batch boiling

[Brien]

Just thinking about my setup lately and of course I want something a little more efficient. I do batch boils on 2x3 pan. on the weekends. Most of the time just one day of boiling, I would be lucky to do 2 days. Then I pour the near syrup out put it in a bucket and bring it home to finish it off. i clean up the pan and start fresh the next weekend. Do I have any options? Sounds like these divided pans/raised flue/dropped flue is more for people who boil multiple times a week.
I usually run around 75 taps.
Last year I made 33ish litres of Syrup and that seemed to be a good amount for my needs.

I am fooling around with a blower for AUF, but haven't figured out if what I have is helping out.

[82cabby]

I would say a homemade RO might be a good upgrade.

[DairyVet]

I batch boil, but it’s in my backyard and it sounds like your trees may not be close to home. I added a lid to my evaporator this year (smoky lake dauntless pan on cinder blocks) and it made a world of difference. If I only have a few hours to boil during the week it’s fine because I don’t have to empty the pan at the end of the night. When the boil slows to a simmer I can throw the lid on and be done. Bring it back to a simmering boil every other day or as temps dictate to keep the sweet from spoiling.

[Brien]

Its a 45 min drive out to my property then a 5min snowmobile ride or a 25min walk, depending on the conditions. havent really looked into the RO because I have no electricity

[aamyotte]

Brien,
Last year I added AUF to my barrel evaporator and went from 7L/hr to 14.5L/hr. Since I don't have electricity either I have a battery and a 12V fan to add the air. It was a major upgrade for me. I was hesitant about RO since I was only 32 taps and the cleanup and hauling sap out of the woods to do the RO and bring the concentrate back.

[bigschuss]

AUF, RO, a bigger pan are all options. Without electricity though becomes tougher. Pre-heating your sap is an option, but probably won't yield huge dividends. Not sure if you're on buckets or lines...but if buckets pitching the ice (if any) IMHO does show a significant reduction in boil time.