Grimm Front Float

[Amber Gold]

I've been running this rig for four seasons now and find the front float valve very finicky...elbow has to be positioned just right to get it to seal properly. I've replaced the gasket and still have a hard time getting it in the sweet spot so it works effectively. Saturday was particularly bad. Twice I thought I get it set properly, only to realize the front pan's boiling funny and discover I have 4" of sap in the syrup pan.

Has anyone experianced this and what have they done to resolve it?

Thanks.

[sapman28]

Josh,

I went 20 years with a frony float that did not work, had to it manualy, add when drawing off slow down when not. My solution was to have a new front pan made with all new sap regulating stuff from the back pan. First time in twenty years that I have a float that works in the front pan. It is so easy to boil now. Leader was expensive, but everything works perfect. you get what you pay for. Probably not the solution you wanted to hear though.

Mike

[gearpump]

I really glad to hear somebody has this problem as well! I am constantly messing and tweaking the float. Sometimes I get it just right only to find some crud from the back pan has plugged up the flow and I have to start over only to have the pan flood again. The only trick I have found is to put on a rubber glove and spin the seat to "seat" the seal in.

Marty

[Amber Gold]

I figured I wasn't the only one...what a crappy setup. I'll get it on there and then once the evap's running hot, I'll take a pair of locking joint pliers and rotate it until the flow slows down...I can never get it to completely seal off like it should. So long as the evap's hot, it keeps up w/ the leakage.

[Farmboy]

I never had a problem with the float on my old pan. I forgot to have Jim add the bar that the float hooks to on my new pan so this year a float is pretty much useless. I have been using the valve. Next year I am getting a better setup for a float front and rear.

[tuckermtn]

Josh- same rig, same problem. caused us to burn a batch of syrup last week. Sorry, no answers from me- we even had the elbow on the valve modified to make it shorter so the angle going in to the front pan was better. not much improvement. My issue more recently has been the o-rings will not make a good seal so I have leakage around the pipe which drips on the rail and down the sides.

[Cardigan99]

Josh, same issue on the Grimm 2x6. It takes a while to get the elbow set correctly. Once I get that squared away it's still a little weepy until the pans heat up. I know Bascoms sell regulators and new packing (I could definately use new packing).

[Amber Gold]

Fantastic...glad to hear I'm not the only one...I guess.

Generally, once the evap's hot and I'm drawing off regularly, I'm OK, but other times I can't get it tweaked just right and it's coming in faster than I get take it off. I was hoping for a "just do this and you'll be all set", but I guess the solution is to buy a new float setup. I did this with the rear float setup because I thought it was even worse.