opinions on adding flues into a flat pan

[Yellzee]

Folks, I run a small 18 inch X 3 foot flat pan and am trying to figure out how to cheaply increase my evaporation rate.

My current thought is to make this into two pans, say 18 inch X 6 inch up front and then 18 inch X 2.5 feet for the back.

The back pan I would then cut a square out of the center of the bottom and weld in a section with some drop flues in it. Say 4 drop flues about 3 inches deep by 2 inches wide.
To me this would add about 2 feet to my width of the back pan, so going from 3.75 square feet to 8.75 square feet boiling surface area for that pan.

I can get the flue part made at a local shop and have a friend tig it into place in the hole I cut.

To get the sap from the back pan to front I'd have to scoop it I think, as since they will be the same height I'm not sure how I could rig it up to flow from the back pan to the front.

Wondering if anyone has tried this or has comments to if it's crazy or not.

My pan is just a fairly light Guage stainless piece of sheet metal folded and tig welded. About 6 inches deep.

[seclark]

Any time you can add extra inches to your heating surface it is a good thing.I am in the process of doing just that to my flat pan.When I get finished I will have added close to 300 square inches of area which I hope will increase my boil rate enough to warrant the extra work.Your plan sounds good even if you have to ladle to the front section.

[psparr]

Search "siphon" for back to front transfer ideas

[RileySugarbush]

You should go for it!

6" seems a little small for your syrup pan. I'd go a little wider. You may be able to add a divider to make a two channel cross flow pan out of it.

For a connection, just weld in a 3/4 in pipe nipple in the divider between the flue and syrup pans. As you draw syrup, the level will even out. This is basically how all drop flue setups work. You can make up a little plug to shut it off when you want, but don't forget to take it out when boiling!

[Big_Eddy]

Rather than breaking it into 2 pans, why not just weld in a divider at 6-8" back to split off the syrup end, then do the flue thing at the back. Now you have a combo pan with a small opening to flow from back to front. Lot simpler than ladeling back and forth or siphons, and less welding too