Cross Flow Pans

[doocat]

I am looking to buy a 3x8 wood fired evaporator. I have heard differing stories about cross flow pans. I also hear that in Canada, cross flow is the only thing going.
Does anyone out there have any experience with them, especially in a three foot wide unit that is wood fired? If so please reply or PM me so I can get input before I buy.

Thanks, Craig

[brookledge]

Craig,
I have to wonder why anyone would want to use the style of cross flow pans that require taking off the arch and turning 180 degrees to reverse the flow. I have heard of people taking the pans off while there is fire underneath to reverse flow. I know that alot of Canadians do that but every time you have to reverse the flow during a boil you are wasting time. You have to be careful not to get burned and if you have larger pans you can't do it alone. If you don't have to move the pans to reverse the flow than I would say they would be ok.
If the evaporator you are looking at requires moving the pans all the time think it out to see if it will work for you. I have a leader revolution that requires changing two quarter turn valves and one plug. I can do it in about 3 seconds and the flow is reversed its that simple. Prior to that I had a parallell flow and it worked good for me. The only disadvantage is that you draw off both sides of the evaporator. With the revolution pans you only draw off on one side so you can set it up so that you don't have to carry the syrup around the evaporator. With the revolution pan it is like a half cross flow and half parallel flow.
Maybe this will start a cross flow vs. parallel flow forum.
Keith

[themapleking]

Algier makes a same side reverse flow front pan which is like having a cross flow & reverse flow in one. Contact Chris Pfiel (mapleguys-mapletrader) He has one in a 3x10 he can tell how they work. He's also dealer so he'll set you up with one.
Keep in the mapletrader not the other dealers.

[lmathews]

doocat,
i have been in sugaring for 20 years. i have had 4 diff. styles of evaporators. this year i bought a new 3x12 waterloo cross flow design and i liked it very well. i bought an extra syrup pan for rotating between boils. in my opinion i made alot clearer syrup with the cross flow than with the paralell flow. and with rotating between boils the pans were easier to clean and took alot less scrubing in final wash up. i hpe this helps.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have wished several times I had two syrup pans so I could rotate them every boil and keep them clean. It wouldn't matter whether you had a cross flow or any other kind of flow, as long as you rotate the pans every boil, you would have cleaner syrup. Maybe I can pick up a nice used one from Bascoms sometime. :)

[maplwrks]

I have sugared for almost 20 yearson reverse flow rigs varying in sizes from 2x8 to 5x16. The problem with them is they all make syrup in the 2nd divider, which can cause scorching. This year I bought a new Lapierre- Waterloo- Small w/ cross flow pans. I'll never boil on a reverse flow pan again! I concentrate my sap to 16% and it runs like a charm.Don't beleive everything you here from Leader, as most of them don't know what they're talking about. Alot of guys up here in Vt. have switched to cross flow rigs and love them.

[Al]

I have cross flow on my Algiers Thrifty model. You do have to do a little more coaching to get the front section to boil and yes you can make syrup in the 2nd section easily if not careful. When I start my rig. I bring all sections up to boil an do a small draw off as I turn the valve to get fresh sap in the rear section and get up to my safe level. Most of the time that works and you have the correct colors where you want them. :D Of course I also have no front float so I get used to playing with the valve. Never boiled on anything else but if it works in Canada it will work in Vt. :D Another one of those preferance things I'm thinking.
Take care.

[forester1]

Refresh my memory here somebody. Are crossflow pans the type of pans that have two syrup pans connected and can be switched? How do they work? I know what reverse flow is-- Just shut and open opposite valves and plug the opposite inlet in the flue pan and draw off the other side of the evaporator right? I don't get to see enough different rigs to know.

[NH Maplemaker]

Forester1, Yes cross flow go side to side,The one's that I have seen always draw from the one side. Mine is a Dallaire! In an ideal world you would have three syrup pans! When your done boiling for the day,front pan comes off for cleaning, rear pan comes to front, third pan goes to rear! Never have tried to swich pan in the middle of a boil as someone posted earler. Have had both types, like this one alot better! only time we ever came close to making syrup in rear pan was when we were running it real shallow in an attempt to keep syrup light. Almost was REAL DARK!

[Mike]

I have a 3x10 oil fired cross flow! I love it. I do all my boiling on one side of the rig. Its just a matter of opening a valve and changing the float to the box i drawed off on last....I have my sap feed on the same side and ill be putting my filter press on the same side....I wont have to travel far to draw, fill sap tank or filter....I hope to get an extra front pan so's I can have one soaking while im boiling.... :D :D

[doocat]

Thanks for all the input so far. I'm finding that both cross flow and reverse flow have their benefits.

Craig