Stupid question #2000!

[GramaCindy]

Sorry if this sounds really stupid, but I have to ask….What are the "plugs" that I have heard about and saw a Utube video guy pull out of his divided pan? I thought that the sap just "wandered" towards the draw off section all by itself:emb: If there is something more involved, I am in trouble!!!:o

[maplefrank]

some people use plugs or slides to keep the syrup separte, and draw off by batches.........i don't like to use them....hope this helps???

[Fishgill]

The syrup will work it's way to the draw off. When you shut down it will diperse thru out the pan. When you fire it up again the gradient will take place again. It has been taking me about one hour for that to happen. My rig has worked great the three times I have boiled with it.

[GramaCindy]

THANK YOU so much guys…..that's what I thought, a dangerous thing for me to do….!

[3rdgen.maple]

A plug is a tool for a maple trader to forget to take out of the pan when he or she is boiling so they can burn their pans up so they wont have to boil sap anymore. Dont use them many a sugarmakers have forgotten to pull them out and it has cost them dearly. It takes a short amount of time to get the gradient back in the pans once its boiling. That little extra time is well worth not taking a chance on memory loss.

[Kev]

I do not put it back in at night. I do use it when cooking. I wait untill the syrup pan is getting close then draw off a slug. then plug. pour back what was drawn. in a little while I have a 1/2 gal or so of syrup. then repeat.
the little pan we have running at about 3/4 inch makes for very small draws otherwise. and I feel like I can not keep it hot enough to get through all the filterings otherwise. but I use flat filters over stainless cooking pots to pre filter and then pour that into the orlon cone.
cave-manish filtering I know LOL