Better to have a sight gauge at float box or draw off valve?

[Polish Wizard]

I plan to buy a small divided 20"x48" evaporator, and as you would expect it is designed to be reversible flow via spinning the pan.

I'd like to have it equipped with a float box, and a manual draw off valve, and these would need to be swapped as part of the pan rotation.

It seems like having a sight gauge as part of the package would be good insurance (just in case...) to prevent burning the pan, and I'm of the opinion it would be better located at the draw-off valve rather than the float box.
My experience has been a batch process using buffet pans that I simply lift out, so this divided pan stuff is all new to me.
While I'd have faith in the float box keeping up with the draw, I would think a gauge at the draw off point would better display the situation than across the pan at the float box.
So that's the first question you folks can cover. If I have only one sight gauge, where should it be located, and why?

The next question is, since the draw-off valve and sight gauge would all be threaded into the same port, doesn't that create a big, long lever that could cause damage to the pan with frequent operation of the valve?
Since the pan is supposed to be rotated and the accessories swapped in the process, should I create any type of additional support bracket to add stability to the entire valve/gauge/piping assembly?

[darkmachine]

Not sure what size your ports on your pan are, but they do make 3/4 inch adapters with sanitary fittings like they use in brewing I would use those instead of a threaded union. As for the leverage my float box (smoky lake) has a metal lip that hangs from the edge of the pan. It wouldn't be hard to fashion a hook that would suspend the float box on the rim of the pan, a few bends on a flat piece of metal like a wreath hanger people use on doors. I have a 2x6 evaporator with dividers in the flue pan and in the syrup pan and i don't have any problem regulating the depth with just the sight glass on the float box. Just my experience so far. This is my first season with a sight glass or a float box, so far it's the best thing ever! Previous to this year we gauged depth by the bolt through the thermometer port, "i can see the bolt", "3/4 Bolt", "UNDER THE BOLT UNDER THE BOLT!!!!", LOL. Glad we don't need to do that any more. Hope this helps

Jake

[Pdiamond]

Looking back to when I had a divided pan I would like to have had a sight glass on the in coming side. that would keep the sap in the pan at the sap level even when it was being drawn down from the opposite side.

[DrTimPerkins]

Seems like a question best addressed to the equipment manufacturer to see how others are dealing with the issues. Both would be best if possible. I agree with the sanitary ports suggestion....faster and easier to change without torqueing anything. Also, small connections can clog with niter, so go as big as you can at those connections without restricting flow.