Cross flow pans

[dano2840]

i have a few questions about cross flow pans,
Im looking at getting a 3 1/2 x 14 with 8ft flue and 3 2ft cross flows,
so before i start up every day am i supposed to take the front off drain it move the other 2 forward and clean the one i took off and then place it closest to the flue pan? so niter doesnt build up, if i have been boiling for 6hrs do i have to shut down and swap them out then start back up again, you cant just switch sides like on a normal syrup pan, could some one just explain how they work before i buy the rig
Thanks Dan

[Haynes Forest Products]

On my 3X10 with two 3'X18" cross flow pans the pan next to the flue pan doesnt build up with niter as fast as the final pan so I dont clean it as often about 3-1. I dont change direction on my pans so I just clean the front pan every 600 gallons sap. When I start my day I run my finger on the bottom of the syrup pan and I can tell how its doing. Having three pans makes life easer just plug the pans drain the one and insert new pan slide them down add sap and off you go.I have covers for the two syrup pans I close off the flow and drain the pan to be cleaned and fill with water and vinagar and keep on cooking and brush it down. When the pan is clean I shut down long enough to hose out the pan and put the syrup that I drained back in and open all valves and off we go. the covers fit nice and tight so as I boil the steam blows out the edges and cant be contaminated. Thats one more reason I like oil instant on and off

[dano2840]

so you switch without shuting down completely?, once the fire has died down enough?

[Haynes Forest Products]

YES The best idea is to start the day with clean pans. Having a spare pan that is clean I would start every day with a clean pan. I dont have the extra pan so I clean as I go. If at the end of the day I find my finish pan is starting to scale up I will put in the plugs and drain the finish pan fill with vinager water and cover them hit the burner and bring to a boil shut down and by morning they are clean. I have a shop vac that I use to suck out the crap in the dirty pan and then cleanup is easy. hose out and Dump in the syrup that is almost done and off you go.

[dano2840]

what is the %age vinigar to water ratio you use?

[Haynes Forest Products]

I tend to be like Tim the Tool Man Taylor I like more power so with that said Vinigar is cheap so I tend to over do it. I drain it into 5 gallon buckets and reuse it so I use about 4 gallons in my pan lets say about 4 to 1 and thats heavey but as I said I love the name Binford. I have no idea how much it can hold in suspension befor it becomes useless. So step in boys and let me know

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I use 4 gallons in my 2x8. 2 gallons in flue pan and 2 in syrup pan and dump it after I use it as 4 gallons are less than $ 8 at Sams Club.

[dano2840]

you put 4 gal of vinigar every day or just at the end of the year, do you mix w/ water?

[Haynes Forest Products]

I only use it when I clean the syrup pans and I reuse it a couple of time then as WVM said its cheap and out it goes. I used it to clean out the flue pan but with the oils that build up and scum I take the pan off the arch and stand it on its end and use Easy Off oven cleaner and it sprays clean like new.

[markct]

is the vinegar safe to use on older lead soldered pans? i know they say not acid wash them cause it leaches out the lead, so whats the best method for lead pans? just warm water and elbow grease?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I couldn't imagine vinegar would hurt the older solder pans unless you left it in them for an extended period of time as it is not as harsh as some of the pan cleaner acids.

I fill my syrup pan full of water with the 2 gallons of vinegar and bring it to a boil and fill the flue pan up to the top of the divider and do the same.

[markct]

by safe i didnt mean so much as harming the pans, but more like leaching out more of the lead and thus a fresh surface of lead exposed to the syrup

[dano2840]

if it kills some one.......... well.............. then dont do it again;)

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

They do recommend with the lead solder not to scrub all the sugar sand off of the soldered areas, so you are right, vinegar or any other kind of cleaner would eat this off. Forgive me for my brain freeze.

[802maple]

It will open the solder up to the syrup.

Also with a extra pan I do the switch without even letting the fire down, as long as you don't open the front door the draft will suck down most of the heat. If you have blowers just shut them down and you will be fine, Just don't waste any time.

[Amber Gold]

How do you get the new pan on without burning it? There's going to be some time putting it on and getting it hooked up before there's sap in it. Do you put it on with sap in it and just plug the entrance/exit holes until everything's plumbed?

[Haynes Forest Products]

802maple Its good to see other people flirt with danger.....Can I ask what was the reaction when you asked your buddies to help you.

[802maple]

There is no danger there, most of the time I do it alone, but it is alot easier with help.

To answer the question as to how I do it without burning the pan, I first plug the front pan from the rear and draw off about half the sweet in the front pan and transfer it to the new pan, I then take all the inter connections off and slide the dirty pan off and throw the clean one on, put the connections together put the remaining sweet back into the new pan, pull the plugs and we are off to the races. It usually doesn't change the drawtime by more than 5 minutes. When Leader says it takes you about 2 hours to change a pan and get back to boiling, they are out to lunch.

[markct]

another question, is cross flow pan a term that just means syrup pan with dividers, or is it a special type, i have seen some that were like just a pan with a single divider down the middle, and i have seen other pans with like 4 dividers in them. my 2 by 2 syrup pan on my 2x8 evap just has a single divider running side to side, so would that be a cross flow? i have been considering making a 3 section pan for it with the inlet and outlet at opposite corners so i could reverse the flow by lifting it off and rotating it 180 degrees but maybe im missing something here. i hear some folks talk about reversing without moving the pans but i cant figure out how they manage that!

[Haynes Forest Products]

802maple How do you not warp the pans it has to take at least 30 seconds to hook up fittings dump in syrup pull the plugs dont you run the risk of scorching the pans. If this was tried with solderd pans it would be a disaster

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I think he is putting enough sweet in it before he sits it on the arch to keep from hurting the pan.

[802maple]

I think he is putting enough sweet in it before he sits it on the arch to keep from hurting the pan.

I usually boil with a inch of sweet and when I take half of it out I still have a 1/2 inch. Before the years of a RO all I boiled with was a 1/2 inch. In nearly 40 years of boiling I have only burned my pans I think twice and it was only because I was shooting the bull both times and not paying attention.

It really is easy

[802maple]

Haynes.
Did you not understand that I was changing the pan with some in it. If in my last post I came across a little strong I am sorry for that.

Jerry

[Haynes Forest Products]

802maple No worries I think the great thing about this forum is as we share ideas the first time sugar maker or the seasond commercial outfit can learn and enjoy the foibles of others. At times I ask the question for others benefit.

[dano2840]

im one of those young gun ones hehehe not a first timer though , first time with cross flows if i get the evap w the cross flows though, i think i will leave the pump configuration the same and while its pumping run back up to the sugar house and clean the front cross flow the timeing should work perfectly

[tom jr.]

what a novel idea!!! you will have the cleanest shineist syrup pan in the states, by the time your done pumping!!!!!!!!! JUST BUSTIN YOUR CHOPS!! no reilly thats a good plan.