Home Made Float Valve

[LoghomeShooter]

Hi I'm new to this site, great site by the way, lots of great info. I have a 2x4 divided pan made this year by a local shop and I wanted to install a float valve. I looked around and got some inspiration.... And this is what I came up with. Bear with me this is my first post, hopefully the formatting works out.

I found ss pan and cover at goodwill that I had a coworker tig weld into a float. I then bought a 3/4 inch PVC pipe and cap at HD along with a brass barb fitting A 3/4 wood dowel, a marble, some plastic tubing, pipe clamps and hose clamps to round out the parts list.

I drilled and tapped the PVC cap on the lathe at work and installed the fitting. (I also cut a bit if a chamfer into the id of the threaded end of the fitting to act as a valve seat. I then drilled a hole in the end of the dowel to allow the threaded stud from the pot lid knob to fit into. On the other end I put a drill point into the end of the dowel to center the marble. I the glue the cap to the PVC pipe.

I mounted the PVC pipe with some pipe clamps to a piece of PVC trim board I had kicking around. I used the ss hose clamps to fix the pipe in place. By loosening the clamps the pipe can be slide up and down to adjust the level in the pan.

How it works:

I think the pictures might help explain but it is pretty simple. the sap comes in through the barbed fitting and past the marble and down the gap between the dowel and PVC pipe. When the level in the pan raises the float pushes the marble into the valve seat and seals of the flow. During a boil it should come to an equilibrium. I tested it in the kitchen sink and it appeared to work well. I hope to test it out this weekend.

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[brass maple]

Great work. Not sure if the plastic will hold up to the heat. Is it going into pan or a float box. In what ever spare time you have you should make up another completely out of steal just in case. That design Should work good though. Nice job

[LoghomeShooter]

Thanks Brass Maple, It's going in the corner of the pan. I think I'll update the pan next year with a float box. I think the PVC should be able to take the heat as of right now I don't have a preheated so the cool sap should keep the pipe cool. Also the cool sap should keep the boil down in the pan corner so that the float behaves. Time will tell

[LoghomeShooter]

13178I finished the pan mount. I used 1 1/2" L brackets attached to the miter cuts in the PVC board. Used small c clamps to clamp to my pan flange. It fits nice and tight in the corner of the pan.

[maple flats]

Try taking the pictures with the Ipad upside down until you figure that out. In most photo programs you can rotate the picture, generally 90 degrees at a time. You will see an icon that shows a sweeping arc, showing 90 degrees, click on it until the pic is right, then click on "save".
As far as having the float in the pan, you will have major issues because the rapid boil will make the float jump up and down. That is why a float box is used. In fact on my cold sap float box it has 2 compartments, the one with the float in it connects low on the pan so it is below the surface of the boiling sap (it is a raised flue) but the incoming sap enters another section which is at about the sap level in the pan.

[LoghomeShooter]

As far as having the float in the pan, you will have major issues because the rapid boil will make the float jump up and down. That is why a float box is used. In fact on my cold sap float box it has 2 compartments, the one with the float in it connects low on the pan so it is below the surface of the boiling sap (it is a raised flue) but the incoming sap enters another section which is at about the sap level in the pan.

I agree with your thoughts; however my arch doesn't have a tapered stack. The chimney is in the center so I'm thinking the back corner won't get much of a rolling boil. If it doesn't work I might have to go to float box sooner than next year. Once I do my first boil, both pan and valve, we will see. I'll keep everyone posted on the outcome.

[maple flats]

Is your pan SS? If yes, it will drill hard. Here's an idea to add a temporary float box. Get a 1" (or find one to borrow, if you have a tin shop in the area they will have one) Greenlee punch, or up to maybe 1.5". Then drill the necessary hole to use that punch. After doing that, install a bulk head fitting that can take the temperature. Then hang a container along beside the pan also with a hole the same size and another bulkhead fitting. Then join the 2 with a hose rated to take the temp but it must be food grade. Then run your float in the side container and let the sap enter in that container, it will flow to the pan and you will get very little jumping in that side car. If you were closer I'd let you borrow a Greenlee, but alas you're not close by. I have 3 sizes, I think they are 7/8, 1 3/8 and 1 3/4". If you try this, the float box must also be able to survive hot temps.
A greenlee punch is the only way I know of making a perfect hole, but a good cadmium drill bit is likely the second method, but the hole won't be perfect. If you can solder SS it will work, but to solder SS well takes practice and the right tools and methods.

[LoghomeShooter]

Yes ss, I think we have some greenlee punches at work, or I'll just bring it back to the sheet metal shop that built it for me and have them weld in the fitting for me and cut the hole. Thanks for the help maple flats.

I did a test boil today with water and the float valve worked well however I didn't get as much heat to the pan as I would have liked so my boil wasn't as hard as I would like.