Beware Acid Cleaner

[DirtPoor]

A friend of mine had sap sap pan made , 304 grade stainless , used it one season , cleaned it with HDA-1000 acid cleaner sold in the catalogs , the acid ate through the pan on or beside the welds, the shop who made his pan told him,are you nuts ? putting acid in the pan will eat through 304 stainless , and more quickly near the welds were the metal structure has been changed. He was told 316
grade stainless is the grade that is acid restance. He checked and the 316 grade stainless is .50 cents more per pound but will standup to the acid cleaning.
I'd like to see all the options to pan cleaners listed here that people 'HAVE'
used , not hear say that might work , what did people use before acid??
Thanks DP

[mapleman3]

Sap.. left in the pan till June Fermenting I think I may try it season coming

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Leader swears that sap left in pans will eat through a pan too! 8O 8O 8O

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I did use some cleaner last year, but after using it, I filled my pans back up with water and poured a box or two of baking soda in them and let them simmer for a while. Before the baking soda, I cleaned and rinsed them good and after the baking soda, I also cleaned and rinsed them good. Baking soda will neutralize the acid. I have not seen a manufacture that recommends using the cleaner on a flue pan anyway, only a syrup pan. I could be wrong, but that is what I have been told. :?

[Brian]

HI,
I cleaned my pans last week and used pan cleaner. The pan cleaner I used came from Darveau. I heated the water up to hot but not boiling and added the gallon of pan cleaner through all the petitions and the flue pan. Glen told me not to leave it in longer than 4 hours because it will start to eat your solder in the pans, and to make sure not to bring it to a boil with the pan cleaner in because it will take the shine right out of the pans and make them dull. After the 4 hour period was up, Glen told me to add baking soda to the pan cleaner mix until it stopped bubbling, this will neutralize the pans and the pan cleaner. Let that set for about 1/2 hour and scrub a little more, and rinse it well. Worked good for me. :D

[SUGARSMITH]

I tried the fermenting sap last year, wont do that again, I use the granular cleaner and have been lucky so far

[backyardsugarer]

I have used vinegar in the past and then rinsed with baking soda and water. No problems and nice clean pans.

Chris

[syrupmaker]

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2005 12:07 pm Post subject:

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I tried the fermenting sap last year, wont do that again, I use the granular cleaner and have been lucky so far

Sugarsmith what happened ? Thats how we have done it the last three years with our new pan, and it works great.If you forget about it and let it skim over and totally evaporate,thats when it can be a yucky job of cleaning.

Rick

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Vinegar and lemon juice. I am really interested in that and probably a lot more people are as they are both reasonably priced and I don't think could possibly eat through anything.

More info for me and others, I'll be waiting to know what you do and how you mix it.

Brandon

[Brian]

I like to clean the pans with sour sap but the pans that I bought were covered with niter and had to clean them some how. I fill the pans above the rig line with sap and leave it from around april 15 to june 25. Then heat the sap until it gets hot then scrub it alittle and rinse then put the baking soda to them and rinse it. they shine like new!! :lol:

[Maple Hill Sugarhouse]

20 gals. of pure spring water
1 gal. of cider vinegar
1 Qt. of lemon
They say it works/But i never tryed it.

[powerdub]

I leave the sap in tha pans until June. My back pan is 11 years old and still going. The only thing that ate through my front pan was the fire when it had no sap left in it. 8O As far as leader is concerned, they are in the business of selling things and that includes thier pan cleaner. In fact, I think they use 304 stainless. If left on the arch it will rust, have seen it myself. Sap works best for me.

[pegjam]

I use a product called "Glisten" sold by IBA. I have used it full strenght in the front pan, left it for days and had no problems, (lucky :?: 8O 8O ). It works great, and I just rinse out the pan really well. BUT: this is made for the dairy industry pipeline milkers, which are all 304 SS. All these companies are in this to make money, so if they can wear out your pan, means more money for them, right. Read your label directions and follow them, or look around for something better. As far as fermented sap, if any parts of your evp are aluminam, tread lightly, it will discolor it quickely, as I found out. :lol: :lol: :lol:

pegjam
"Hope it helps, can't hurt."