Question about 2x4 flat pan...

[acerrubrum]

Hi All,
I've been boiling on a divided 2 x 4 flat pan with 3 sections for a few years. I'm wondering if anyone could tell me how many gallons of sap, and at what sugar concentration, they would run through their pan before the pan is sweet enough to then regularly draw from. Also, once you start to draw off syrup, what frequency can you draw and about how much can you draw off each time?
I know that a lot of this depends on a bunch of variables, but I'm just looking for averages.
Thank you.

[Jolly Acres Farm]

We run a Mason 2x4 XL. We run 1 or 2 times before we are close to any near-up draw off. I would say at least 125 gallons and our sap runs from 1.6 on a low year to 3.0 for a short couple days mid season,averaging around 2.0-2.1 brix. When we did make finished syrup on the evaporator we drew off any where's from 1 pt to 1.5 quarts at a time. We got close by temp then checked with hydrometer for the draw off, never by time. We found that by drawing off at 62-63 brix we increase our evaporation rate by 10-15%. We then finished the syrup on propane, this also gave us an additional opportunity to filter the syrup.

[ecolbeck]

The depth at which you boil is a big factor too. Double your boiling depth and you'll double the sap volume needed before drawoff.

Jolly Acres: How does the brix that you draw off at affect the evaporation rate? These seem unrelated.

[Jolly Acres Farm]

The depth at which you boil is a big factor too. Double your boiling depth and you'll double the sap volume needed before drawoff.

Jolly Acres: How does the brix that you draw off at affect the evaporation rate? These seem unrelated.

Im not sure, at first it was discovered by accident. But I have repeated this numberous times, with a consistant outcome. (Detailed recording) It may have to do with % of water per volume in relation to the pan size, and density of the liquid.

I run a average of 3/4 inch depth. During long runs I push the limits of my 2x4 and will run down to 1/2 to 3/8 inch depth. At these depths you CANT sit down for even a minute, thing happen and change almost instantly.

[acerrubrum]

We run a Mason 2x4 XL. We run 1 or 2 times before we are close to any near-up draw off. I would say at least 125 gallons and our sap runs from 1.6 on a low year to 3.0 for a short couple days mid season,averaging around 2.0-2.1 brix. When we did make finished syrup on the evaporator we drew off any where's from 1 pt to 1.5 quarts at a time. We got close by temp then checked with hydrometer for the draw off, never by time. We found that by drawing off at 62-63 brix we increase our evaporation rate by 10-15%. We then finished the syrup on propane, this also gave us an additional opportunity to filter the syrup.

Thanks Jolly, that helps. I'm doing similarly; running through over 100 gallons and drawing off by temp, not by time. Although once the pans are sweetened I usually end up drawing off 2-3 times an hour getting a pint to a quart each time. I haven't really studied this, going by memory.