Spot welded dividers. How big of a problem?

[sugaringcrazy]

I have a new to me, 2.5x6 ft evaporator, and I found out that the dividers in the syrup pan are spot welded leading to leaking underneath each one. From my research it sounds like this isn't entirely uncommon, but it doesn't make any sense to me. It's all going to be mixing, and it's going to take forever to finish syrup, and then when I draw off, the sweet isn't going to go around the maze, but under the dividers mixing everything up. So, I'm wondering if I am exaggerating this as a problem. I only had about 30-40 gallons of sap to boil so I haven't really found much out yet, but I'm wondering if there are other folks out there with spot welded dividers and how does it affect you?

[PerryW]

Unless the leaks are big enough to throw a cat through, I don't this it will matter much. I'm guessing that 99% of the sap will go where it's supposed to. It will not affect the overall boiling rate, it would only slightly lengthen the time between takeoffs and the takeoffs will be slightly bigger. When mine is boiling good, the liquid level goes up over the dividers and intermixing greatly exceeds whatever would leak under your dividers.

[lfdiaff]

I had my pan welded by a buddy this year. I later decided to have him put dividers in it. He said thaty he could completely weld the bottoms but would most likely warp the pan. So I had him spot weld the dividers then I soldered them closed. I have a big vintage solder iron and used 95/5 silver solder. Worked great. If you decide to solder the dividers you must get a stainless flux. The local sugarbush supply place had it.