Logistics of emptying flue pan after every boil for weekend warrior

[maple6275]

Happy fall everyone! First, thanks to all who've answered my many questions regarding the new 18"x60" CDL hobby evap I just got. I'm trying to ramp up my knowledge well in advance! This unit has an 18x42 flue pan and an 18x18 flat pan. I'll only be boiling once a week, as I don't have enough taps or time to do more often.

So, the question is, how do I manage what's left in the flue pan at the end of the day? Do I push it out to the flat pan with water? Disconnect it and manually dump it into the flat pan (heavy and dangerous while hot!)? Let it cool and just sit there for a week (covered at 40F) and reboil next weekend (too much sand build up over weeks, spoilage)? Suggestions?

Thanks!
Ryan

[Schiefe4]

Just leave the stuff in the pan until you can boil next. Not a big deal.

[lpakiz]

Unless the weather is warm. It could spoil/mold. Bring to momentary boil every couple days to re-pasteurize it.
Keep it covered, should be OK.

[wnybassman]

I fully intend leaving sap in mine between boils even if a week or more apart. I have done this with my flat pan in the past. Only thing I might do is put a small heat source in the arch during extreme cold conditions to protect the flue pan.

[Big_Eddy]

If you do want to drain the flue pan and it doesn't have a drain, I have had good success siphoning. I have about 3' of 3/4" tubing. Stick one end in a cool sap bucket and suck until full. Put thumb over end and lift the other end out of the pail and into the closest flue. Drain into a couple of stainless pots. As each flue drains I just lift into the next and continue. If I'm watching and fast enough I don't lose the prime.

DON'T prime the tube by sucking straight out of the hot flue pan. Ask me how I know!

Once in the pail you can finish on a boiler, freeze until next week or pour into the syrup pan.

I leave my evaporator full all season unless I know I won't be boiling for more than a week.

I've had no success using water to push syrup forward. Maybe it works with a big evaporator, but not with mine. At the end of the season, I close the valve between flue and syrup pans, drain the flue pan as above, fill my head tank with fresh water and add a gallon of vinegar to the flue pan. I then relight the evaporator and manually add the concentrate to the syrup pan until it's all reduced. Meanwhile my flue pan is cleaning itself and the float valve adds water to keep it full.

[maple6275]

Great advice guys, thanks!