Cholette Auto Drawoff?

[DaveB]

I found a Cholette Auto Drawoff for sale and I'm wondering if someone can tell me what that is. I haven't found that name and from what I can tell it's an older system, but it might work for me. It sounds like it isn't real accurate, but that's fine with me as I usually finish on a gas burner any way.

Can someone tell me more about this and if I should consider it?

Thanks,

Dave

[maplwrks]

Save your money Dave--A bottom of the line Marcland is better than the Cholette ever was.....

[Haynes Forest Products]

I think having a unpredictable draw off would put you in a sorry state of affairs save the $100. I watched a guy pull his drawoff tank from under his auto drawoff because he (thought) it wasnt coming on for a while.....didnt close the saftey valve. Its bad enough that I walk away when I open my drawoff......just for a second DANG I CAN BE A DUMP ^&%$#$%#@*

[DaveB]

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like these are problematic....

The reason that I'm considering it is because I usually draw off at around 216-218 and then finish it on a gas fired pan. How does the Cholette work? is it by temperature? I just need a ball park temp. If these things open up randomly and not even close to syrup, then it probably wouldn't be worth my time or money, but at $100 and something that will open up in a range of 216-219, that's fine with me....I can polish it off later.

The cheapest Marcland's I've seen are $800...out of my budget now and they have way too many bells and whistles that I probably need at this point. I'm just looking for something that will open a valve when the temp hits a certain point. I saw someone built a backyard unit for $250 that does that and I was wondering if the Chollette did that too. If not, I'll invest somewhere else.

Thanks,

Dave

[brookledge]

Definately the Cholette belongs on the shelf collecting dust. I have never owned one but knew many who tried them years ago only to put them on the shelf. Just were not accurate. Todays electronics are far superior and I have a markland that works good.
Keith

[brookledge]

Dave
The more I thought about it I was wondering would they let you try it and then if you are happy buy it. If you are only looking for a rough accuracy it might work. You will need a 12 volt power supply. And there is a round knob that changes the density that it opens at. You keep checking with a hydrometer and turning the knob until you get it set.

At the same point with an auto draw off they are somewhat pricy but the way I look at it They can be set up with high temp alarms, low level alarms, and burner shut off, etc. if something goes wrong.
And my point is if it saves a pan from being burned or ruined it is cheaper than a new pan.
Keith

[NH Maplemaker]

3% and I went to Bascons open house this last spring. The owner of Marcland was at there booth. I was looking to buy a new draw off. He told me he had a complete used unit that he would let me have for half price (a $400 dollar savings)! Plus he would personally take it back to the factory and have it completely check out,Repair if needed, put new style switches on it, polished,and all new stenciling ! Plus have it shipped back to me with in the week free of charge! Best part is that he did it all hassell free!! Now thats service!! He also said they will do that for any used Marcland units.

Jim L

[markcasper]

I used the Cholettes back in the day. I had a couple different ones. The one was a pile of crap, the other one I had worked well. My neighbor who I told of the 1977 story still uses his and has little problem.

I guess it depends on which one you ended up with. The marclands are more superior, but if you can get it cheap and it works, go for it.

[Jim Brown]

We use the Marcland utility draw off (the chearper one)and after getting it set we would be hard pressed to run with out it.. Ours has run perfect right out of the box. and with making 4-5 gallon per hour from our rig we don't have time to be drawing and firing and watching floats..This thung will draw off even if we are drinking coffee or BS'ing . I highly recommend one to anyone. They are a little bit pricey but consistency is worth something and so is piece of mind.

Just our two cents

Jim

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Jim,

Do you have a valve and probe on both sides or do you have to switch it every time you draw off??

[Jim Brown]

WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER;We draw off of the right side of the rig .We put a tee in the line and have a manual draw on one side of the tee and the Marcland on the other side. Check out our photo bucket I think there is a pic there.
Sugarmaker also has one and I think he has a probe on both sides. we only have one. We take the sugar pan off every day or so and clean the niter just with a little warm water and a scott's bright pad. and we are ready to roll again. i just checked there is a good pic of the draw off

Jim

[Amber Gold]

The evaporator I just got came with an Cholette system and after reading this thread I'm wondering if I'm even going to hook it up. What's the faulty part with the them? Is it the temp. probe, controller, valve, or the whole thing?

[markcasper]

Josh,

I have used 2 of them previously in the 90's. The only reason I switched to a Marcland is because I was forced too. I burned my pan twice in the past and both times it got hot enough that it melted the solder from the tip of the probe. There is a gas contained within the probe. When the boiling syrup heats the probe and gas up, the inert gas increases in pressure thus causing the relay to trip and then opens the valve.

I think the gas filled probe is why some were never that reliable. As I mentioned in a previous post, the first one I had didn't work that well. The 2nd was very reliable, until I burned the tip off that one. If the gas is gone in the probe, it won't work, so don't let the pan run dry.

The solenoid valve on the Cholette was awseome! I still have been meaning to get that converted to run with the Marcland.

I have neighbor that bought one new in 1975 and its still in use today. His works pretty well, but he still checks it with the hydrometer often. That being said, I check mine quite often too even with the Marcland.

[Amber Gold]

Thanks Mark. Maybe I'll give it a shot once I get things running smooth and can keep a good eye on it.

[Amber Gold]

Does anybody have directions on how the Cholette drawoff works and how to set it up? I was looking at and can't figure it out. I've got two valves, one for each side. One valve has PVC type tube between the valve base and the top part where the switch is. Also each of them has alligator clip leads and I'm not sure where they go. Do they connect to the alligator clip leads on the control box? How does the control know when it's syrup? I don't have any sort of temperature probe or anything like that. Not really sure how it works. Any help would be appreciated as I may use it this season.

