2 x 3 continous flow mistake?

[cmartinmaple]

This season I added 4-1/2" drop flues to the first two sections of my 2 x 3. After looking at pictures, I should have probably only put them in the center section, but that is in the past. This season I have made almost all dark syrup. Could adding the drop flues have interrupted the flow and this is why I am making dark syrup or could it be something else? The drop flues boil strong, but I also noticed the temperature at the draw off valve the other night when I started with fresh sap would only get to 208. The last section doesn't boil as strong as the drop flues. I'm firing every 7 to 8 minutes, so the fire box is definitely cranking. Any advice would be appreciated, Thanks

[ecolbeck]

Could you post a picture of your rig?

[maple flats]

The all dark could be the season. I made no changes, in my rig, but I also made all dark and very dark. Most years I make a little Golden and some Amber before it goes dark, this year that was not the case. I've read that many got far more dark this year but others got lots of golden, or amber.

[cmartinmaple]

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[wally]

i'm not an expert, but if my pans only had one flue section, i'd rather have it in the first section. having flues in the first and second should be OK.

your dark syrup could be the result of other factors, rather than having flues in the first section.

wally

[cmartinmaple]

I can understand why they would put flues in the center section only, so you can spin the pan and reverse the flow. Now I just have to empty the pan and clean it more often, but that isn't too big a deal. Maybe it is just the way 2 x 3's are designed and the outside sections don't get as hot as the center one does. I would think a cross flow design would be a better design for an even boil.

[Big_Eddy]

Unless you are making syrup in the middle section, I think you have the best flue arrangement possible with your 2x3. The more flues the better. Typical pans are ~2/3 flue, 1/3 syrup, unless also using an RO.

If you are making darker syrup than you would like - the normal "solutions" are better sap storage (boil promptly) and faster processing which equates to running hot and shallow. The more syrup in the pan, the longer it takes for new sap to make its way to syrup, the darker the final product.

How deep are you normally running, and how constant do you keep that depth?

[n8hutch]

Do you have a blower? If not I would consider adding one, that should make your whole pan boil more evenly in regards to the flat pan portion.

[cmartinmaple]

I try to stay at 1", but it can vary from 3/4 to 1-1/2 if I take my eye off of it when doing other things in the shack. I boil everything I get the day I get it. Storage could be part of the problem. I use the IBC totes, they don't smell funky, but I only rinsed them out once at mid season. How often do you clean storage and to what extent? Nate, to answer your question, I do have a blower on it. I love it.

[Big_Eddy]

The varying depth may be part of the issue. Every time the depth in the pan increases, you're pushing sap forward into the last section of the pan, diluting what is already there and essentially "setting you back" in time in terms of getting to final density.
When you notice you are too deep and stop feeding new sap, the higher evaporation rate in the flue sections of the pan tends to draw sap back from the last section into the flue portion, mixing it with the more dilute sap there. The more consistent you can keep the depth, the more direct the path (and therefore shorter / faster) any individual qty of sap takes from inlet to outlet, and in theory the lighter your syrup will be.

Typically, I rinse my bulk tank every time I empty it. Early in the season I may skip a rinse if it has been cold, but later in the season it's done every time it empties. I will hold sap in the collecting tank until the bulk tank is empty, rather than mixing new with older sap. If the sap has no haziness and you can clearly see the bottom of your bulk tank, it's clean enough.

[cmartinmaple]

Thank you. That makes me feel better about adding the flues....... On to next season