Small batch evaporator vs pot

[Chiefmsb]

I’m just starting to make maple syrup. I have an 11 gallon evaporator pan and I have a 5 gallon pot. It’s difficult for me to make a fire so I was going to use a propane powered deep fat fryer apparatus. I am wondering since it’s one burner can I put the evaporator on it which is probably about 30 inches wide or should I use just the pot and then keep adding more of the sap as its boiling down.

[Brian]

The more surface area you can get and the shallow the depth of the sap the faster the sap will evaporate. This will take less Btu's required to boil the sap. I would say Yes depending on the size of your evaporator pan. You might want to build a stand for the pan and put the burner underneath that. Good luck!!

[Chiefmsb]

Thanks for the reply

[maple flats]

I agree with Brian. More surface area is best. Firewood will be lowest cost but if you set it up for propane, be prepared to spend a lot on fuel. It will do a fine job. Your best way to do it will be to have 1.5-2" deep in the pan and add as it boils away, try not to get under 1" deep. Keep an eye on it or it can go from yey to OPPS in a hurry. Have a defoamer ready, you can use a drop at a time of vegetable oil, or a small bit of butter as it starts to foam up. Just 1 drop at a time will tame it.
If you can build a support to hold the pot about 4 or even up to 6" above the flame of the propane. I have a propane finisher 2'x6' and the burners are about 5-6" below the 24x72 pan. That has 4 tube burners, each is a pipe with a series of small holes along the top of each tube maybe every 3/4" That works fine. I only use it to heat a whole batch of syrup, mainly to filter and pack a SS drum or to send to my canner for filling retail containers. However it runs off a 50 gal bulk tank, not a little 20# tank.

[Swingpure]

I am not sure if you have a fire bowl and access to wood, but I find boiling sap is working well over an open fire. I find the propane cost while using the turkey fryer prohibitive. The cost of the propane almost matches what you could buy a L of syrup at the store for.

[Chiefmsb]

Thanks for the reply