Drawing off syrup on one side

[Snowmad]

I would like to draw all my syrup off on one side of the evaporator (I have a 2x6 Leader Patriot). My idea is to draw off into a finishing pan and hook up directly from that to my filter press and into the canner without having to carry the syrup at all. I know I'll have a build up of sugar sand if I just draw off on one side so I'm thinking about running a copper or stainless pipe from the right side draw off across the front of the arch above the fire door (not insulated) to the left side of the evaporator. I know I may need to wrap the pipe in insulation to keep it from getting too hot in the pipe. Has anyone tried this? How did it work? I would likely have an extra valve so I could draw off the right side into a bucket or to test with my Murphy cup as well but I'd really not have to haul the syrup if I don't have to. Any other ideas or suggestions?

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think you should keep it simple BUT you say you want to draw off the same side of the...........................Evaporator? so what will you be switching? I get the idea you will be having a long insulated pipe with the draw off valve where? at the pan or at the end of the draw off pipe?

I think you need to switch the draw off tank from side to side and use a flex step saver poly line to suck out off the draw off tank into the press and into whatever you decide to store the syrup in.

[Russell Lampron]

Maybe get a Revolution pan? That would solve the problem without having to Mickey Mouse something.

[DrTimPerkins]

Having a long pipe full of partial syrup will be problematic in terms of getting the density correct as the liquid in the pipe probably won't be boiling (or at least you won't get much evaporation there), and your thermometer won't be in the pipe, so your temperature elevation/density reading won't be right. If you're having huge drawoffs that wouldn't necessarily be a problem, but with a 2' x 6' pan, you probably aren't drawing off too much at one time. The only way to get around that would be to have the valve in the pipe next to the drawoff partition, but that means you'd have to run around to the other side to open it and then back and forth from side-side during drawoff. Seems kind of kludgy to have to retrofit something to do that, although I certainly understand why you'd want to go that route (one-side drawoff). That's why people use the hybrid-style pans (like the Leader Revolution) or pans with the piping designed just for that purpose.

Simpler solution perhaps...get a drawoff tank with wheels.

[lew]

We did what you want to do snowman. It was on a 5x14 with an automatic draw off valve at the pan with a long pipe to the draw off tank. Wasn't really all that difficult to use. We did it because of space restrictions. Only had to squeeze into the tight side of the evaporator once in awhile to check on density. Made life a lot easier. BUT, we now have a revolution pan, and that's the cats meow for one sided drawoffs.

[DrTimPerkins]

Whether or not you can do it effectively is going to depend a bit on your syrup production rate and how the pipe is set up. If you're boiling sap on a 2' x 6', you might not be able to get enough flow to keep the pipe hot. If you're boiling concentrate...maybe. Big difference between a 5' x 14' and a 2' x 6' and between raw sap and concentrate (at different levels) in syrup production rate.