Defoamer and hoods

[Fred Henderson]

When using a hood when and how often is defoamer used/added and where.

[maplehound]

Add the defoamer to the float box after each firing.

[Fred Henderson]

Next ? what is everyone using as a defoamer. I am using unsalted butter and just last night started adding it to the float after every fireing.

[JasonS]

I use organic canola oil, it works great and is easy to use. About 3 drops into the float box every other firing.

[tapper]

I use the commercial stuff as needed which some days is never and others just every now and then.

[maplehound]

I always use a comercial defoamer. Ussuallly the powder type.

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

I put 3 ish drops of the liquid atmos defoamer in the in side of the flue pan every other firing. that has taken care of the foaming in the whole evaporator.

[mapleman3]

I'm starting to like the defoamer cup idea more and more!! I put drops of canola oil in at the floatbox but when I open the door to the hood it is still foaming. I will try a cup back there next season... Its on THE LIST !!

[danno]

Which float box are you adding defoamer to? How does the defoamer cup work? Where is it mounted?

I add defoamer to the partition where it's foaming. My partitions will foam very differently. Since adding forced air and syrup is dark, my syrup pan has really been foaming like never before. When it's really foaming and I'm close to syrup, a couple of drops in one parition does not always take down the foam in the next.

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

Whe using defoamer in the syrup pan(s), it "should" be put closest to the draw-off becasue the defoamer will draw the heavier syrup to where ever the drops (or powder) were put. this probably can't always be done, but it is what hapens when defoamer is used.

[mapleman3]

the sap pan float box.

A defoamer cup hangs in the sap pan on the inside of the pan.. so as the foam rises it touches the cup which has powdered defoamer in it and gets knocked down...

I seldom add in the front pan but as said before I do it at the drawoff just before it enters the box, that way it pulls sugar toward it... if you put it in the middle section it will mess with the sugar gradient.

[HanginAround]

I would think that adding it as a routine would mean you end up using way more than you really have to.

Most people around here use powdered commercial defoamer. Some people go many days without using any or very little. I was talking to a guy that maked 2000-3000 gl a yr and only uses a tub a season.

[John Burton]

nat really just add acoupled drops at cold sap side when firing and it will work its way around on its own start small and increase as needed you will get used to it real quick and probably use less in the long run