First Boil : Back pan not boiling !!!

[smokeyamber]

Yikes:o, so my setup is a 2x5, 2 pans both flat and undivided , vertical wall for firebox ends under 24x24 syrup pan. Sloping under back pan started around 10inches up to around 4inches in back by exit. I have a blower coming in from the back of the firebox. Grates are down kinda low so I need to really pile on the wood to get flames hitting front pan.

Front pan always boils, back only boiled once ( with a full load and the blower off ).

Plan for tonight is to reduce the slope, go to 6inches up to 2inches, should I go even closer ? I have a 10ft 8" stack , opening in back is 29" wide so would the 2inches work ?

Other variable is I have no preheater, just a slow dribble from a pan in back...

Only have 2 more days to boil and then done... so any advice would help my sleep :o

[RollinsOrchards]

It sounds to me like you have too much blower for the amount of wood, and the blower is cooling off the fire too much.

Ideally the incoming air should start by going through the coals at the bottom and up through the lesser burned wood and then through the newest wood on top, creating in inferno of flame. If the cold incoming air is hitting the sap or syrup pan before being consumed by the fire you will lose boil. If there is more air than available wood surface the flames won't be as hot.

Also the wood should be dry and split finely to catch quickly and not steam and sizzle and cool off the fire.

[Rossell's Sugar Camp]

I would throw wood in and keep it full. Get a good coal base built and turn on the blower. but not too much air because that will get rid of all your coals.

[Sterlingsapper]

I had a similar issue and tried all sorts of solutions. The one that finally worked was adding two sections to my stack. Now the stack is 14 feet tall, on a 5 foot long oil tank evaporator. The increased draft is pulling the heat back and the pans boil very evenly. i only use the blower to crank the fire up, the rest of the time, I've been letting the draft do the job,
Good luck