Batch or continuous flow pan?

[Dennis McGill]

I'm trying to decide on a new pan. I've been borrowing a pan and think it better to get my own. The pan I have been using is a flat batch pan. If I will be tapping about a 100 trees and do not enjoy sitting around and watching sap boil, which is a better choice, batch or continuous? I plan to do some kind of RO or at least freezing some water out of the sap.

[RC Maple]

100 taps is a lot of sap to boil to have that syrup in the pan for the duration of each boil. I like to have the syrup drawn off and out of the pan once it has gotten to the right density. Drawing off syrup is kind of like the carrot dangling in front of the donkey. It is the fun part of boiling for me - to get to draw syrup out of the pan. Waiting until the boil is over to finally get to see syrup would make for a long day. I would say most people here that tap many trees at all have a continuous flow pan. Good luck with your choice.

[Jcrawfo]

I would have to agree with rcmaple and go with a continuous flow pan. Smokey lake makes a nice 2x4 hybrid pan that would work for a 100 taps and a little ro.

[wnybassman]

Square footage of a flat pan is square footage of a flat pan. Evaporation rate doesn't really change whether batch or continuous flow. Continuous flow does seem a little faster because you are drawing off some of it every once and a while, but think that is more of an illusion. lol Step up to a flue pan and that changes everything.

[maple flats]

I also like to draw off, it is very rewarding. In fact I like achieving constant draw. I have done that since I had just over 200 taps on a 2x6, it likely won't work on 100 taps very easily.
I agree, try a set up with a flue pan and the evaporation rate soars compared to a flat pan. Smokey Lake makes some small flue pans and a hybrid (combination) pan(s). He reportedly does beautiful work.

[Sappy Steve]

I have a 2'X4' flat pan that I had two partitions put in and a float box added so that it operates similiar to an evaporator in anticipation of moving to an evaporator some day. The biggest difference I have noticed is when I finish the syrup it is very close to being syrup as soon as I get it boiling. With the batch process I would have to boil the syrup for an hour or more in the finishing pan before it was syrup. I usually have 50-60 taps.