2x4 leader drop flue evaporator help

[arktaps115]

Hey guys new to sugaring this year and have a few questions to help me better understand a evaporator I have acquired. We purchased a new house last year that the previous owner was nice enough to leave some sugaring equipment from the family's old sugaring operation. In the stuff was a leader 2x4 drop flue evaporator which is a single pan with dividers. I built the arch and have run it now twice but I can't seem to understand how the pan works from reading on the forum I understand I should be running the pan at around a 1" to 1.5" there are two draw off points and two ports one one each side that allows sap to move from the back of the pan to the front. I found out after the first book that I needed to plug one side which would be the side I draw off from. So questions are do I need anything in the second hole to limit the amount of sap reaching the front half of the pan? At what point should I draw off? Should the back pan change colors to look like the front pan? Here are a couple pics of what I have any help would be very appreciated.

[psparr]

The ports on either side are so you can reverse the flow of sap int the finish pan. The purpose of that is to minimize the amount of niter buildup in the syrup pan. You can search on here for a better explanation of reverse flow.
Yes plug one side not both.
You'll be drawing off when you have syrup at your draw off valve. There should be a gradient where it's pretty much raw sap in the flue pan to finished syrup at the draw off.
It will take a good bit of sap to sweeten the pan, so don't be too alarmed if it takes a while. If you fire the evaporator regularly to maintain a consistent boil, the gradient should develop the way it should. At the end of a boil, put the other plug in to keep raw sap in the flue pan and syrup in the syrup pan.

[arktaps115]

Hey thanks for the response that's helpful. Is 1"-1.5" the correct depth to try and keep the pan at? Should I be emptying the flues between boils as the will not drain off unless I lift the pan off the arch and tip it on its side?

[mudr]

1-1.5 is fine. You can go to 2 inches deep as a safety blanket. Deeper=slightly slower boil but shorter time before you burn a pan if sap flow in stops. Shallower= faster boil, closer to a melt down if sap flow in stops. Keep the concentrated sap in the pans between boils. Once concentrated it *shouldn't* freeze unless you get an extended and very cold cold snap. If you do, light up a few pieces of firewood to warm up or put a small heater in the firebox.

[Sugarmaker]

Nice looking arch you built.
Close one port and draw off on that side. Let the inlet side be open, Opposite as draw off. sap will flow in as needed.
Shouldn't you just holler out the back door for help making syrup in Vermont:)
Regards,
Chris

[arktaps115]

Hey guys sorry to keep pick your brains but I'm boiling now and just wondering what kind of stack temp I should be looking for?

[MapleMike]

Anything above 700 degrees is what you want.

[kellicasey]

Dose anyone know the evaporation rate for a pan like this with or without blower just a estimate I know wood makes a big difference depending what you ate burning

[mol1jb]

Probably in the low 20 w/o blower and mid 20 with blower