how much sap goes in the pan

[sirhart1]

Ok i just built a 2x4 pan 2x3 of it has 3 dividers and the front 1x2 has one divider. How much sap should I have in the pans. I have a float box and set it at 3 1/2 inches. I am thinking this is to much but i had a nipple put in for the temp guage at 3" in the front pan. So looking for a little help. Thanks and happy boiling

[BryanEx]

I'm assuming your pans have flat bottoms. 3 1/2 inches is too deep. Start with 2 inches and then once you get used to the feel of things drop it to 1 1/2 inches... but keep a close watch on things. If you need to leave for any length of time bump the depth up for safety room.

[sirhart1]

ok so both pans should be run at that? If so then the temp guage can't be used? thanks for your help.

[KenWP]

can you twist the nipple for the thermometer up just a tad so it's on a angle. It should have been put in on a angle downward in the first place.

[PerryW]

You might need a dial thermometer with a longer stem.

[Treetapper]

If you carefully apply the right amount of heat to the area around the nipple you could probably bend it downward enough to get your thermometer probe into the sap. Take your thermometer out of the fitting first, heat, bend, let it cool and reinstall. Be careful not to distort the bottom of the pan though. If its soldered into the pan you may be able to melt the solder enough to persuade it down ward as well. I know when stainless gets really hot it will bend in all sorts of different directions! Just a thought. Good luck.

[sirhart1]

well at this point i am just going to use a external one. When i empty the pan i will tig another nipple in and use it. So 1 1/2-2" is all the sap i want in BOTH pans???? thanks to all

[maple flats]

If it is a drop flue, yes, if raised flue the flue pan often should have less. After you get the hang of things you very well might run at 1" deep and some run at 3/4" deep. I run my syrup pan at 1" and the flues pan at about 5/8" (I have a raised flue, with 2 float boxes. When you run shallower it will boil faster but be aware that the shallower you go the faster things go from "looks good" to Oh s#%t". You must be ever ready to act NOW.

[maple flats]

Oh, by the way, when a visitor comes, I re set the syrup pan float about a 1/4" deeper until they leave. If 2 or more come I set it at 1.5 " deep. I don't reset the flues pan, just the syrup pan as long as I have a good amount of sap in my feed tank and temperatures are not cold enough to need to watch for a frozen feed line. I almost never get any visitors when it's that cold. When at 1" or less I can't be talking to friends or visitors.

[Treetapper]

Oh, by the way, when a visitor comes, I re set the syrup pan float about a 1/4" deeper until they leave. If 2 or more come I set it at 1.5 " deep. I don't reset the flues pan, just the syrup pan as long as I have a good amount of sap in my feed tank and temperatures are not cold enough to need to watch for a frozen feed line. I almost never get any visitors when it's that cold. When at 1" or less I can't be talking to friends or visitors.

Very good advice. Distractions are to costly and frustrating!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I run mine at 1.5 to 2 inches deep all the time and I can't see any reduction in gph or color of syrup. Evaporator runs much smoother and you don't see the sudden spikes in termperature.

[PerryW]

I don't think there is a big efficiency difference between running 1 inch deep or two inches deep. It's the batch guys who fill their pans up full (6 or 8 inches deep) where you start to notice an efficiency difference.

In theory, if you run 1 inch deep vs 2 inches deep.....

1) The sap will flow twice as fast through the pan which will make lighter syrup.

2) You will take of syrup twice as often, but the batches will be 1/2 as big.

[BryanEx]

sirhart1... I may be wrong but I believe you can put a mild bend into the probe of your thermometer to reach the syrup level without damaging it. I know Maple Guys offer to bend the digital thermometer to fit the Accu-Cup. Perhaps someone else could confirm if it could be done without damage because I have not done it myself to know for certain.

[kinalfarm]

if you are going to be waching it like a hawk and you feel comfortable with your rig go an inch if not go an inch and a half or two but not ore than that.

[mklarenbeek]

Newbie budding in.

I used a steam table pan last year and will be adding 2 more of the same this year. I did fill it all the way to the top and for the most part it just steamed rather than boiled.

If I kept my batch sizes the same (about 8 gallons of sap per pan) but kept the depth at 2 inches rather than 8 do you think I'd get an increase in efficiency without a change in colour.

Last year I boiled each batch down to about the 1" mark and then refridgerated it until I could fill a pan with that condensed sap which I then boiled down and finished inside.

The year before I kept filling up the pan and the syrup got very dark - although it tasted fine.

[BryanEx]

I did fill it all the way to the top and for the most part it just steamed rather than boiled.
:lol: Been there, done that. My first boil of my first year I got carried away with enthusiasm and kept adding to a 12 gallon pot on a 65,000 BTU propane burner. Eventually I had it filled to within inches of the top... but all my sap was in! Took 28 hours to boil it down to some very nice extra dark syrup. :o


If I kept my batch sizes the same (about 8 gallons of sap per pan) but kept the depth at 2 inches rather than 8 do you think I'd get an increase in efficiency without a change in colour.
Absolutely. At 2 inches or just under you will have maximum efficiency and best grade for your sap.


Last year I boiled each batch down to about the 1" mark and then refrigerated it until I could fill a pan with that condensed sap which I then boiled down and finished inside.
A little less efficient and extra handling. You were spending extra time and energy on bringing the sap back from cold to boiling plus it gets a little bit darker every time you reheat to boiling. Not bad but your second paragraph is your best approach.


The year before I kept filling up the pan and the syrup got very dark - although it tasted fine.
Nothing wrong with dark syrup (only syrup I can sell to my customers) but grade is controlled by the weather, time of year, maybe even your specific trees. You can make it darker but if the sap comes out of the tree determined to be light or dark you'll be hard pressed to change it's mind without using some very high-end equipment... and even then it's limited.

[johnallin]

[QUOTE=maple flats;101005]Oh, by the way, when a visitor comes, I re set the syrup pan float about a 1/4" deeper until they leave. If 2 or more come I set it at 1.5 " deep. I don't reset the flues pan, just the syrup pan as long as I have a good amount of sap in my feed tank and temperatures are not cold enough to need to watch for a frozen feed line. QUOTE]

Dave, First year on my raised flue 2x6 and I have a question for you. Why would you only change the syrup pan level and not both? Thanks

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Not much to worry about in the flue pan as long as it has enough sap to cover the flues. Never a problem back there unless you don't add defoamer and it boils over or you run it dry. Problems are normally always in the syrup pan where there is so much sugar and it can get out of control really quick.

[johnallin]

Thanks Brandon,

So far only have one boil - with water - under my belt on the new raised flue and after 2 years on the half pint, this thing is a much different animal.

I've got lots to learn here.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

John,

I run my entire evaporator at 1.5 to 2 inches deep and see no change in grade or drop in evaporation rate over running it 1" deep. It takes about 30 gallon to get it to 1.5+ inches and I am running it around 60 to 65 gph, so the sap is only staying in the evaporator aprox 30 minutes. It runs much smoother this way and is much better peace of mind.

[tessiersfarm]

John,

I run my entire evaporator at 1.5 to 2 inches deep and see no change in grade or drop in evaporation rate over running it 1" deep. It takes about 30 gallon to get it to 1.5+ inches and I am running it around 60 to 65 gph, so the sap is only staying in the evaporator aprox 30 minutes. It runs much smoother this way and is much better peace of mind.

I do the same, once the system is set up it runs very smooth and I figure why fix it if it isn't broke.