Half Pint Question

[Noseguard76]

I just brought home a used Half Pint and am pretty excited about using it next year. I understand that in between boiling sessions one should leave 1 1/2 to 2 inches of sap in the pan to absorb the heat as the fire cools. Most fires burn for quite some time. Was wondering how to work the fire. Is there some approximate time period before one wants to call it a day that they should quit feeding wood to the fire and let it start the long process of burning down?

thanks

Noseguard

[PerryW]

Never used the half pint, but generally, evaporators really don't take that long to burn down. When I have my sap level down to 2 inches in the feed tank, I quit adding wood. Then I wash up my filters (keeping an eye on the dial thermometer in case I need to make a final take-off of syrup).

In 10 or 15 minutes, I have all the filters washed and my fire has pretty much burned down to a few coals. Then I run an inch extra sap in both the back pan and the front pan, shut off the valves and close up the sugarhouse.

You will need to learn your evaporator, but after a few boils you will know exactly when to quit firing. But keep a bucket of water on hand in case you run out of sap.

[maple flats]

I used to worry about that too. Years ago I flooded both pans (2x6 and 3x8) with about 2" extra. Then gradually over the years Ireduced the flooding. The last few years I have not flooded at all. While the coals last up to about 2 hrs in the arch, the boiling drops fairly quick. I cover the syrup pan after about 1 hr, when I finish cleaning up, after raking all remaining hot coals to level them. My front pan is at about 1" depth. I leave after locking up and when I return the next day I have lost 1/4" at most. My wood is almost all hard wood, including mostly sugar maple, ash, cherry and beech. This blend gives longer coal life than softer woods and thus more heat longer. Don't flood the pan, just give an hour or so and then cover if you have one and rake the coals to level them and leave.

[68bird]

I always brought the pan up to about 2 1/2", and with a full preheater pan just let it trickle in. I would rather have too much in the pan when I re-fired than a scorched mess!
Doug

[Noseguard76]

Thanks for the advise, guess my worries are unfounded.

Noseguard

[RC Maple]

I'm with you 68 - would rather have too much juice than to have a scorched pan. Fortunately I don't have a scorched pan story but I did make what seemed like maple taffy once this year! Too close for comfort. After shutting down a few times you'll figure out when to stop firing and how much sap to leave in the pan. Noseguard - there's a great name!

[Shawn]

I wonder if you could find a tin smith to make you a float . We went to that this year and it keeps the front pan at two inches. At the end of the night when I let the fire die down I fill our back preheater with sap from the holding tank and the float keeps the front pan at two inches. We use to fill both back and front pans before we left, it works slick and less worry about coming back in morning to find, OUCH!:cool: