How do the divided pans work?

[Buckeye mapler]

I am making a 2x6 flat pan. I was considering making a 2x4 pan and a 2x2 pan since I could draw the sap that is spread out on the 2x4 pan into a smaller pan (2x2) and leave i on the evaporator longer before drawing off and finishing, thus saving propane. I am just not sure how this works. With a flat pan you have to pull the pan off the flame when drawing off completely to avoid scorching the pan. If I draw the sap that is "close" to finishing from the 2x4 into the 2x2, how do I avoid scorching the pan.

Can you connect the two divided pans and still lift them off the flame and draw off from either pan? Maybe just putting a divider to give me the same dimensions would be better?

Alittle advise and info on how the best way to go is would be great! Thanks

[Gary R]

Whether you have one pan or two pans connected together as long as you have a couple of dividers, as you boil you will establish a gradient. Sap in the back, syrup in the front. As you add sap to the back, it forces the sweetest stuff to the front. It takes quite a few hours, but you will eventually end up with syrup in the front. You won't have to lift a pan if you have a draw off valve. You can draw it off as syrup or just under. Then you can finish with propane so you have more control.

[Buckeye mapler]

so even a flat pan will establish a gradient that when new sap enters the pan, the sweet stuff will draw off first?? Interesting. I can see how that would work then. Thanks

[RileySugarbush]

It only works on a big flat pan if you have dividers. The function of those is to make the pan act like a really long narrow pan with sap in one end and syrup drawn off the other. The narrow channels prevent significant mixing of the various densities. In a big flat pan without dividers, the turbulence of boiling would mix everything up so you have to treat it a a big batch

[Fred Henderson]

I made my first pan. It was SS 2' x 6'6". I had three channels in it. The sap entered the rear at the back and syrup was taken off in the front in the last channel. I had a preheater over the center channel that ran the full lenght. If I stayed right at the fire I could make 3/4 of a gal per hour. I had an enternal float box also so there was no tubrulence from the boiling. I used it if 4 years but as the tap count countinued to grow I sold it and got the 3x8. The guy that bought it is still using it.

[SilverLeaf]

With a flat pan you have to pull the pan off the flame when drawing off completely to avoid scorching the pan.

I'm just curious - is that always true? How quickly does the pan scorch? If you were to, for example, draw off your batch, but leave a slight film of syrup in the bottom of the pan and then quickly throw some cool sap in there to kill the boil and keep everything lukewarm while the fire dies down, would the pan still scorch? Or is this just too risky a strategy?:confused:

2010 will be my first year with a "real" evap and I don't want to screw it up.

[RileySugarbush]

That's really risky if you have a hot fire. Flat pans aren't really flat and some point will go thin enough to scorch and it happens lightning fast! If your pan is divided you can flood the inlet and force the syrup to your draw off all at once. It won't mix too much.

[SilverLeaf]

That's really risky if you have a hot fire. Flat pans aren't really flat and some point will go thin enough to scorch and it happens lightning fast! Whoa. :o Good thing I asked! Thanks, Riley!

[Fred Henderson]

I'm just curious - is that always true? How quickly does the pan scorch? If you were to, for example, draw off your batch, but leave a slight film of syrup in the bottom of the pan and then quickly throw some cool sap in there to kill the boil and keep everything lukewarm while the fire dies down, would the pan still scorch? Or is this just too risky a strategy?:confused:

2010 will be my first year with a "real" evap and I don't want to screw it up.

I think you would fare much better playing Russia roulette. With no liquid or very little in your pan you are just milliseconds away from a disaster.

[Buckeye mapler]

if anyone has any pics of there home made pans with dividers please post them. It would be most helpful with a visual aide. 3 inch hole at the ends of the dividers and close to the bottom of the pan is what I am gathering.

[swierczt]

I have a 2' x 3' flat pan w/ 3 chambers. Basically, it's made up of 3 pans that are 8" wide, all tig welded together. I copied it from an old waterloo pan I saw in a suppy shop. It has 2" triangle openings at the opsite corners of the middle 'pan'. A gradiant does develop as long as you are adding warm sap at one corner and drawing off on the other. I can draw off a little at a time. I just watch a digital thermometer in the 3rd chamber and draw off as long as it read 219 and the level of sap dosen't drop to far. Once the temp starts going down, I stop drawing, and add to the pan to keep it at about 1-1.5" deep. I NEVER draw the pan all the way down with a fire in the firebox. I wait until the next morning until it's cooled off to completely empty the pan.

[Buckeye mapler]

how high are your pan walls?

[Fred Henderson]

You send me your email address and I will send you a whole bunch of the pan that I made including the parrall heater and hood. Send emal address to. It is just to time comsumeing to resize them all for this site.
Deerlope@twcny.rr.com

[Fred Henderson]

The outside walls on mine were 9" and the inside was 6"' I basicly bent 3 channel, two had one side 9" and one 6", these were the outside channels and the middle one both sides were 6".

[Keyes Hollow Gold]

What are the different ways to connect the dividers?

[3rdgen.maple]

I have a 2' x 3' flat pan w/ 3 chambers. Basically, it's made up of 3 pans that are 8" wide, all tig welded together. I copied it from an old waterloo pan I saw in a suppy shop. It has 2" triangle openings at the opsite corners of the middle 'pan'. A gradiant does develop as long as you are adding warm sap at one corner and drawing off on the other. I can draw off a little at a time. I just watch a digital thermometer in the 3rd chamber and draw off as long as it read 219 and the level of sap dosen't drop to far. Once the temp starts going down, I stop drawing, and add to the pan to keep it at about 1-1.5" deep. I NEVER draw the pan all the way down with a fire in the firebox. I wait until the next morning until it's cooled off to completely empty the pan.

;) Swierczt you got it man. This is the reason for the dividers. So silverleaf if you put two dividers in your pan so you have three chambers the only time the pan needs to be completely emptied is to clean or when your outa sap for the season.

[Fred Henderson]

I sloted my ends and welded them in. The two inside dividers are double walled.

[Gary R]

Good explanation Swierczt. here's a picture of the pan I made. Dividers go side to side. Some pans have them front to back.

[swierczt]

Mine go front to back. I think either way will work. I think the way I made mine makes for a stronger pan. Trying to move a 2' x 3' flat pan make of 20 or 18 ga. sst will be difficult to move without potentally warping it if it's full of sweet...no matter how many dividers you may tack weld in there.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Nice job Gary R thats the way to weld the dividers in nice small tack welds that dont warp the pans all to hell. Remember they dont have to be water tight. When things get to boiling and moving liquid takes the path of least resistance.

[Buckeye mapler]

yeah I am definitely getting the idea of what I need to do. Thanks to all who have replied and posted pics. I will definitel check this thread out now and then to see if anyone has added anything more!