2x4 Leader

[MyDeereMaple]

This is my second year using a 2x4 leader evaporator and I have a few questions to see if I can improve my draw off.

1) My rear pan is a four chamber drop flue style that empties into one of two front pans. The second front pan is for finishing the syrup. I've been running all the pans at about 1" to 1.25" of sap to keep a consistent boil. This seems to have been working pretty good. My question pertains to the depth of sap/syrup in the finish pan. I've been letting sap into the syrup pan until it levels out at the 1.25". Then letting it boil down to about 0.75" and then 'repeating the process until about 219 and syrup. If I run this pan lower, say 3/4" down to 1/2" at the end of the day will I yield more syrup? My thinking is less in the pan, I'll get a better boil and quicker draw offs. However, these will be smaller draw offs.

2) I know I need to boil to 7 degrees above boiling water for that day. Since the concentrate of water to sap in my rear pan is high, can I simply check my water boiling temp at the start of the boil in the back pan? I've been doing this and I consistently get 212 degrees. However, i usually don't get syrup on the hydrometer until 220 or 221. I use two hydrometers and a digital thermometer. Should I actually boil raw water and check temp separately?

[softmaple]

i would not boil that low in the front pan you could possibly forget about it and it will burn. and i find the hydrometer is the tool i use to get the correct density and adjust the thermometer accordingly.

[mapleack]

1.) A large percentage of your evaporation occurs in the flue pan, the back one. If you're really paying attention, I'd lower it to 3/4 inch over the flues, this will slightly increase evaporation. I wouldn't go shallower than 1 inch in the syrup pan. Even at an inch, things can go wrong faster than you think. If you tried half an inch it'd probably burn even if everything was right, let alone wrong. If you still want to boil faster, try smaller wood, frequent firings, and research homemade forced draft systems here on the trader.

2.) I'd check the boiling point in a pot of tap water, at a rolling boil. That being said, over the course of an evening the temp may change over a degree, use your hydrometer.

3.) Good luck, have fun making syrup, and good luck with the bigger evaporator you'll probably get for next year to satisfy the addiction.

[Saltlick]

I've used a 2x4 for several years. I have found not to rely on the thermometer, but to use it only as a tool. I boil a gallon or so in the finish pan up to a temp. of about 217. Then finish on a gas stove. Using a hydrometer for the final check, at the hot test level. The final temperature of syrup varies considerable with the air pressure at the time. I've seen it vary from 220.6 to 187.9, at a 1500 ft elevation.. Besides a accurate thermometer is way more than I want to spend. I have 3 digital thermometers, and they all read different and are only accurate to approximately one degree. I think doing a cold test without a very accurate thermometer, is very difficult. Just my opinion. We are talking about tens of a degree. I keep my level up in the finish pan to about one and half inch. Use a scoop to move syrup to the finish pan, as I boil. I realize this is a unique procedure, but a 2x4 is not like a production unit. Hope this helps, good luck..