Test boil!

[heus]

This afternoon I did a test boil with baking soda on my new A&A 30x10 raised flue. Sent up alot of steam. I do not have insulation under the pans on the arch rails yet, so lots of cold air leaking in Im sure. Tonight I will rinse it all out and then will be boiling with vinegar added to clean up the mineral deposits from my water.

[Gary R]

Heus,

Congratulations on firing it up! I used half bricks over 1" blanket. Were you able to get an estimate on the GPH?

[heus]

Gary, i have no clue on gph prob not great since there was so much air leakage due to no rail insulation yet. My full bricks are over 1" blanket insulation also. I will try to get a better read on the gph on the next test boil. I know Ray said 100+

[maple man]

Tap some trees boil some sap tree running. In central wi

[Kngowods]

I'm glad you posted this. I'm gonna be doin a test with mine in the next couple months. What's the purpose of baking soda and vinegar?? I also have nasty well water. How was it. I know I'll be smiling just like I was when I was 5 on Christmas mornin!!

[heus]

Surprisingly I had absolutely no film or scale left from the well water. When I did my first boil on my 2x6 I trucked water from home since I didnt have water yet at the sugarhouse. I either have water very low in calcium and iron at the SH or the baking soda prevented the deposits from forming. This is a lead-free soldered pan, so I used the baking soda to neutralize any deposits left from the solder. I think this is recommended for any new pans, welded included. I am going to do another one sometime soon and make sure I got 100% of the deposits. Dont think I will need to do the vinegar.