Cleaning pans WHILE boiling

[Brent]

I'd like to try for some comments on this topic again.

I've been wondering about trying to remove sand while boiling. Seems to me we've often got a bit of time between chores when a pump or siphon to a filter could get rid of some sand while still boiling, and re-introduce the sap back to more or less the same location as it was taken from, to maintain the gradient.

The concern I had is that I "think" I have observed that if you touch the pan during boiling it "seems" to press the sand and gunk onto the pan bottom and sort of seal it there, causing a hot spot and scorching.

[802maple]

My concern with the pumping or siphoning would constantly causing sap to mix even though you would be putting it back in the same place and increasing your chances of a burn, also cooling and warming the syrup would increase the amount of time in boiling and darken the syrup.

[maple flats]

I use your idea sort of, but I only filter it just before restarting the fire, removing niter from the previous day. I use a small 5gpm pump and on the discharge where it returns to the pan, I tie a double cone type prefilter.