Draw-Off Temperature Probe Placement

[GSCampChris]

Hello,
I just installed our Marcland Draw-Off System, but am unsure about the placement of the temp probe in the pan. I know it needs to go near the draw off point, but don't know exactly where or how to mount it there. We are on a 2x6 evap.

Thanks.

Chris

[stewardsdairy]

My pans have a built in threaded port that the probe screws into that suspends it about 1/2 inch above the bottom of the pan in a horizontal arrangement. I have seen others with a bracket that attaches to the the side of the pan that holds the probe in a vertical fashion down into the syrup near the draw off.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

I was at the auto draw off class at Verona this past weekend presented by Marcland. The probe supplied to you should be placed very close to where the port is for the dial thermometer. Evaporator pans have dial thermometer ports where the manufacturer determined that it's best to measure temperature for draw-off. He suggested pushing it in all the way until it touches the pan and then backing off a 1/4" or so. The probe is an RTD probe and only the last inch or less of the probe is the part that senses temperature. On my evaporator, the temperature port is before the draw-off box 6 or 8 inches, and when I first made syrup with it, it was obvious why the port is where it is. I just used the port for my RTD and it worked great. I don't know what your setup is, but Marcland did not recommend removing the dial thermometer like I did. If you put it in the wrong spot you could end up with syrup that's way over density.

Also, they seemed very willing to take phone calls in order to support their products. Call Marcland if you are still unsure.

[mellondome]

If it was new, it should have come with a probe holder. Flat stainless bracket sits on the pan and holds the temp probe.

[ennismaple]

Ours is vertical in the last channel about 12" from the drawoff. In the attached pic you can also see the threaded port of the front left corner of the pan that would allow us to put the probe in through the side of the pan.

12440

[maple flats]

The Smokey Lake Auto draw I just bought said o do it exactly the way Urban Sugarmaker said. Most likely you can even remove the existing thermometer and replace it with the probe. If you do that, be sure to keep the thermometer handy in case of a power failure while boiling. In that case you will need the thermometer back in to manually draw off.

[Sugarmaker]

couple thoughts on the probe location.
Consider how much syrup you take off at one time? Per draw? How much syrup is up near the draw off port and is at the right temp?
Where is the hot spot in the pan channel sometimes syrup trys to be made there first.
I guess what I am saying is that a fixed probe location may or may not work for your rig and your boiling conditions.
I personally like the probe holder over the top of the pan. I allows me to move the probe location to find what I feel is the best location for drawing off syrup at the correct density.
Also I like the fact I can remove the probe and not have syrup run out of the pan.
I think your going to love the auto draw off system! We do.
Regards,
Chris