Connecting Drop Pans?

[CincySyrupPusher]

This may have been asked before, but I can't find anything on it.

Is there a way to connect 3 6" SS steam pans so they flow like a real "PRO" pan? I was thinking of tubing towards the bottom, but think sealing that would be to difficult with the higher heat. Also was thinking about "notching" the tops of the pans and getting some "channels" welded in that would carry the sap from back to front.

Trying to get some ideas how to make this a "flow" setup and get away from the "dipping".

This is the design I am going with this year. Image stolen from optionguru
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Last year I had a similar tank on it's side with 3 2" pans and built fire under ALL 3. VERY hard to manage and didn't get the GPH that I will get with the vertical setup and brick lining/ramp etc.

[RileySugarbush]

some folks will put in siphon tubes, but bubbles getting into them will break the siphon unless you put little cups under the ends to prevent them. Several folks here have used them. When I was boiling with pans like that, I found ladling forward with a saucepan kind of relaxing and it kept me in touch with how it was going.

I think any kind of connection will complicate life by making it hard to remove and clean the pans.

[DanE.]

You could do something like this.

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The connection on the pans are from NorCal Brewing Solutions.

http://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/product516.html?__utma=1.258312476.1388778193.1388 778193.1388778193.1&__utmb=1.6.10.1388778193&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1388778193.1.1.utmcsr=%28direct%29|utmccn =%28direct%29|utmcmd=%28none%29&__utmv=-&__utmk=55263787

They are called Weldless Bulkhead kit.

hope this helps you get started...

Dane.

[CincySyrupPusher]

You could do something like this.

8305

The connection on the pans are from NorCal Brewing Solutions.

http://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com/store/product516.html?__utma=1.258312476.1388778193.1388 778193.1388778193.1&__utmb=1.6.10.1388778193&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1388778193.1.1.utmcsr=%28direct%29|utmccn =%28direct%29|utmcmd=%28none%29&__utmv=-&__utmk=55263787

They are called Weldless Bulkhead kit.

hope this helps you get started...

Dane.

The pans will be inside the oil tank, I would have to drill holes in the side of the tank. Not sure that would work.

[DanE.]

I see now, then I think the option that Riley suggested is the best, although it may be a pain in the butt.

I would think if you have your pans fully submersed into the fire then you would also have to have the sap above that line to prevent it from scorching at the water/sap line in the pans and if you did that you would be boiling over the edges.

Now on the other hand, what I show you made it easy to take the pans and part for maintenance, but you could easily only use the bulkhead fitting between the pan if there is enough room for them. Like this (in red)

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Dane.

[CincySyrupPusher]

With that said then, would it make more sense to have 3 drips (1 into each pan)? Or would you still ladle from back to front getting more and more concentrated?

I'm just not sure I would know how to manage that process and tell when it needed to be moved forward. Riley, how is that done?

*edit* by drips I mean from the preheat coil around the stovepipe.

[RileySugarbush]

It's pretty easy. Fill all pans to start at your desired level. Don't worry about scorching, it looks bad at the time but filters out and you will have wonderful syrup. If you don't drop them in your evaporation rate will be much lower.

Feed the back pan (1) with an adjustable drip. Ladle towards the front as needed to keep levels up. 1 to 2 and 2 to 3. The key is maintaining level. Just the way it would if they were connected. The back pan will always be pretty dilute. The front pan will be near finished syrup eventually. When you are nearly done, pick up the back pan and pour into #2. Cover missing pans spot with a piece of sheet metal. Repeat when nearly out in pan #2. Then stop the fire ( you can toss a sheet of metal over coals to shut off the heat quick) and take the near syrup to your finish pot whatever that is.

[morningstarfarm]

Depending on the size of your pan opening in your arch you can get a 16x30 or a 2x3 channel pan from smokey lake for less than 500 bucks...trust me it's worth way more than that to relax and know you will have a system that will last you a few years of growth...and resale value when it is time to upsize....just my .02

[CincySyrupPusher]

thanks for all the input. I am thinking of KISS and "keeping it separated" (pun).

what are your thoughts for putting a draw spigot with one of those weldless bulkhead fittings on the finishing pan? just to make it easier at the last stage...

would that hold up in the fire or is that only for "outside"? I think the pan would need to be out of the fire and only heated on bottom to be able to get the fitting low enough.

[Big_Eddy]

Nothing simpler than the ladle solution. You won't be evaporating so fast you will get tired. Add some wood, ladle some sap between pans, add more sap to back pan, rest for a bit, repeat.
Assuming a 1cup ladle - we're only talking about 50-60 scoops an hour. If it seems like a lot of ladling - get a bigger ladle.

Handles mounted to your pans will allow you to lift the whole pan out and pour it into the next one at the end of the day when your sap is exhausted.

[optionguru]

I made two of the siphons and they work great. As previously mentioned, if you put the cups under the ends of the copper pipe it will hold the siphon better. This makes it easy to start as well without having to suck on a hot pipe. Just submerge the whole thing then lift it upright and the sap stays in the pipe. I can email you a little video showing mine work. just give me your email address. There are a few threads on it.

[CincySyrupPusher]

I made two of the siphons and they work great. As previously mentioned, if you put the cups under the ends of the copper pipe it will hold the siphon better. This makes it easy to start as well without having to suck on a hot pipe. Just submerge the whole thing then lift it upright and the sap stays in the pipe. I can email you a little video showing mine work. just give me your email address. There are a few threads on it.

Can you show an example?

[CincySyrupPusher]

Thanks for the pics and video!

I now have a new Question :)

Do people angle the arch ever so slightly from back to front? To get gravity working for you...? I'm talking 1/4" over 6' arch.

[Big_Eddy]

Gravity is working for you regardless of whether your arch is level or not. Assuming you have the pans connected to each other (siphon or otherwise) they will all level out. For the average user, get it close to level and it's good enough. With restaurant trays - you want them full anyway to avoid burning on the sides so a "slope" doesn't help in any way. As sap evaporates at the front of your arch, gravity will push sap from behind to fill the void.

Only when you start to try to reduce the depth in the pans to the absolute minimum can it helpr. Some folks with a continuous flow arch will elevate the back slightly - that way they are running deeper in the syrup pan than the sap pan. Sap is safe at 1/2" over the flues, but syrup at 1/2" is twitchy at best.

Just get it as close to level as possible.

[CincySyrupPusher]

Thanks again to all the input! Really made design and build easier for me.

I have the entire thing done, bricked etc (with the exception of wheels and preheater output from 30qt pot). I hope to test boil any day, *nervous*

Will get some pictures up as soon as I can. Have not built the siphons, still debating that.

We just tapped yesterday :)

[CincySyrupPusher]

Pictures are all up in a gallery. Videos of the test boil and the first "official" boil are on OneDrive http://1drv.ms/1gA6psd

[optionguru]

It all looks great. One thing that helped my preheater was wrapping another piece of stove pipe around the whole copper coil section. Seems to transfer more heat to the preheater pipe. I used the siphons for the first time during a real boil on Sunday and they saved a lot of hassle and the syrup came out great.

Have a great season.

[CincySyrupPusher]

I did 3 timed tests and was getting 12-14 GPH average! One sample I got 16GPH!!!

I don't know what you are "supposed" to get from a Oil Tank EVAP but !@#$!!!!

I would put 4 gallons in the preheater pot and 15-20min later... it would be gone! WHAT!?!?!?!?! Can you tell I am excited???

*CALM NOW* - question
When shutting down... how to you keep the coil from melting into a puddle of copper? If I stop the flow (that was just RO water to flush) it starts hissing and popping and knocking. Any ideas on that?