finishing the season with a drop flue ?

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

OK figured id get a jump on this question as to how one goes about wrapping up a season with a drop flue. i know we just got started but id like to know if anyone can give me suggestion before we reach the end.

my evap has drop flues without a drain, what becomes of the last bit of remaining sugar water in the drops and how might one go about finishing every bit of it with out fresh sap pushing it.

thanks in advance
Slate

[KenWP]

You can run water in from the one end or do like some and leave it full to ferment and clean the pan in a couple months time. Smells like Haynes socks but makes the pan all shiney.

[briansickler]

I'd siphon the concentrated sap out of the flue pan with a piece of tubing or small hose. Then, block off between the flue and syrup pans or close valves if you have them. Fill the flue pan with water. Feed the sap into the syrup pan by hand to maintain 1" level until gone. Be ready to to shut down before you run out of sap. Finish the almost syrup with propane on stove or other cooker.

Or, you could siphon out of the flue pan and drain syrup pan and finish it all on a propane finishing set up. Much safer that way.

Brian

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You can also boil off about 50 or 60 gallons of water from your head tank letting it feed the back pan and this will push most of the sweet from the flue pan into the syrup pan and then drain and dump what is left in the flue pan as it will be mostly water.

[Slatebelt*Pa*Tapper]

Ok thanks fellas, some great advice on finishing up the season.

hope everybody has a great season ahead.

[michiganfarmer2]

I'd siphon the concentrated sap out of the flue pan with a piece of tubing or small hose. Then, block off between the flue and syrup pans or close valves if you have them. Fill the flue pan with water. Feed the sap into the syrup pan by hand to maintain 1" level until gone. Be ready to to shut down before you run out of sap. Finish the almost syrup with propane on stove or other cooker.

Or, you could siphon out of the flue pan and drain syrup pan and finish it all on a propane finishing set up. Much safer that way.

Brian

Ive tried both. I find, with my 3x12, there isnt enough syrup to be worth all the screwing around. I just dump it all. I cringe when I dump it, but I dump it