Depth of sap in pan ?

[Mapleridge]

We are new at this using a drop flu pan. At what depth is it best to set the box float. We know you don't want too little or all will burn, and too much could boil over. Is there a prefered depth?
Sap is running slow, and if it runs today ( loww was 30, highs in the upper 40s) like it should, we will have are first fire tomorrow.':P'
Thanks for any info. Jean & ray
2x4 drop flu
66 taps

[sweetwoodmaple]

I run mine about 1" to 1-1/2". This is set while the evaporator is operating.

Just have to be careful running too shallow as you don't have much time to reach if the sap stops flowing. Also, when you are drawing off the pans get shallow near the open valve.

Had a real scare one year when my feed line froze while drawing off!

Good Luck this year!

Brian

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I run mine about 1 inch all the time. One thing to remember is that the more head pressure, the higher the level of sap unless you adjust the float as the head pressure drops. I always keep a couple of gallon of sap within arm's reach just in case.

If my dad or someone else is running the evaporator, I usually kick the level up to 1.5".

If you are new at it, start out at 1.5 to 2 inches and then reduce it as you feel comfortable. Make sure the evaporator is level or you could have 2 inches in one spot and 1 inch in another. :)

[Breezy Lane Sugarworks]

On my raised flue I run 1/4" to 3/4" above my flues and about 1 1/4" in my syrup pan.

[sweetwoodmaple]

lobstafari - what is the size of your flue pan? 2x3 or 2 x 4?

Mine is 2 x 4 and I can't avoid having some dark in there.

Brian

[Mapleridge]

Thanks for all the input. We have learned a lot reading posts from all the topics - words of experience are full of good tips, and dos and don'ts. If we get any more sap today, we will fire up this afternoon.':!:' Right now it is snowing like Christmas Eve, about 4 inches already - there goes all our trail grooming, but the temp is 30 and to go to mid 40s. Sap has been slow, but dripping. Ready to make some syrup!

Thanks, Jean & Ray
2x4 leader's drop flu - wood burning
66 taps
And a propane burner for pancakes and coffee!

[mapleman3]

Jeremy, I think I'm running mine about the same as you, BUT I think mine is getting dark back there, I did a big cleaning mid day yesterday to bring up the grade a bit, how can you stop it getting darker in the flue pan.

[sweetwoodmaple]

mapleman - mine was the same lately. I attribute it some to black sugar sand.

Maybe higher ratios and more bacterial make it dark very quick even though the density isn't there yet?

Brian

[mapleman3]

yesterday morning I was putting out B then Dark after cleaning(filtered the sap and syrup) I think it's going to ba all dark for now on? I did about 10-12 gals of light
I'm around 35gals now

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I never clean my flue pan during the season and the only time it ever got dark back there this year was when I was boiling sap that was 6 or 7 days old and sat 4 to 5 days before it went thru the uv light. Due to my evaporator being a drop flue, I have a lot less sap back there than a raised, but most of the time, it looked like water back there on either side of the flue pan. :?

A couple of hours after I started boiling higher quality sap the next boil, it got like water again. :)

[mapleman3]

1/2 of the tank was 1 day old the other was the night before so only maybe 10hrs, in the milk tank that was cleaned and sap cool at 38-42 degrees. BUT the sap color was a little darker, could be the run for those days, hopefully it will lighten up, but I think it's the time of the season , maybe dark for now on, I just wish I would have made more medium.

[sweetwoodmaple]

Yes, when boiling light or med that is true.

Lately, my sap has been cloudy which means higher bacterial. I don't let my sap sit for more than 2 days.

Brian

[Maple Flats]

My sap never sits more than 24 hrs. However I still do not get enough light. I think I will use UV next season. I wash the lines just before season and the tanks in the woods. Maybe I need to wash or at least rinse tanks during season. I never get cloudy sap at all but still get little light syrup. Any suggestions?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Sounds like you are doing the right things. Some years it is much harder to make light syrup than others. It doesn't seem too difficult for me to make it, but time will tell.

In a couple more years, I can shed even more light on this light topic! :lol: :lol:

[Maple Flats]

Things changed. For some reason I made lighter syrup later in the season this year. My first batch was just a snitch too dark to label it med. My second batch was right in the middle of med. and my third batch was almost but not quite light. I have never seen this before, always went the other way. Wonder if the early dark was because of short runs early and too short a time boiling. Later I did wait for the first time ever and run 2 days flow at one time, hence a longer faster boil. Comments please.