Where to put defoamer in?

[Bucket Head]

Hi Guy's,

Where is everybody putting their defoamer? Are you putting it in the floatbox or are you putting it in the flue pan?

I'm thinking about installing a dripper unit and I've seen them mounted on steam hoods and I just recently saw a bracket mounted one for a float box. What has your experience been, with either location?

I've found that I need to add it directly in the pan- adding it in the floatbox doesn't knock the foam down, and I don't know why that is.

Thoughts?

Steve

[wiam]

I tried adding it to my floatbox before I had a preheater. It would just turn into a lump on top of the cold sap. Then I got in the habit of adding to pan and never tried box again.

[Urban Sugarmaker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wpD48JwfSo

[maple flats]

I have always added the defoamer right where the inflow of sap first enters the pan. From the float box sap (or in my case concentrate) flows in thru a tube, that tube then goes to the front of that section and finally enters the pan there. That is where the defoamer should be added. Until this past season I added it manually, but this season I got an automatic defoamer and I mounted it there, in the hood, directly above the spot where that tube ends and the sap enters the pan.

[MapleMark753]

Well, we just put the defoamer where the foam is in the flue pan. Very rarely in the syrup pan. Never have put it in the float box.
Normally its right in the area of the flue pan where the concentrate comes in that tends to foam up for us, so that's where we put it. Works out to be about every other firing or so, but our rig is much smaller than yours.

[Bucket Head]

I guess I'll be drilling a hole in the hood!

Thanks for the insight guy's.

Steve

[maple flats]

I guess I'll be drilling a hole in the hood!

Thanks for the insight guy's.

Steve
Steve, what size hole do you need? I have 3 sizes of Greenlee punches that make perfect holes without upsetting adjacent metal. You can borrow it if you want. Most likely you want a 7/8" hole which allows you to put in a 1/2" bulkhead fitting, that's what I used. Give me a call if you want it.
Dave

[Bucket Head]

Hi Dave. I'm not sure what size hole I'll need until I get the oiler/dripper unit. I assume there are different sizes?

I'll keep the punches in mind. Thanks for the offer!

Steve

[blissville maples]

Experts say add to the inlet to back pan where sap enters......if ever need in front pan, first of off if you need in front pan then your not using enough in the back pan, but ALWAYS add at draw off side never to middle section..........syrup and heat in general follows defoamer

[Daveg]

My 2' x 6' foams primarily in the middle 2 channels of the flue pan. One drop of defoamer applied manually anywhere in either channel has an instantaneous effect in both channels.

[Bucket Head]

Yes.

Mine has three channels and the middle one foams the most but the other two get up there also, just not as much. Adding defoamer directly is the only way it has any effect.

And we add after each firing, as advised by the experts, but it will still "take off" so we watch it carefully.