Pan draw off question

[sams64]

I think I finally understand almost the whole pan system, float switches, etc... for making some new pans for this year. ( last minute I know) However I do have one question. If I am using a gravity feed with either a float or valve to control sap coming into my drop flu pan and a float box between this and the syrup pan how do I draw off. I will I manually draw off overy so often or is there a float or other switch that automatically draws off?

If I manually draw off will I need to open the valce and increase the level in both pans after drawing off?

Great info on here. Thank you to everyone who contributes.

Sam

[spencer11]

They make an auto draw off. I don't remember what it's called and it was expensive. I'll try and find out what it was called for you.

Spencer

[Brian]

The sap goes from the feed tank to the float,then to the float box then enters the flue pan.what ever the level is in the flue pan is, will be the level in the front pan. as you draw off the float should maintain the level for you.

[Big_Eddy]

If I am using a gravity feed with either a float or valve to control sap coming into my drop flu pan and a float box between this and the syrup pan how do I draw off. I will I manually draw off overy so often or is there a float or other switch that automatically draws off?
Sam

Sam - the float controls the sap entering the pans and the depth in the pans. As water evaporates, the float adds sap to replace it. As syrup is taken off, the float adds sap to replace it. As you dip and sip, the float adds sap to replace it. The float keeps the level of sap in the pan consistent regardless of the rate of boil or what's being taken off.

You monitor the syrup pan, and when the last section of your pan is ready, you MANUALLY open the valve and let a litre (quart) or so of finished syrup come out. As soon as you do that - the float will allow a litre of sap to enter the flue pan, and gravity will push everything forward until the syrup pan level rises to match the rest of the pans. Then you boil for another half hour or so until the next litre is ready and repeat.

When you first use your pans - the whole system is full of regular sap. It will take a long time (a whole day) before that first litre of syrup is ready to come off, but once you have "sweetened" the pans, a gradient develops, with raw sap at the inlet and "almost syrup" at the outlet. Once that gradient is in place, you start to take off syrup in small quantities at regular intervals. The bigger the rig, the more you output every hour.

At the end of the day, close the valves between your sections to maintain the gradient, so tomorrow it won't take as long before the first take off happens.