Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[PARKER MAPLE]

What to do hmmm,. Not enough sap to start the RO, do I just boil the raw sap. Hmmmm did that last year. I got a run of apprx 450 last night and today. If I could get another 200 tomorrow I would be good. What to do...

[GeneralStark]

VFDs can definitely be a pain in the butt. We had one get fried by lightning in the summer of 2013....of course we didn't know until just before the 2014 season. We now have them all wired up so they can be completely unplugged during the off season. We're now up to 4 Busch Pumps, all with the same VFD, so I bought a spare VFD just to have around in case one of them crapped out again.

I've heard that it is a good idea to turn on the VFD and let the electronics warm up for 15-30 min before actually turning on the pump.

I'm contemplating a spare vfd as well for situations like this. I too have heard that it is a good idea to let them warm up, but I have two electrical engineer friends that work with these things lots and they say it isn't necessary. The tech I have worked with on my issues today says the same thing. He had me turning the thing on and off about 15 times, and once it was on he had me turning on the pump. The problem with this one had him and the manufacturer completely stumped....

[GeneralStark]

What to do hmmm,. Not enough sap to start the RO, do I just boil the raw sap. Hmmmm did that last year. I got a run of apprx 450 last night and today. If I could get another 200 tomorrow I would be good. What to do...

In the same situation here...sitting on about 500 gallons of 1.5% and I would much rather run it through the ro. Two days of mechanical issues have me behind on other tasks...fortunately I have water in the sugarhouse so I will likely run it through tomorrow am and use drinking water for extra rinse water.

[Sweetleaf]

Not to change the subject Gang... but I work for a man who is always day late and dollar short... (age thing) and cheap.... didn't wash the lines last year and lots of scuzz in the lines. boiled for seven hours to the 219.2 point and drew off. filter press with minimum D.E. by previous year standard and the filter press just Jammed up... could not manage to filter syrup!!!! Ran steam away water through and came out alright! anybody else out there had this experience past or present? Niter seemed very thick! every paper in the press seemed just caked with gunk. do we need to put MORE D.E. In. syrup blowing out through the sections of the press! HELP!

[PARKER MAPLE]

I would try more DE first. I had to use 1-1/2-2 cup per 5-6 gallon draws at end of last season.

[northwoods_forestry]

700+ tapped. Vacuum running well yesterday on lower bush (22") but no so great in upper bush (15"). Gathered 550 gallons of sap in the evening and drew the first syrup off at 10 PM.

Putting out the last of the buckets along the Lost Mile Road this morning then chasing leaks in the upper bush. Wonder if temps will get above freezing today?

[sapmaple]

I have a 2 inch vac line that goes across a swamp 1000 feet to get vac to my other woods discovered that the pipe had broke at a tee and pulled apart a couple of feet Went out into swamp and found that the heavy wet snow from dec must have flatted the pipe into the water thus now its in the ice I replaced the tee and built an extension to connect the pipe turned on the valve and I have ice cooled vacuum
its amazing what vacuum will do for you I got about a gal of sap per tap on the side with vac and maybe a pint per tap on side without
Can't wait to solve the next problem

[wsugar]

First boil yesterday. All well. Made 25 gallons only 1475 gallons to go.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I don't think your problem is nitre, but a lot of dead bacteria that is all the gunk you are seeing from all the junk in the lines.

Not to change the subject Gang... but I work for a man who is always day late and dollar short... (age thing) and cheap.... didn't wash the lines last year and lots of scuzz in the lines. boiled for seven hours to the 219.2 point and drew off. filter press with minimum D.E. by previous year standard and the filter press just Jammed up... could not manage to filter syrup!!!! Ran steam away water through and came out alright! anybody else out there had this experience past or present? Niter seemed very thick! every paper in the press seemed just caked with gunk. do we need to put MORE D.E. In. syrup blowing out through the sections of the press! HELP!

[sjdoyon]

Had a little over 6,000 gallons come in yesterday, boiling today.