calibrating a dail thermometer

[PARKER MAPLE]

So the instruction say calibrate it in boiling water. this might be a dumb question but im not going to take it everytime, so whats going to happen if I caliberate it when the sap starts to boil??? I mean do you guys take it out every time to calibrate it eveytime???

Its a 3in dial ther, from bascoms. 6in stem 1/16th in set screm on the back for calibrating.

Thanks

[johnallin]

Some probably do, but I dont' - too much trouble draining the pan to get it out. I set it once with boiling sap, then use it as a guide to see when it's time to take a draw. For us when it hits 7° I will pull some into the cup and check density -it's normally not ready though until it reads closer to 9° - but that can vary a lot.

It's a great tool but no more that an indicator to tell me it's time to wake up and get ready to pay attention.

[PARKER MAPLE]

So do you set it to 0 at the boiling point of sap instead of water? Are the two different Sap vs Water??

[johnallin]

Yes they are, but I never thought it was that big a deal.

We're talking about maybe 1½ - 3% sugar in sap vs. 0% in water.

If syrup boils at 7° over the boiling temp of water with 66% sugar in it, I don't think the small percentage in the sap is going to mean too much, and again that thermometer is still only a gauge to let you know your close. You still need your hydrometer to determine if you're there.

Hope that helps.

[Dennis H.]

I recalibrate mine almost everytime. The port for the thermometer is at a location that I can remove it with out worry about syrup running out. usually what I do is while I am getting the evap up to temp I have a pot of water on the stove. when I get a minute between firings I will take the thermo to the pot and calibrate, takes all of 2 min.

I have found that the boiling point changes quit often.

[maplefrank]

i set mine when i start boiling the first sap.......then just check with the hydrometr....and go from there.....

[PARKER MAPLE]

got it thanks for the help. hopefully i will be calibrating for the first time tomorrow the way things were loooking today should have plenty of sap to boil tomorrow

[Timber Juice]

When the barometric pressure changes - the boiling temperature changes.

If you had a barometer, when you calibrate the thermometer mark the barometer.

If the barometer has changed when you want to check the temp. for sure, recalibrate.

If you had a separate thermometer to check with you won't have to pull the one in the pan.
The accuracy of the thermometers doesn't change, just the actual temp of when it is true syrup.

Calibrate both thermometers at the same time, if there is a difference, the difference will stay the same unless damaged.
Get one of those little pocket digital thermometers-very handy.

Goodluck

[maple flats]

I have only calibrated mine the first time. Then I draw by the thermometer but verify with a hydrometer. I actually boil to about +8 and thin in the canner after filtering with distilled water. I only use 1 or 2 gal distilled water in a typical season for 150 gal syrup. I find this method much faster and a gal of distilled water is under a buck.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I set mine to the Hydrometer and Go from there. I also will be using a auto drawoff so I will have a few checks going. PID, Hydro and dial therm in the pan.

[Timber Juice]

I actually boil to about +8 and thin in the canner after filtering with distilled water. I only use 1 or 2 gal distilled water in a typical season for 150 gal syrup. I find this method much faster and a gal of distilled water is under a buck.

I find hot filtered sap works just fine to thin with.
0.00$

The main thing is I can truthfully say nothing has been added, it is pure syrup.

If the customer hears distilled water they think its watered down.

And I don't have to worry if the high school kid washed their hands after using the toilet before changing the filter on the stores RO machine.