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diesels77
02-22-2018, 07:20 AM
I have a Mason 2x4XL. It's a continuous flow pan. I know that to reverse the flow I just switch the tube from the preheater from one side to the other. My question is when you switch the feed tube to the other side the next day do you take any of the sweet from the last channel and move it to the other side in the pan? Or being a there are no flues has everything mixed while cooled down and I just change the feed tube to the other side and start boiling?
Thanks!
Woodsrover
02-22-2018, 07:28 AM
It'll mix while it cools. No worries. Just start feeding from the other side.
diesels77
02-22-2018, 07:31 AM
Thank you!
Mikemartin274
02-23-2018, 06:13 AM
My 2x4 did not come with feed tube I had to make one. What is yours made of? If you're draw offs are on opposite ends you don't use the feed tube.
diesels77
02-23-2018, 10:51 AM
My 2x4 did not come with feed tube I had to make one. What is yours made of? If you're draw offs are on opposite ends you don't use the feed tube.

MY feed tube is made of 1/2" copper pipe. The Mason XL pan has two draw off's one on each side on the same end of the pan with 4 channels. The feed tube comes from the warming tank to the front of the pan.17789
Urban Sugarmaker
02-23-2018, 11:28 AM
I had a Mason 2x4 XL. It always developed a gradient quickly and I reversed every boil. You can also take some sweet from the draw off side at the end of a boil and pour it in the other side when you start again to speed the gradient reformation.
eustis22
02-23-2018, 12:36 PM
Why did you reverse after EVERY boil?
Urban Sugarmaker
02-23-2018, 01:12 PM
Why did you reverse after EVERY boil?

Because with RO I found the niter buildup was bad enough to warrant doing so. When you concentrate 200 gallons down to 50 you are still running all those minerals through the pan. If I had fewer taps and no RO and maybe did 60-75 gallons of raw sap per boil I would reverse probably every other boil.

Niter seems to change year to year and I have read it can be variable by sugar bush too.

I don't want the niter getting to a point where it is crusted onto the bottom of the pan.
maple flats
02-23-2018, 02:12 PM
Some producers draw off after shut down, from both, a pot from the near syrup side and a pot from the near sap side. Then they pour each in the opposite sides as they start up in the other direction. Most do not do that. Your choice. I tried it 2-3 times after attending a seminar on managing the evaporator given by Glen Goodrich, I then stopped because I was finding no difference.