gallons. I use a sump pump from my storage tank into the warming tank when that runs low.
    What my plans are for this year is to add a clear plastic hose to the bottom of a 5 gallon pail, directly above my warming tank. The hose will go towards the warming tank with a valve on it. As I run low in the warming tank, I can fill the bucket to exactly 5 gallons, and then dump it into the warming tank.
    Not sure if this will be ideal or be a pain in the rear, but I figure it might work.
    143 taps on a brand new 3/16th tubing setup.
    2'x6' W.F. Mason Drop Tube Evaporator
    12"x24" W.F. Mason finisher.

  3. #13
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    I have mine between the gravity tank and my evaporator. Only freeze up problem I have ever had is at start up - when the entire line and preheater may have some frozen sap.

    I use mine to determine total sap boiled in an evening, but more so, to guage my gallons per hour boiled. If mine is not spot on accurate, it's pretty close. I average 75-90 gph in my 3x10. I certainly would like to believe that it reads low, so I'm, actually boiling 100-125 gph, but I doubt that.
    Danno
    Just West of Syracuse
    3 x 10 Lightning
    Sihi Vacuum
    Sap Bros RO
    600 taps and buying sap

  4. #14
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    Apr 2007
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    Westford, VT
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    Thanks for the info. Danno, is your meter digital or not? Easy to reset?
    5600 taps on tubing w/ vacuum, 3.5 x12 Oil Fired with pre-heater, 2 Post RO
    http://s674.photobucket.com/albums/v...owhillmapping/

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  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brent View Post
    If Proctor doesn't think there are any accurate reliable units out there, and some guys use them and claim they are accurate, makes you wonder how they figure they're accurate.
    Just to be clear...the statement I made about flow meters in another thread was in reference to measuring sap flow from tubing lines (mainlines or lateral lines). They are inaccurate in these areas due to a) lack of dynamic range (one meter can't measure both weeping flows and peak flows) and b) air and solids in the line.

    Flow meters can work for measuring sap, concentrate, or even syrup if the fluid is filtered, the meter installation is done correctly (no bends near meter, line filled with fluid, etc.), and the correct flow meter is used for the application.

    Tim Perkins
    UVM PMRC

  6. #16
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    Apr 2007
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    Westford, VT
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    Tim, Thanks for the input! When you mention the correct flow meter do you have any thoughts on what is correct for a 1" copper line? This line goes from my 300 gallon feed tank to my pre-heater.
    5600 taps on tubing w/ vacuum, 3.5 x12 Oil Fired with pre-heater, 2 Post RO
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  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snow Hill Farm View Post
    ... do you have any thoughts on what is correct for a 1" copper line? This line goes from my 300 gallon feed tank to my pre-heater.
    Line size is one variable. The other important variable is the amount of sap that will pass through the line per unit of time (gallons per hr, gallons per minute), which is essentially a function of your evaporator system.

    Often for these applications, a simple water meter used in municipal home water metering will work. That is the cheapest approach, and you can frequently find used models. Just be sure it was used for water and not something else (oil, diesel). You also need to plumb it in so it has a couple of feet of straight pipe before and after the meter for best results. You also want it so it can be drained after each boil, and rinsed with water in order to avoid sugar clogging up the impeller and reducing or stopping sap flow to your evaporator -- a really bad thing should it happen.

    Tim P.

  8. #18
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    Apr 2007
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    Westford, VT
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    Maybe the more appropriate placement would be in my 1" pvc pump line from the 1000 gal tank to the 300 gal tank. That pump line would be much easier to take apart to clean than the 1" copper supply line to the evaporator!
    5600 taps on tubing w/ vacuum, 3.5 x12 Oil Fired with pre-heater, 2 Post RO
    http://s674.photobucket.com/albums/v...owhillmapping/

    http://snowhillfarm.com

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snow Hill Farm View Post
    Maybe the more appropriate placement would be in my 1" pvc pump line from the 1000 gal tank to the 300 gal tank. That pump line would be much easier to take apart to clean than the 1" copper supply line to the evaporator!
    That would get you much the same results, but with a lot less chance for catastrophic results.

    TP

  10. #20
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    Whately, Ma.
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    I agree put the meter in after the pump to your 300 gal tank.
    When your regulator opens you want the least amount of restictions possible. Plus as Dr. Perkins said meters aren't good at recording trace amounts. So if your float in the evaporator was only allowing the incomming sap to drip or trickle the chances are that sap will not be counted and after 10 hrs of boiling it will add up
    Keith

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