batch boiling and bubbles

[11-Nick]

I'm batch boiling in a 2'x4' steel pan. I have sap trickling in back of pan. I've boiled a couple times but haven't removed any syrup. I've been adding to what I've boiled each time. After tonite, I will have gone through about 130-ish gals of sap, and the results are boiling in the pan in front of me right now.
The bubbles in the front are noticeably bigger than the bubbles in the back. When I have no dividers, is it possible to burn or otherwise hurt the quality of the batch as long as I have sap coming into the pan? I just see the front of the pan in this raging boil and I don't want to ruin it. I have been adding defoamer a few drops here and there but not going crazy with it.
Thanks

[slammer3364]

I think I would stop trickle and run a low fire under it and check it (are you using a hydrometer or thermometer?) You should have 2 or more gals. of syrup in there.

[11-Nick]

I have a hydrometer. I ran out of sap about 1/2 hr ago. I stopped feeding fire when I had about 4-5 gal left. Hydrometer shows I'm not at syrup yet.
At these dimensions, an inch is 5 gal. My fire is just smoldering and thermometer reads 198. I have about 3/4 inch in the pan. I'm going to let it smolder and just check with hydrometer occasionally.
My question had to do more with the fact that I had a raging boil in half the pan. Could I ruin that half, and since its an open pan, ruin the whole batch. (If that makes sense)
Apparently I didn't

[bigschuss]

I have a hydrometer. I ran out of sap about 1/2 hr ago. I stopped feeding fire when I had about 4-5 gal left. Hydrometer shows I'm not at syrup yet.
At these dimensions, an inch is 5 gal. My fire is just smoldering and thermometer reads 198. I have about 3/4 inch in the pan. I'm going to let it smolder and just check with hydrometer occasionally.
My question had to do more with the fact that I had a raging boil in half the pan. Could I ruin that half, and since its an open pan, ruin the whole batch. (If that makes sense)




Apparently I didn't

You're fine. You won't ruin the batch at all. It will just produce a darker product the more you batch boil. 2 gallons of syrup in a 2x4 pan is not that much. Are you going to try to finish it in the pan or remove it and finish it on a fryer or inside the house?

[11-Nick]

Going to finish on a turkey fryer. Hope to finish it today.

[bigschuss]

Going to finish on a turkey fryer. Hope to finish it today.

Great! Well done.