Frozen arch

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Question - When the temp outside and inside sugarhouse hits singe digits Fahrenheit-(thank you sp check) should you start a small fire (electric space heater, etc.) to keep arch sap from freezing solid? And if sap in arch freezes solid, can it damage the flues?

See my dad says I need to do this, which I have done, but I was giving my friend advise to do so, and realized I am not certain that it is necessary. Now I lean on those of you with more expereince to tell me if my dad is correct or this is an old wise tale.

THANKS

[DonMcJr]

Most things my Dad tell me are right but I don't know the answer to this.

[SandMan]

Yes, if it freezes solid, it can cause damage to float boxes, flu's, site tubes, etc. I either drain the whole rig or keep a ceramic heater in the fire box to keep it from freezing solid.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Alright thanks, now I will inform my buddy to hop on his tractor, and drive the 3/4 mile back to his sugarhouse. He will be excited. And Don you are right, Dad is all to often correct. I guess I shouldn't have doubted him.

[325abn]

Yes drain if it gets to cold. I simply drain the concentrate from my flue pan and also the near syrup from the syrup pan.

[jmayerl]

Actually you probably do not need to drain everything. If you sweetened the pans then the sugar concentration will be pretty high and it would have to be below zero to freeze. Even if it freezes it usually just becomes slushy. When fluid expands it will go the easy way....up. i've seen plenty frozen pans, and never saw one damaged from it. But to each there own.

[325abn]

True but I get nurvess when I think of that pan full of liquid when the temp gets into the teens.

I have a pretty solid 5 gal bucket of concentrate from my flue pan right now. For me its too easy to just drain the pan into buckets.

[halladaymaple]

Hi :

If I know the temp is not going to be above freezing for a few days, I drain all my pans and pipes. Its not the pans that are the real problem, its the connections between the pans that freeze up and the inbound sap lines to the back pan. When these freeze up they are the last to thaw and if you need sap when you start the evap next time, your not going to get it, cause those pipes are still frozen.

Its' happened to me in the past, nothing worse noticeing low sap levels and then panic cause the line is still froze.

it never hurts to drain the pans and lines.

Darrell

[PACMAN]

I have a 2 by 8 that ive been builing a fire in for the last 3 days because its been 6 above at night and in the mid 20s during the day. Every time there was at least 3/4 of an inch of ice on top. Start a fire and let it warm up,not boil. Ya only need a small fire.

[PerryW]

I've let my 3x10 raised flue freeze solid dozens of times in the 24 years I've owned it. In fact, it's a frozen block of ice right now. I just run it down as shallow as I dare and let her freeze. No more than 3/4" deep over the flues and front pan less than 2". The accordian-like 7" flues in my pan have lots of flexibly to allow for expansion.

[Mark]

Just be careful when you light it up again, heat it slowly. Too quick and you can make steam under the ice and warp the pan. I have seen this happen with an oil rig, don't know how fast a wood rig would heat up. I wouldn't want to try it with my chip burner and dry chips.

[Rugburn]

I put a clamp on light with a 75 watt bulb inside the arch pointed up at the bottom of the pans, and close down the air. It keeps the pans liquid but the floatbox does partially freeze. Another friend uses a poultry light (more power scotty). Of course you need electric at location. No problems yet. Just hope the bulb doesn"t fail!