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Thread: boiling temp app

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hopkinton, MA
    Posts
    1,778

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    I just happened to read this thread while I'm making cream. My BP on my stovetop is 211.3, but the app says it should be 212.43. I'm going to trust my thermometer today. It's a Thermoworks Chefalarm that I trust a lot. Besides, I'm using the same therm to determine my target temp.

    This app will be good for the ballpark on the evap though - or at least a triple check. I use this same therm. and separate dial therm. on the pans. In the future, though, is it safe to say, the app and my therm are off by a degree or will that change?
    Woodville Maples
    www.woodvillemaples.com
    www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
    Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
    Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
    2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
    Deer Run 250 RO
    Ford F350
    6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
    Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Potter County, PA
    Posts
    815

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    Sean.. did you check against the second number on the app? Do you know what your elivation is?
    2008 4 buckets
    ~
    2016 1300 vac tubing
    18x24 sugar shack
    2x6 Grimm Lightning w/preheater on natural gas
    7" full bank press
    CDL 600 RO
    2000 Sonoma w/ 200gal tank
    2003 Duramax w/ 500 gal tank
    2 sap guzzling kids
    very patient wife!

    Same ol' addiction

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Lake Ann, MI
    Posts
    24

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    Quote Originally Posted by SeanD View Post
    In the future, though, is it safe to say, the app and my therm are off by a degree or will that change?
    Hi SeanD and thanks for posting the question about my app. From the feedback here, which I greatly appreciate, I am learning that I will need to implement some preferences in the future to accommodate various user scenarios. I have had users report here in the forums and via PM that the app is spot on, then others such as yourself are finding it to be off by varying degrees.

    It is possible to show the right boil temp if the following are true. That we get an accurate pressure reading from the weather station and an accurate GPS reading from mobile phone. And that we know the elevation of both the weather station and the mobile phone. And that we assume to know the calibration method of both the weather station and the thermometer in use. If anyone of those aren’t true the math can be off.

    Since you seem to have faith in the accuracy of your thermometer we could conclude one of the other factors is off. Perhaps the weather station you are picking up is at a different elevation than you, 500ft difference can cause it to be off by almost 1 degree. It is also possible that the weather station is reporting the pressure wrong because it is not accurately calibrated. Many of these reporting stations are personal stations run by our neighbors, some people adjust them better than others. For example I checked the one the app is picking up for me against the local airport so I trust it.

    I’m busy right now, making syrup finally, so not going to have a lot of spare time to make any program changes to be useful this season. But by next year I hope to implement some preference settings for different users and their varying scenarios as described in this thread. I’m finding this exercise interesting and will continue to adjust and make improvements based on the great feedback from this group. Thank you.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    428

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    Thanks th,
    Your app was spot on in Central Wisconsin Sunday March 12th 4:00 pm.
    Thanks for a great tool.
    Trapper

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Caledonia, WI
    Posts
    5

    Default Boiling Point Calculator

    If you just want a boiling point calculator, try this
    https://www.thermoworks.com/bpcalc/

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    62

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    Second year of being serious about making syrup. Started looking at the actual parametric pressure and elevation when considering Syrup temperature and finishing. I have a Murphy Cup this year and started using an Hydrometer two years ago. Just: The SapTapApp is pretty cool and glad I started using it.

    My question: Yesterday, Based on Barametric Pressure and elevation, my water boils at 209.85. I added 7.5 which brought me to 217.35 degrees when the sap becomes syrup.

    I needed to bring the syrup temperature up to 220 degrees (almost 221) just to get it to the correct brix on my hydrometer. How high in temperature can you go ABOVE the syrup level (in this case 217 degrees) before you get into trouble of it crystalizing?
    2021 - First year: 4 taps; Tapped too late; 4.5 gallons of sap
    2022 - 11 taps; 20 gallons of sap
    2023 - 23 taps. 3.5 gallons of syrup; founded TruNorth Maple Co.
    2024 - 30 taps...

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Essex Junction, VT
    Posts
    276

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    The hydrometer is all that matters. The boiling temp is just to tell you when to start checking. Sap Tap App is not useful for this and it is leading to a lot of confusion.
    What you experienced is quite normal in my experience (which admittedly is only about double yours). Good luck!
    2024: Same plan as 2023 but w/ RB5
    2023: 30 taps on 17 trees on ~10 properties, Sugar Maple & Norway. 2x3 flat over propane & kitchen finish. ~11(!) gallons.
    2022: 9 taps, 5 trees, 4 properties. 3 hotel pans on 3 Coleman 2-burner stoves burning gasoline; kitchen finish. ~3 gallons.
    2021: 2 taps, 1 sugar maple tree, my lot. Pint or two. Propane grill then kitchen finish.
    All years: mainly 5/16" drops into free supermarket frosting buckets. Some plastic sap buckets hanging on 5/16 sap-meister.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    62

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    Thank you! I found the App accurate to both my Shack and my home. This last weekend was my first time actually looking at, and paying attention to the temp that water boiled in my location. Eye opening for sure. This explains a lot of challenges I had last year getting the syrup to the correct brix. Struggled with being wary of the temp going above 219 - 220.

    I appreciate the feedback.
    2021 - First year: 4 taps; Tapped too late; 4.5 gallons of sap
    2022 - 11 taps; 20 gallons of sap
    2023 - 23 taps. 3.5 gallons of syrup; founded TruNorth Maple Co.
    2024 - 30 taps...

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Location
    Essex Junction, VT
    Posts
    276

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    You're welcome! Now that I see your signature that our amount of experience is actually about the same.
    Also wanted to mention that my finishing temperature has tended to be 222F.
    Whether I'm at the bottom or top of the brix spec seems to be a question of whether I'm 222.0 or 222.9.
    And I've never measured boiling water at more than 212 or so.
    In 2022 I was measuring with a hydrometer, thermometer in the test cup, and conversion chart.
    2023 I used a murphy cup with the hydrometer.
    2021 was my first year and I did my best with temperature and aproning. I wasn't too far off.
    And, no, it's not the thermometer, or if it is, it is several thermometers being wrong by the same amount.
    My theory is that finishing a batch in a stockpot is just a little different somehow than finishing from a continuous flow pan, from the perspective of what finishing temperature you'll read. But I am not sure!
    All I know is anyone who says a certain temperature is the end of story, well, isn't quite correct.
    Happy boiling!
    2024: Same plan as 2023 but w/ RB5
    2023: 30 taps on 17 trees on ~10 properties, Sugar Maple & Norway. 2x3 flat over propane & kitchen finish. ~11(!) gallons.
    2022: 9 taps, 5 trees, 4 properties. 3 hotel pans on 3 Coleman 2-burner stoves burning gasoline; kitchen finish. ~3 gallons.
    2021: 2 taps, 1 sugar maple tree, my lot. Pint or two. Propane grill then kitchen finish.
    All years: mainly 5/16" drops into free supermarket frosting buckets. Some plastic sap buckets hanging on 5/16 sap-meister.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Jan 2023
    Location
    Michigan
    Posts
    62

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    I bought a Murphy Cup this year to make it easier to match temp to hydrometer. Helped a lot with the first batch.

    I see you added the RB5 this year. Same. However I haven't used it yet. Last weekend all our buckets were frozen solid. Should be able to fire it up this weekend. I'm on two burner propane stoves as well.
    2021 - First year: 4 taps; Tapped too late; 4.5 gallons of sap
    2022 - 11 taps; 20 gallons of sap
    2023 - 23 taps. 3.5 gallons of syrup; founded TruNorth Maple Co.
    2024 - 30 taps...

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