what methods do people use to clean their flue pans during the boiling season?

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

We were wondering what different methods people use to clean their flue pans during the season, short of boiling them with acid? Also how often? We have a 5x14 CDL Intensofire arch with D&G pans(back pan being drop flue), and are concentrating to around 15%. The last few years we have been having trouble with some scorching in the back pans due to increased production(150+gallons on an avg. boil), particularly towards the end of the season when the sugar sands get worse. We heard of some of the bigger producers pushing RO permeate water into the back pan at the end of the boil to clean them, which we tried, but it only helped a little. Should this be done at the end of every boil or does anyone else have a different method they use? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Walling,s Maple Syrup.

[TunbridgeDave]

My cousins always rinse the front pan with permeate on their 6x18 after every boil. They made 5200 gallons on 7500 taps. I don't think they rinsed the 2 flue pans or the piggyback very often during the season if at all. Are you making more syrup than that?

I plan on trying the permeate rinse this year on our 3x10, even in the back pan if necessary but I never have build up in the flues, only on the sides, above the level of the sap.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

TunbridgeDave, Last year we made 3400 gallons on 5600 taps. We do have 2 front pans that we switch every boil and run permeate through them which works great. What % concentrate are your cousins running through the ro? I would be curious to know if they have build-up in their flue pans. thanks for the response.