Thanks

[802maple]

I have made alot of maple syrup over the years and used several different automatic drawoffs and the best one out there that I have found is my right hand being guided by what is left of my eyesight. It is the only one so far that I could totally trust, the others worked good while they were working but when there was a problem, oh well. The score is no burns manually operated, several when depending on a piece of equipment.

[markcasper]

Amber gold, It sounds as if you are missing the whole temperature control. The valves are no good without the thermocoupler and probe. The alligator clips coming off the valve top hook up to 2 contact points on the controller. The other 2 go to a 12 volt battery. The later ones were able to hook up to 110 I believe.

But yes, sounds like you don't have a controller. The controller has a bracket that saddles the top of the pan. The tube is attatched to the back of the controller and is somewhat flexible (like electric fence wire) At the end of the tube is the probe and that sits in the bottom of the pan about a foot before the drawoff. The earlier ones had a whole bracket that was adjustable and you could move it up or down to match the pan depth. The later ones did not have this and was somewhat harder to keep the tube and probe from moving in the pan. On the controller itself there was a dial to adjust clockwise or counterclockwise. You would test the syrup with hydrometer and then keep turning the dial until the density was correct. You then usually wouldn't have to move it more than a half turn either way once the set point was reached.

I had instructions at one time that I copied from a neighbors. I am sure my neighbor still has them in the sugarhouse walls. I probably could visit and copy them again. I am pressed for time however, the overtime has opened up at work again and they are forcing it. So ?

[Amber Gold]

Mark, based on your description I think I'm missing the thermocouple. I have the control that you're talking about. It has a bracket to hang off the side of the pan. The control has a dial on it that has less dense on one side and more dense on the other. It may be more/less syrup. It's something to that effect.

When I get home tonight I'll take some pictures of what I do have and post them on my photobucket page. I'll post here when they're available.

Thanks

[Amber Gold]

I've posted the pics in my photobucket site. It looks like I have the controller and two valves. I'm not sure why one has a pvc pipe between the top and bottom of the valve. There's a whole in the bottom with a plug/valve in it.

Mark, if you come across any information it'd be much appreciated.

[markcasper]

Amber gold,

I am baffled by the looks of that controller in your photos. My controller(s) do not look like that, BUT the knob looks similar in design. The valve definately is Cholette. I do not get the PVC thing, that is a homemade job for sure and only the person that made it would be able to explain it.

You have an old valve(s). I can tell because the old Cholettes had the black label. My valve was made in the 80's and it has a blue label with 1'' fitting. Yours most likely is 3/4 ''. My neighbors (still in use) has black label and he bought it new in 1975. Looking at the dull look of the aluminum on your valves, I would say it probably was one of the first ones made, that being in the 60's. Just my thoughts.....I bet that is the right controller, but that they probably redesigned them in the 70's. I did not see any probe in you pics, but there would have to be a probe with a small tube going to the controller box for it to work.

You should e-mail www.andersonsmaplesyrup.com and direct your photos to Steve. I can almost guarantee you that Steves dad Norman would be able to tell you if that is an old Cholette controller. I was thinking that maybe you had 2 different vintage things going on here, but that darn knob tells me something.

If you e-mail them, just ask and make sure that Norman sees the photos, because he would be the only one that would know.

[markcasper]

I just studied your pics again and now have second thoughts on that controller. It says on the bottom of the controller.......Graytron, or something like that. It may be that you have 2 different uncompatable things here. I'd still e-mail Andersons, I am sure they would know more than I.

[Amber Gold]

Thanks. I'll contact him as soon as I have a minute and will update the thread with my findings. The controller does read Grayton and the tags on the valves read Chollette.

[WMF]

Josh,
Thats an ADOC control box they were built in the early 90's and were pretty accurate. They would beep at an increased pace as the temperature climbed. They used to be in some of the equipment catalogs a few years ago.

The temp probe (which you don't have) plugs into a jack on the control box and uses a large phono plug connector.

Marcland could probably fix you up with a probe if you can't get the original one.

[Amber Gold]

WMF, that souds about right. I was told the evaporator was bought mid-90's.

I was looking at the valve's last night. Each one has two pairs of wires coming out of it with alligator clips on the end. What do each pair go to? I can see one going to the controller, but the other? The controller has a pair of alligator clips. I'm guessing you connect them to one pair on the valve.

[NH Maplemaker]

Josh, some were in the mix there is a battery!! As I remember from yesteryear the clips from the controler hook to battery!

Jim L.

[markcasper]

the cho;ette valves should have 2 sets of wires coming from them. the 2 shorter wires with aligator clips go to the cholette controller. the 2 longer wires from the valve top with aligator clips go to a 12 volt battery.

[Amber Gold]

Thanks Mark. That's what I was thinking after I wrote it. I started wondering how the electric valves were going to work without power and figured it out.

What do you use for a battery and where does it go? Mount it on the arch?

[markcasper]

12 volt car batery, I had mine stored under the arch, right behind the firebox, which would be right under your syrup drawoff. Make sure you put the battery on an old board and not directly on the conrete floor.

[NH Maplemaker]

Josh, I was talking to Robert Crooks yesterday. He's the owner of of Marcland instruments. He said that if you could find a small plug in transformer (like for cell phone )That was 120vac to 12 volt Dc !! You can strip wires and hook them to your Cholette valve and it will work fine!! No need for a battery! He also said that producers that want to use a Marcland draw off ,but don't have power in there sugar shacks can use a 12 volt battery and a small ac Power inverter and draw off will work fine!! Battery will haft to be charged every other day, depending on amount of use. Also a Cholette valve can be used with the Marcland controller and works very well!!

Jim L.