The LED virtual sight glass is commonly used in the sugarhouse to visualize the level of liquid in the head tank of an evaporator. A submersible liquid level sensor or external pressure sensor is used to precisely measure detect the level of liquid in the tank down to 0.25". Based on the liquid level, the LED virtual sight glass controller, will illuminate multiple LEDs on a ~3' long (60 LED light strip. This allows you to always know the level of liquid in any tank.
- The LED strip will turn Blue/Green when the level is at the desired zone
- The LED strip will turn Blue/Red when the level is in a undesirable zone (close to empty, close to full).
A user can scale the sensor reading to accommodate smaller and larger tanks and can also set their specific threshold on when to turn the LED strip colors based on the level of the tank.
The LED light strip can be mounted to a wall in plane sight of your evaporator or common work area. The tank itself can be up to 25' away.
Sensor Options:
Stainless Steel Submersible - Digital: Provides simple install. Simply place the sensor in the bottom of your tank and it measures tank height based on pressure. Can measure up to 10' tall tanks.
1/4" NPT External Pressure Sensor - Digital: Typically used for larger sap tanks such as Silo's or other large vessels. Mount the pressure sensor near the bottom of the tank using a 1/4" NPT fitting. This sensor detects the height of the liquid based on the pressure. It can measure the height of a liquid in up to 33' tall silos.
The Sap Spy Gateway is a next-generation LoRaWAN® gateway designed for long-range, low-power communication between your Sap Spy sensor nodes and the cloud. Built for sugarbush monitoring, it provides reliable data transmission across vast distances while maximizing sensor battery life.
Long-Range Coverage
With an expected range of ½ mile to well over 1 mile between a gateway and a node (terrain dependent), the Sap Spy Gateway makes it easy to cover large properties. Larger producers can install a gateway in different areas of the property for complete property coverage. Any Sap Spy node can connect to any gateway automatically — no user configuration required. This provides near infinite scalability throughout your larger sugarbush.
Simple Connectivity Options
The gateway connects to the internet using your choice of:
Wi-Fi
Ethernet
Cellular (all cellular setup and management handled by Sap Spy)
Power Options
The Sap Spy Gateway requires either a standard 110V power source or Power over Ethernet (PoE). For remote or off-grid locations, an external solar panel and battery pack option is available, providing continuous power for uninterrupted monitoring all season long.
Your purchase includes all necessary mounting brackets, antennas and cables.
Subscription
Each gateway requires an annual connectivity subscription of $250 per gateway per season, ensuring seamless cloud integration, monitoring, and support.
Beginning Oct 2025, all sensor nodes that are capable of talking to either a Sap Spy Gateway V2 or our popular Sap Spy Sensor Hub. Nodes shipped prior to Oct 2025, will require a software update. Software updates are easy/straightforward and typically done by the customer without having to ship nodes back to Sap Spy. Contact us at info@SapSpy.com
The general recommendation:
Less than 2,500 taps: Sap Spy Sensor Hub + Sensor Nodes
Greater than 2,500 Taps: Sensor Gateway V2 provides a simple setup and infinite scalability.
Includes everything you need to begin monitoring your sugarbush today including: 6' USB Cable, USB power adapter, Vacuum hook-up connection to releasers, Submersible tank level sensor with 10 ft cable.
Device includes SIM Card and ships pre-activated ready to connect. Requires $75/season subscription fee paid to SapSpy. The first season is included with your purchase. Future seasons will be invoiced in January.
Measure: Tank Level (0-100%) Vacuum Level (0-29.9 inHg) Temperature (degrees F)
Alert: Send text alert based on alert settings you configure. Sends alerts up to 3 people.
Plot history: Plot the history of the vacuum level, tank level and temperature for durations between 1 hr and 14 days. Known how cold it was last night as well as how the sap is running during the day. Ensure your vacuum is always at peak performance.
No power in the woods? No Problem: Device can last 2-4 weeks on a single charge. Available Options include: Solar Panel or alligator clips for 6-12 Volt battery.
