Maintain Level in pan

[eastky]

This is my second year, I got my 2x5 divided flat pan late in the season last year, and I just had a couple of boils on it.
This year I have a head tank feeding into the pan and having trouble keeping a constant level, don't really want to spend the money on a float box.
Is there a way to rig a sight glass or something else to maintain the level?

[DaveB]

Before I had an evaporator with a float I had a pot that I added an adjustable valve. I put it on one of the corners so the sap would pre-warm in the pot before going in the pan. Once the boil was going I would adjust how much sap was going in to maintain a certain level. It's not exact, but at least you're not adding large amounts of sap at a time taking away the boil. 30+ years ago when I started I did the same thing with a coffee can and a small hole.

[littleTapper]

If you have pipe thread on the opposite corner of your draw-off, you can rig up a sight glass with some pipe fittings and clear tubing. Just get it out from the arch a bit.

22817

[jrgagne99]

My sight glass setup is similar to LittleTapper's. I have a hybrid pan with the flu section in back and the flat section in front. The connect via an external jumper, on which i have a sight glass that dips down to properly show the sap level.

As for maintaining level, you should be able to do it pretty well after a few boils of experience. For many years, I have run my RO directly into the steam-away which then feeds the back pan. I control both flow rates with valves, no float boxes at all in my setup because it is small and there is no room.

[eastky]

If you have pipe thread on the opposite corner of your draw-off, you can rig up a sight glass with some pipe fittings and clear tubing. Just get it out from the arch a bit.

22817
Thats perfect, I probably have most of the part for this. thanks