Sugar Sand

[Bill, Erie Co. PA]

Boy do I have sugar sand I think. The bottom of my finish pan is like baked on sandpaper. We boiled about 1300 gallons of sap in two days . We boiled the sap closer to syrup in the pans further than we usuallly do (about 64-65 on the hydrometer) this time. Sure made it easier to finish in the turkey cooker. I don't know how to get the sugar sand off. we have another finish pan so we can swap this one out to clean the one we were using. Any one have any idead?

[themapleking]

The sand as been a big problem for every one this year. I've been draining the front pan every week or twice wash it out and srcap the bottom with a flat blade. Or you can fill the pan 3" with water dump in some pan cleaner and heat it up.

[mapleman3]

yep, lots of sand, I have a buildup also, and I scrubbed and rinsed Sat night... may order some pan cleaner, question... after you clean with the pan cleaner, does it rinse out well? do you have to worry about the syrup being off flavored the firs boil after?

[Salmoneye]

The coated sand will come off with 'acid'...If you have good solid SS pans, then I recommend 50:50 water/muriatic and a stiff brush observing all precautions with serious triple rinsing with clear water after...'Pan Cleaner' is basically dilute acid...

If you have older tin pans I recommend full strength distilled vinegar and the same brush...

The Sand will come off...

End of the season I will flood my pans and let them 'work' for literally a month or more...The sugar will turn to alcohol and then to acid (vinegar)...Once the sap has worked that far the pans just hose clean...Shinier than the day they were made...I have done this all my life and seen it done on pans from tin and galvanized to stainless...Never seen it not work...

Do not let the sap evaporate to nothing or you will be in worse shape than just the sand on there though...

[WF MASON]

Saalmoneye is right , you can let them set at the end of the season and they clean up fine . But when you want clean now , acid pan cleaner is the ticket. The pan cleaner salesman said he was sending me some ''new'' powdered cleaner to try, much safer to ship then liquid.

[mapleman3]

since I don't have any pan cleaner, can I use the vinager with good results for now? on Good SS and a stiff brush??? or should I just order pan cleaner today?

[michaelh05478]

Jim, Theres a farm supply place in your town! See if they have the stuff they use to clean bulk tanks, its a acid !!! I used it last year and it worked great!!!!!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I used muratic acid last year and it worked great. I was going to fill my pans full of sap and let them stand for a month or two but was told by Leader that it would fill them full of pin holes as the sap would eat through the stainless??

[Brian]

Brandon, I left sap in my pans from april 15 to june 20 and the sap didn't touch the pans but cleaned the pans like new. The old sap even cleaned my skimmer and scoup. every thing I cleaned with the old sap shined bright.
A guy I know told me after sugaring fill the pans 2/3 full with sap and leave it until 1st cut of hay is in the barn then build a fire and bring it up to a boil and scrub a little and the will clean right up. I will do it this year too.

[MaineMapleDave]

Get the pan cleaner--it's worth it to use the right product. I do it at the end of each season, and often at the midpoint, depending upon the deposits. Based on this year's deposits, I'll probably be doing it next weekend.

The instructions are easy, just add x amount per y amount of water, simmer 1 hour and brush LIGHTLY with a nylon brush. Then you can neutralize it with baking soda, and RINSE THE LIVING BEJEEBERS out of the pan. When you think you have rinsed it enough, fill the pans up at least twice more. Might be a good idea to let the pans sit overnight filled to the brim, just to be sure.

It's great stuff--heck, we use it to clean the deposits out of our stainless steel coffee pots once a year, too.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Can you use pan cleaner or acid in the flue pan too???

[powerdub]

Brian is right, I have been cleaning the pans with sap since they were new in 93 and I have never had any pin holes. They are leader pans too. If leader is claiming that then they need to be looking for some better stainless to make thier pans out of. All the crap that bakes on just flakes right off with a garden hose.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Sounds like a plan to me. I guess I will have to try to collect some sap this week to put in the pans.

[christwo]

Hey Jim,

Devon Lane has the powdered stuff sold in a gallon jug for about $35.00

chris
granby

[Bill]

I got some powdered oakite to clean the pan. We took it off the arch and up to the garage put hot water inthe pan and scrubbed. We got the sugar sand out. The SS pans were stained when we bought it so we will fill with water at the end of season and what the water and oakite and see if we can clean them up. If not we will try the sap.

Bill, Erie Co. PA

[sugaring42long]

We always have tons of sugarsand but this year has been the most in years. Had to reverse flow 5 times in 7 hours during one big run a couple weeks ago.
The best daily maintenance you can do is plug off flue pan, empty syrup pan and fill with hot condensate or permeate at the end of a boil. The ultra pure water will loosen most sand if its not burned and hardened underneath. If it is we take a sharp 1" paint scraper and chisel it all off. Don"t do this if you want your pans pretty as this will beat em up pretty good. My pans are tools and tools are meant to be used not looked at.
Also be real careful with muriatic acid. It can etch real shiny pans and turn them dull with a yellowish film. Pan cleaner is phosphoric acid, not as corrosive to metal but plenty strong on sand.
If you use acid (especially in flue pans) make sure to finish the job and remove all sugarsand that has been soaked with acid, not just a few layers. The remaining sand will have soaked up acid and will slowly release it on your next boil. You can rinse all you want but it will remain and can make for some interesting tasting syrup. Been there done that.
Good luck with the rest of the season.

[DougM]

According to the Leader catalog the pan cleaner is not recommended for use in flue pans.

[mapleman3]

Chris, I will check with Will up at devon Lane, I need to get a bunch more gallon jugs anyway... thanks.