I need a pic.

[asknupp]

Does anyone have good pics of there "float valve" from warming pan to float pan? I need some ideas.

[psparr]

http://youtu.be/whRR8BlfocY Heres a video of mine. I'll get better pics for you this weekend.

[asknupp]

I saw that on youtube previously. Where do you get something like that? Lowes or home depot? Or plumbing supply?

[Bucket Head]

Those are Roberts valves. Generically known as toilet tank valves, or float valves, but toilets hav'nt had that type valve in them in decades. Head to your nearest plumbing supply because Home Depot and Lowes does'nt have them. Well, they did'nt have them when I installed them on my rig five or six years ago. I'm guessing the help there probably won't even know what one is!

Try online too.

Steve

[harrison6jd]

i too have finally decided to do something similar. the valves wont be in any home supply store so i went a a plumbing supply company. the kid at the counter had no idea of what i was talking about and kept bringing me these plastic junkers. finally, the manager came over and said there is one in the store but it may be hard to find. well, he found it and it wasnt listed in the computer. i told him what i was doing and also found me a copper float ball to use. tomorrow, i put it all together and see how she works. i also added a sediment whole house filter to get and foreign debris before it enters the pan.

[Aaron S]

I am in the process of rigging a float valve using a coper float ball also. I tried it in the sink, I was finding that I might run into a little trouble with the depth of the water or sap and needing more than 2" although it was a quick try and not ideal conditions. My plan is to put it in the first divider, since I don't have a seperat box on the side. Are you dong the same? Wondering how much the boiling will affect the ball? I'm looking forward to hearing how you make out.

[harrison6jd]

i thought i may have an issue with the depth. my plan may be to flatten one side of the ball to give it more surface area without the depth of the ball arc. i too am putting it in the pan and not in a side pan. i am going to put the float ball along the side and block the fire underneath the pan with fire brick. i hope this keeps the violent boil away from the ball. all trial and error at this point.

[Indiana-Jones]

In a previous post on Maple trader someone had the idea of using a stainless whiskey flask for the float. I'm not sure how it worked out, but it might solve the flat bottom issue.

Good luck

[Big_Eddy]

Here's mine. I made the float myself, but anything similar will work. I have a buddy using a chunk of maple for his float. It sits a little deeper but it works well. If I had to build mine again, I would change the lever so I got more travel of the valve for the same change in sap level.

An advantage of a side float box is that you can have it deeper than the main pan, so the float does not hit bottom when you are running shallow. Otherwise it will only open so far and may not provide enough flow. With an in-pan float, be sure to set it deep enough that the valve can open fully.

A float in the pan will work best if your pan is not boiling violently where it sits. It wouldn't work in my flue pan for sure. I have geysers at the front and waves running full length. Even with a separate float box, I get surges in the float box when the pan is really ripping.

[psparr]

http://www.forumfiend.net/uploads/images/6911.jpg

Steam pan and valve off ebay. Rod to float in toilet section at Lowe's. And flask from walmart. I got mine on ebay, but saw them cheaper at walmart later.http://www.forumfiend.net/uploads/images/6912.jpg

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forum Fiend v1.0.1.

[psparr]

The adjustment for the float isn't fine enough, so I use a string attached to the pipe supplying the float box. By twisting the string up, (raising the pipe) it pushes the float deeper into the sap, restricting the flow. And vice versa.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Forum Fiend v1.0.1.

[Ren]

Check out you tube. Just search "Homemade Float Valve for Making Maple Syrup". You will find a video and a link to a series of pictures on how it is made. Looks like it would be very easy to make and appears to work well!