The time it will last will be in direct relation to the sanitation in your system, the actual temperature of the sap/concentrate and the sugar %. I think Dr Tim might best shed light on that question. Another issue, do you have a source for enough ice when the outside temps get to 45 or more?
Dave Klish, I recently bought 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 think your doing fine! In fact we should all take turns coming to your place and making syrup! Great setup you have. I would suggest you boil more often, May be even more important now that you will have higher sugar content sap from the R.O bucket.
Regards,
Chris
Casbohm Maple and Honey
625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
12" SIRO Filter Press.
2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
Too many Cub Cadets
Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck
www.mapleandhoney.com
I would consider boiling more often. You mentioned RO-ing and boiling the next day - good - make sure you don't go more than the day ahead. I would continue to RO while you are boiling. You can always run the sap through the RO more than once to get a higher sugar %. I believe someone also mentioned this, but even if you are preheating your sap, unless it is really hot, I would not dump it all in at once - all 5 or 10 gal of it. You should try to either set up a trickle system, or manually put in a little at a time. You don't want to reduce your boil.
I will also second the need for a stack/chimney on one end and a door on the other.
Other than that, you have a very cool looking set up! and 10 gal per hr is nothing to sneeze at!
2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
2018-19 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn
2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! Gained a maple cat!
2021-24 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing
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