advice on dividers 2x2 syrup pan

[PA mapler]

I have a 2x6 evaporator. The syrup pan is 2x2, with just one divider in the middle. I've been watching the flow of syrup, and it seems like there is an area around the drawoff that syrup just sits in, boiling and boiling and boiling. It seems like the flow is very poor, and I wonder if that is one of the reasons I never get above a dark-amber syrup. Would adding another divider, and slimming up the width of the "flow" help the gradient be more consistent?

Thanks!

[Peepers]

PA mapler - did you ever figure this out? I'm thinking of 2x2 pans with dividers and was debating how many dividers I should have on sap vs syrup pans. I'm thinking two dividers on the syrup pan giving me 8 inch channels would be the way to go.

[buckeye gold]

I have watched a friend's unit do this and he has a lot of dark amber too. Last year the darkest I had was medium and he commented about how do I get so much light on my little hobby evaporator compared to his 2x6. I concluded a couple years ago that if I let it sit and cook until I could draw finished syrup I was gonna get predominately dark. So I started pulling off small draws then batch finishing on a gas unit. Since then I make predominately light to medium. I'm not educated enough in all the nuances of sugaring to know if it really matters or not, to batch finish, but you might try it and see. I'd be curious to see if it worked for you. I suggested it to my friend and he didn't want to bother with setting up a finisher. I know there are enough with long term experience here to answer this question, I'll be waiting to see the answers.

[nymapleguy607]

The syrup pan on my evaporator has 4 compartments the syrup has to go through. That being said it might be how you are firing the evaporator if its a wood fired. If everytime you fire, the float takes a big gulp of sap that will keep diluting the sap in the pans and cause that drop in grade. Also the amount of sap you boil at a time could do it, but based on your tap numbers that shouldn't be a problem. I would make sure your wood is seasoned well and it is split fine enough so you get a good hot fire and if you don't have one get an egg timer to time when to load wood.

[maplefarmer]

I have a 2x6 leader, with a 2x2 syrup pan with 2 dividers, making 3 channels. I draw off at the front of evap. and it just seems to me that a 4 channel would work better which would have me draw off at the back of the syrup pan which always seems to be boiling harder than out close to the front. I do pull off small batches and finish with turkey fryer, just can't quite get hydro. to float.