Defoamer

[StayinLowTech]

Wondering how long the commercial liquid defoamer lasts (don't use much each year), best way to store in off season, and does heating and freezing cycles limit it's life?
Thanks.

[psparr]

I freeze mine and have used it three years now. Haven't read it yet, but there is a pdf msd for it you can download.

[DrTimPerkins]

Wondering how long the commercial liquid defoamer lasts (don't use much each year), best way to store in off season, and does heating and freezing cycles limit it's life?
Thanks.

It is similar to cooking oil. It can go rancid over time, especially if warm. Best to keep frozen during the off-season.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

I have a new bottle of the Atmos defoamer and it looks more like a soft paste to me than oil. I put the bottle near the evaporator to warm up and it started "melting" in to what I would have expected. Just one or two drop did the trick. Am I using it properly by warming it enough to be liquid instead of paste? Or do I have a bad bottle? It was not frozen at all.

[psparr]

It is pretty much solid at room temp. I set mine near the evaporator to keep it liquid. I boil basically outside though.

[wnybassman]

Is it normal to have it glob up in the float box when putting a couple drops in there? Looks like I am dripping candle wax into it. lol

[mellondome]

Yes, unless you have a preheater... the sap is cold. It is also an "oil" dripping into water.

[Russell Lampron]

Yes it is supposed to be in gel form when cold. I put mine on the back edge of my syrup pan to soften it up when I first start boiling and then on top of the steam hood. It usually a race to see if the defoamer is going to liquefy before the flue pan foams up. The other night it was close. I usually don't have much left at the end of the season and buy a new one each year.

[psparr]

Put it in the pan near the float box. If it jells it won't sink to make it through to the pan.

[StayinLowTech]

Yes it should be warm enough to be liquid and only a few drops added consistently will keep my whole evaporator under control. Best place to add is in the flue pan near where the outlet goes to the syrup pan that way, with a few drops after each firing, it will affect everything that is in both pans.

[Bruce L]

Bought a gallon jug years ago at Leader's during open house several years ago,it stays in the freezer until I need some and thaw it out to refill the little bottle.That little bottle then sits in the frig every night and I carry it in my pants pocket when I am boiling to keep it liquid from body heat to be able to use it.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

I kept it near the pan on feed side and it liquified. So far I haven't really needed to use it much though.