Opinions Please On Pan Types.

[Pauly V]

Hi,

I just insulated my 2x6 arch. My question is whats my best bet for pan set up . No drop or raise flue is option. So...2x4 flat pan to 2x2 divided pan.
Or 2x4 divided pan to 2x2 divided pan. Its my 2nd season coming off a 55 gal drum with buffet pans. Heres a few pics.126991269812700

[Big_Eddy]

How many taps?
Are you boiling daily?
Can you leave sweet in the pan?
Valve to pipe connection or ladling between pans?
When you say divided I assume you mean continuous flow i.e. no isolation of sections.
My initial suggestion would be 2x4 divided to 2x2 undivided.

[Pauly V]

75 to 100 taps. Ladeled enough last season will connect pans together. and I can leave sweet in pan.

so run a gradiant in back, to a flat front syrup pan with draw off?

[Big_Eddy]

Yes. Run the back and front separate with a valve. Use the back to build a gradient then use the front for finishing. By watching the front closely you can "batch" syrup to completion while continuing to evaporate bulk sap in the back.

Run the valve open until you feel the front pan is about 80% done, then close the valve and finish it off. Drain and then open the connecting valve again to flood with the partially evaporated rear pan sap.

[Pauly V]

Thank You. That sounds like what I was looking to accomplish. I was able to finish off on my 55 gal evaporator last season. I ran 3 pans. about a gallon of finish in front pan each batch. i want to avoid having to finish off on a propane rig. From what you explained I can dump off finished from front pan into filter that is in my bottling urn. It holds temp at 190. and I fill bottles on the spot. Thanks Big Eddy!

[n8hutch]

I would do a 2x4 divided sap pan. And a 2x2 divided syrup pan. Only reason I say that is if for some reason you wanted a flue pan down the road you would already have a syrup pan that you could use.

Also you could set it up for reverse flow if you so desired. If you have just one 2x2 pan I think your going to end up with more of a batch boil & make darker syrup with larger draws say 3 gallons.

1.5 inches of sap / syrup in a 2x2 pan. is roughly 3.75 gallons of syrup. That might be alot to filter at once depending on your filtering set up.

[Pauly V]

Indeed it is alot for me to filter at once. because it will take some time to drain off and filter from pan, and may over cook. Hmm..the divided syrup pan will allow me to open valve at intervals filtering a few quarts at a time. Thanks for the detailed response!

[Maple Hill]

Good luck with your new rig Pauly. Say Hi to Dave.

[Big_Eddy]

I would do a 2x4 divided sap pan. And a 2x2 divided syrup pan. .......

1.5 inches of sap / syrup in a 2x2 pan. is roughly 3.75 gallons of syrup. That might be alot to filter at once depending on your filtering set up.

Pauly - As Nate points out - there are different options that will all work for you. Nate is suggesting a full continuous process that would work well for you given the pan size and number of taps.

I'm suggesting continuous in the sap pan, and batch in the syrup pan. Like Nate, I would run everything at 1.5" until the front pan was approaching syrup, but I would then close the valve to isolate the front pan, and boil it down until done. By that time the front pan will be closer to 1/2" deep (but still 1.5" in the back) Take off the gallon or so of syrup and flood the front pan back up to 1.5". Now you have an hour or two to filter and bottle that gallon of syrup before the next batch is ready to take off and you don't have to watch the front pan like a hawk as it's relatively dilute.

That said - you can do exactly the same thing with a divider in the front pan - so if there's no additional effort / cost involved - install the divider up front. And you will be better prepared for next year when that 100 tress somehow expands to 200 (+)

Either way - let us know how it works out.

[Pauly V]

Good luck with your new rig Pauly. Say Hi to Dave.

Thank You! Will do.

[Pauly V]

Big Eddy, thanks for the details. I will be doing continuous flow front and back. Tapping in a few weeks.