What does it mean to sweeten the pans?

[jrm]

So, I'm not such a newbie, but still lots to learn. I like reading all the posts, even when they don't apply to my small backyard hobby shindig. In various threads, I think exclusively with folks using non-homemade evaporators, or maybe more accurately, those not batch evaporating (such as I do on my barrel), I see the term "sweeten the pans" or "my pans are sweetened". What does that mean?

Curious minds want to know.

Thanks.

[Scm]

..........

[Sinzibuckwud]

Those big rigs have sap goin in constantly and syrup coming off periodicaly. Sweetening the pan is getting to the point syrup can be drawn off from the evapotator and keep on chugging.
Unlike batch boiling everything stays where it is at the end so next time you can continue right where it was left. Unless a long freezing spell or warm spell comes along.


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[blissville maples]

your putting raw sap or concentrate in at the beginning of the season and when you boil this to a point where your ready to draw off now your pans are sweetened. that is called sweetening the pans

[Scm]

..........

[jrm]

Thanks, all. I get it now. I also understand better the conversation about how much sap one needs to have on hand, before starting, to be able to sweeten their pans.

Happy sugarin'

[maple flats]

Not exactly, but close. When it is said you need 3x your hourly evaporation rate to sweeten the pans, it means that after 3 hours boiling time the sugar is high enough to keep the pans from freezing in all but an extreme temperature drop. Then it my take a few more hours boiling before you actually get your first draw off. At that point I guess you are "fully sweetened".
In practice even the 3 hours is just a rough guideline, because the bigger evaporators are drawing syrup before 3 hours and the very small ones might boil 5-6 or more for first draw. Another factor will be the difference between feeding the pans with 1.5 or 2% sap vs 8%, 15% or 20+% concentrate.

[Big_Eddy]

Take a look at this thread.
http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?23070-Sweetening-the-Pans-Continuous-Flow

[blissville maples]

Not exactly, but close. When it is said you need 3x your hourly evaporation rate to sweeten the pans, it means that after 3 hours boiling time the sugar is high enough to keep the pans from freezing in all but an extreme temperature drop. Then it my take a few more hours boiling before you actually get your first draw off. At that point I guess you are "fully sweetened".
In practice even the 3 hours is just a rough guideline, because the bigger evaporators are drawing syrup before 3 hours and the very small ones might boil 5-6 or more for first draw. Another factor will be the difference between feeding the pans with 1.5 or 2% sap vs 8%, 15% or 20+% concentrate.

Huh, say what?

🤔

[esetter]

Was wondering the same thing. Great question. The info on here is incredible.

[Hunt4sap]

I have a SS flat pan rigged on a homemade 55 gallon drum set up on a slight angle towards my draw off valve

When I boil it's usually between 22 gallons and so far this year as much as 41.5 gallons per day

I use a turkey fryer with a SS rectangular warming pan for a pre heater

I just bring a pan on pre heater up to 190-200 and continue to add that sap into my 2'*4' ss pan on wood burner until all the sap is added to wood burner ( depth in big pan is normally 2-3 " deep, I then just keep firing wood burner until product is as shallow in pan as I feel comfortable with ( normally 1/2"-1/4" at opposite end of draw off drain) and 1.5"-2" at draw off end.
I draw it off at 180 degrees (" nearup") and finish it either on turkey fryer or more often in kitchen.

My question is with how I am continually adding new sap to pan( no dividers) is there a better way to add raw sap for my application?

[blissville maples]

I have a SS flat pan rigged on a homemade 55 gallon drum set up on a slight angle towards my draw off valve

When I boil it's usually between 22 gallons and so far this year as much as 41.5 gallons per day

I use a turkey fryer with a SS rectangular warming pan for a pre heater

I just bring a pan on pre heater up to 190-200 and continue to add that sap into my 2'*4' ss pan on wood burner until all the sap is added to wood burner ( depth in big pan is normally 2-3 " deep, I then just keep firing wood burner until product is as shallow in pan as I feel comfortable with ( normally 1/2"-1/4" at opposite end of draw off drain) and 1.5"-2" at draw off end.
I draw it off at 180 degrees (" nearup") and finish it either on turkey fryer or more often in kitchen.

My question is with how I am continually adding new sap to pan( no dividers) is there a better way to add raw sap for my application?

I think I get what your saying;
What do u do now, ladle it in? Could you make a siphon of some sort of of extremely small tubing, maybe auto vac line that's like 1/8". And I'd try to maybe design a way to separate a corner where tour adding sap so it doesn't mix in as much. Not sure how to stop mixing, but likely can't in a turkey fryer. Also would be careful with the 1/4 inch, if u foam up u may burn, However at 180 u likely dont get foam.

[maple flats]

The results will be better if the pan is level, not tilted towards the draw off.