Defoamer Placement
Okay, for the past 11 years I have been adding defoamer right near the draw-off box on my syrup pan and the near the exit of hot sap in the flue pan. I add 2-3 drops about every 10-15 minutes in both spots and it seems to have been working very well. Once up to speed, we get small draws about every 20-40 minutes.
I have always been under the impression that the foam (and hot syrup) would move towards the defoamer and - to avoid syrup reversing in the pan - to never put any in the middle channels of the pan, and that you could "pull" syrup around the pan by using a drop here and there...
Boiling last night, it was taking an inordinate amount of time to get to 219-220 in the draw off channel. I had a normal amount of foam building up in the two center channels and the rear draw off channel-it's a Revolution set of pans. In frustration; I added 3-4 drops at the draw-off box and another 3-4 drops at the other end of that channel. Bammm! within about a minute I had an enormous draw, it was like a dam had breached.
Later after I cleaned up I started reading old posts and anything else I could find on defoamer use. What I found puzzled me in that what I've been doing is the opposite of what I should have been doing! That's not so surprising.........
Question: Is the correct placement of defoamer at the exit of hot sap in the flue pan, or at the exit of hot sap at the end of the syrup channel?
If it's the latter, it goes against my understanding of how defoamer pulls syrup around the pan.
John Allin
14x18 Hemlock Timber Frame Sugar House 2009
Leader 2x6 w/Patriot Raised Flue Pan 2009
Leader Steam Hood 2014 - Clear Filter Press 2015
Leader Revolution Pan and SS Pre-Heater 2016
CDL Hobby RO & Air Tech L25 Hi Vac Pump 2019
06' Gator HPX to collect wood & sap
14' Ski-Doo Tundra for winter work in the woods
Great Family 3 grown kids+spouses and 7 grand kids who like the woods
7th Gen Born in Canada - Raised in Chardon Ohio - Maple Capital of the World..<grin>.