No WiFi in the woods? No Problem: Device connects over the cellular network with near full Cellular coverage throughout US and most of Canada
Includes everything you need to begin monitoring your sugarbush today including: 6' USB Cable, USB power adapter, Vacuum hook-up connection to releasers, submersible tank level sensor with 10 ft cable + 10' extension cable.
Requires $50/season subscription fee paid to Sap Spy. The first season is included with your purchase. Future seasons will be invoiced in January.
Measure: Tank Level (0-100%) Vacuum Level (0-29.9 inHg) Temperature (degrees F)
Alert: Send text alert based on alert settings you configure. Sends alerts up to 3 people.
Plot history: Plot the history of the vacuum level, tank level and temperature for durations between 1 hr and 14 days. Known how cold it was last night as well as how the sap is running during the day. Ensure your vacuum is always at peak performance.
Limited Cell Service or Already have WiFi? No Problem: The WiFi sensor hub connects over your existing WiFi network for connectivity.
A SapSpy Sensor Node communicates to the SapSpy Sensor Hub (Sold Separately) OR Sap Spy Gateway allowing you to measure vacuum at different locations in your sugarbush.
This represents the remaining stock of our 1st generation sensor node. The next generation node is referred to as a "universal node" where you order the universal node in any quantity and then order the physical sensors needed for it. A universal node can be used as a 1, 2 or 3 port sensor where you choose the quantity and type of sensor that gets plugged into it. This makes it both easier for us to build 1 universal device rather than 6 variations and it makes it a bit easier for you to know what to order and/or as your operation expands you can simply add sensors. https://sapspy.com/collections/all-products/products/universal-sensor-node
A first generation sensor node can be one of the following configurations:
1) Single Vacuum Sensor with temperature sensor (SOLD OUT - Replaced by Universal Node)
2) Dual vacuum sensor with temperature sensor
3) Single Vacuum Sensor with Ultrasonic Tank level sensor and temperature sensor (used for a tank and releaser)
4) Single Ultrasonic tank level sensor and temperature sensor (Typically used where an electric releaser pumps to a remote tank where vacuum monitoring is not needed).
In order for SapSpy Sensor Nodes to communicated to the SapSpy Sensor Hub, the Sensor Hub must include an add-on radio option for +$100.
Sap Spy nodes are now capable of Spy Mesh. Spy Mesh allows nodes to repeat a signal in order to significantly increase the distance between end of line vacuum sensors and the sensor hub (Cellular Gateway).
A single Sap Spy sensor hub can service many sensor nodes (currently up to 50). The recommended maximum number of hops between a sensor hub and sensor node is 2. The expected distance between two sensors nodes is estimated at ~1500' - 2500' through a typical sugarbush. Line of sight, sensor nodes can reach 3 miles+ between two nodes. It is recommended to use a dedicated Sensor Hub per sugarbush location and use that particular Sensor Hub to service all sensor nodes in the local sugarbush.
A Sap Spy gateway (or multiple gateways) can service hundreds of sensor nodes allowing the system to scale to the largest producers in the industry.
Universal 3 Port Sensor Node
Regular price
$340.00
Sale price
$300.00
Sap Spy is proud to introduce the Universal 3 Port Sensor Node
This next generation sensor node provides 3 generic ports allowing you to connect 1, 2 or 3 sensors externally to the device. As of Oct 2025 the list of compatible sensors include
Vacuum Sensors
Tank Level Sensors
Pulse Counting Modules (Water meters)
Pressure Sensors (coming soon!)
This style of sensor node can communicate to either existing sensor hubs or to the new Sap Spy Gateway.
Common configurations include:
1 Port Vacuum Sensor: Monitor the end of 1 mainline or a releaser.
2 Port Vacuum Sensor: Monitor the end of 2 mainlines
3 Port Vacuum Sensor: Monitor the end of 3 mainlines
1 Vacuum + 1 tank level: Monitor vacuum and tank level at a releaser location.
1 Vacuum + 1 Tank + 1 Pulse counter: Monitor vacuum, tank level and sap flow at a pump house.
Minimal configuration needed, the sensor node recognizes what sensor type is plugged in. All you do is give each port a name in the Sap Spy web app for ultimate flexibility.
Solar panel provides continuous operation from season to season.
