flue Pan Freezing?

[softmaple]

as disgussed in previous postings what is the general concensus this year about how far to let the flue pan freeze? the pan is soldered. i have about 3/4 of an inch of frozen sap at the top in the flue pan now. does the sugar water settle to the bottom of the flues and will take longer to freeze down there? the front pan is fine.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

It will take longer to freeze down there but if the top of the stack is open and there is a way for it to pull a draft thru, it will freeze faster. Put a small light with like a 40 to 100 water bulb inside and block off the draft and you will be fine. :D

[tstew]

speaking of sap freezing was wondering if any of u with milk tanks ever had a problem with the valve area freezing and breaking.

[MASSEY JACK]

tstew, I just got two tanks. They have a valve that has a rubber plunger in them that seals against the outlet of the tank. The valve has no liquid in it unless you are emptying it. The only part that will have sap that can freeze is in the outlet bung of the tank. I think these will work good. Do you have valves like these?

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

Drain your pans if your not going to boil for a day or more is my recommendation.

[maple flats]

I have always drawn a gal or so from the syrup pan and poured it into the channel of the flue pan that was being filled with fresh sap as you ran. Doing this I have never had any freeze but I did get a few ice crystals on the surface a couple of times. I can't remember what temps I have gotten for lows but I can check my records when I get to the sugarhouse and post tomorrow eve. The next time I boil I reverse the flow and a little boiling has the density back where it should be in relation to the other passes in the pan. Just the extra sweets in the flue pan keeps the pan safe.

[brookledge]

Another thing you can do is test how hard and solid the ice is by sticking a stiff piece of wire into the flues if you can still break through and it is only slushy undernieth then should not be a problem. Like Brandon said put a bulb inside the arch. Personally it depends on how long things are going to be frozen for me to make my decision as to what I do
Keith

[tstew]

my vlaves are a little different there is a a small area between the tank and the actual valve where sap will lay its only a couple inches long but was just curious if it forze hard enough if it would split the bung.

[MASSEY JACK]

I guess it could be possible to freeze the bung. If it can be a problem then I am sure it will probably happen to me too. As far as the flue pan freezing, I know a farmer with a 3 x 12 that he has installed a fitting in the flue pan and has an engine block heater screwed into it and it is hooked to a thermostat.