Modifying Evaporator Pan

[ecolbeck]

I'm looking at buying a used CDL 18x48 hybrid flue pan hobby rig. It seems odd to me that there is no thermometer port. How feasible would it be for a welder to add one? One guy I talked to who works on stainless said that the metal on these rigs is too thin for him to work with.

[wiam]

I put one very similar to this on my 3x12 flue pan for a sightglass.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/CONCORD-1-2-Weldless-Bulkhead-Fitting-for-Beer-Wine-Full-304-Stainless-Steel-/201039818782?hash=item2ecee8301e%3Ag%3AF2QAAOxywXF SaeOI&_trkparms=pageci%253A1c6aef04-cf72-11e6-ae39-74dbd180d643%257Cparentrq%253A559b77661590a5e0b6f6 b157ffc160ad%257Ciid%253A2

[ecolbeck]

Very interesting idea, thank you

[Chickenman]

A good welder with a TIG unit should be able to hook you up. I worked at Welch's for a stint and we tig welded just about everything. Some of the stuff was really thin.

[jmayerl]

That bulkhead fitting would need to be placed very low to the bottom and likely interfer with the arch or be in the way. That is why you see thermometer fittings halfway up the pan and welded at a angle. Also much easier to see rather than crouch over just to look at the temp.

[maple flats]

If the SS on a factory pan is too thin to weld, how do so many new SS pans come welded perfectly. I say that a good welder with the right equipment and experience can weld a port in.
I had some welding done on one of my pans by a local welding shop, to address an issue on guaranty from the factory. They simply told me to take it to a local welder and the factory would pay the bill. If it was next to impossible, the factory would not have told me to just "have a local welder fix it". The local welder did a beautiful job and the factory sent me a check in about 3 days to cover my $30 bill.

[Super Sapper]

What about a bracket to hang over the side to hold a long stem thermometer. The other option may be to use a tee at the drawoff if it comes straight out of the pan with the thermometer going through it and the syrup goes down drop portion.