when to draw off & how much?

[Brian Ledoux]

Hello,
Just boiled Monday night with my new 19" x 36" evaporator. (upgraded from a turkey fryer last year) I boiled about 8 of the 25 gallons of sap I collected and had to turn in for the night. I have a couple questions about how best to use my evaporator.
1) Did I boil long enough so that sap will keep until I boil again on wednesday?
2) how much am I supposed to draw off when the sap in the 3rd row of the divided pan reaches the right temp/density?
3) what is the best way to replenish what I draw off?

How do others with a single divided pan operate? Anyone advice would be greatly appreciated! very new to this. -brian

[Haynes Forest Products]

with a divided pan you want sap coming in the oposite end of the draw off and you want to dribble it in as fast as it takes to keep up with evaporation and draw offs. Now how many dividers do you have if its 3 then I would draw off a little sooner. Even a bucket with a hole in it that you keep full so sap is always entering the pan. Small draw offs more frequently so you can get the syrup in the last channel. Do you have a hydrometer and cup? You can always check for density and if its good draw off if its under pour back in evap.

[Brian Ledoux]

thanks for the response. That was helpful. The response and a little common sense afetr sitting and thinking about it I think I am good. I will draw off more regularly and finish it in a separate pan off to the side of my evaporator. I am too nervous about burning the pan in the event the sap turns to syrup in the pan and I am not paying close enough attention when it does! Thanks again.

[Brent]

Brian so far as keeping a few days goes. No problem. If it has been boiled and then kept cool, as in seasonal outdoor cold, it will keep a long time. In the summer it would start to ferment, but not now.

The raw sap is a different issue. The microbes will still be alive and multiplying in it. The warmer the temp, the faster they multiply. Keep it as cold as possible, even frozen. If it gets milky, you're near the point when you should dump it. You should try to keep it separate from the good stuff in your pan. Maybe drain off the good stuff into a temporary holding bucket, then start with the raw stuff that you left unboiled. If it comes up good then slowly add in the good stuff to continue the batch.

[heus]

Brent,
I've boiled in my new 2x6 3 times now. Real happy except I've had to grind the right side door down twice. I think you said you had to do the same.
Sorry for hijacking your thread Brian.

[maple flats]

Is the door too wide or is it rubbing on the bottom? On my evaporator I had to add a few steel washers in thr bottom hinge to raise it, otherwise it rubbed on the doorway badly.

[Brent]

On my Phaneuf ( grand total experience of 1 ) the doors work beautifully all year ... until you light the fire. It seems they expand more than the cast iron front and become too wide. I ground a lot of material off to get some clearance. The best solution seems to be to insulate the doors so they don't get quite so hot.