Between Boils

[flatlander]

First year with new evaporator......previous experience was with a 2 X 4 flat pan. My question concerns the lay-up period between boils. I will only fire up the rig 2 to 4 per week (weekends and maybe Wednesdays) during the season. I am planning to drain both front and back pans if unattended for 2 or more days. My reasoning for this is my concern for freezing sap in the pans and causing structual damage while away from the sugarhouse. What do you folks do?

[brookledge]

Once the sap in the pans has boiled for a while the sugar content gets higher so even when it is cold out it will only get slushy. If it gets real cold and stays that way you might want to draw off into a container until you are ready to boil, Or just light a small fire in the arch just long enough to warm the sap a little.
Keith

[sweetwoodmaple]

Never had any trouble with letting my pans freeze. Like Keith mentioned, the pans are semi-sweet so they dont get completely frozen.

Brian

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If nothing else, close the stack off on top and just put like a trouble light inside the arch with a 40 or 60 watt bulb. Arch is insulated pretty good with the brick and the light will put off more than enough heat in that small of a space! :D

[flatlander]

Your probably right about concentrated sap not freezing solid. Good idea about the light......wish I had power at the sugarhouse. Thanks for the responces.

[Sugarbear]

If it gets really cold,like 0-10 I start a fire and warm it up good.It usually does not stay that cold very long this time of year anyway.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The key word is usually and this year is anything but normal or usual at least down here! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[FMWARREN]

I have a 110 volt crank case heater from a copeland compressor screwed into the back 3/4 in. drain when we get a cold spell I just plug it in and for get it.

[sweetwoodmaple]

Could you use a new dipstick heater? I thought about using one of these in my tanks if you get an extended cold snap and want to cut down on ice.

Brian

[brookledge]

I don't see why a dipstick heater wouldn't work. May have limitations on how big of a tank or pan it will work on. Look at the specs. on one to find out at what the temperature range is. You would't want it heating the sap to much or it would encourage bacteria growth.
Keith

[mapleman3]

at least in the valve area! thats the spot that bothers me the most! :evil:

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Just put some heating tape on the valve area and you can even put it up against the bottom of the tank and this will help keep ice from forming around the bottom.

[Johnny Cuervo]

How long do you guys keep partially boiled sap in your pans between boils? This string talked about cold, but what about warm days?

Is it just me or is any one else have a tuff time filtering this year. It seems to clog twice as fast.

Thanks
John

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

John,

I kept some last year in the evaporator for aproximately 14 days between boils and we had 8 straight days of 60+ degrees and some other warm days in that stretch and the sap was fine.

The main thing is to make sure all the sap in the evaporator has been boiled hard for at least 3 or 4 minutes to pasturize it good. :D

As far as filtering, the higher the bacteria count of the sap, the more crud to filter out and the sugar sand may be higher this year than last. :D

[Maple Flats]

All I do when I shut down is draw about a gal of almost syrup and put most of it in the section of the flues pan that fresh sap is entering, and the rest in the next 2 sections. This will get the sugar high enough that it will not freeze , just a little slush. I've done this and had 8 degrees with no freezing. After the first night I do close the stack topper to keep a little warmth in the evap but very little indeed.