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Thread: Aargh—-Broke the glass sight tube again

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
    Posts
    1,038

    Default Aargh—-Broke the glass sight tube again

    Don’t know why companies make the sight tubes glass instead of plastic,though probably for more sales. With the freeze up we’ve had here for a couple days now,checked the pans today,had distilled water from the steam away in the syrup pan,not frozen,but the little bit of sap in the sight tube on the side of the flue pan was frozen enough to break the base of the tube. Cleaned the glass out of the fitting,but now my mark for the top of the crimps is inaccurate,which brings me to my next question,what type of light bulb do you place in your hood? Last year had an LED bulb in the base of the steam away,flickered throughout the season. Upon wash up we found the base of the bulb cracked from all of the shaking from the flue pan. Put a new one in this season,only worked the first day,so I have been boiling blind with the flue pan depending upon the sight tube for height since I can’t see in the window. LED bulb in the steam hood is fine,but hood doesn’t shake violently like flue pan and steam away
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

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    For the hood light I used a shielded fixture with a screw on metal caged glass cover, and a 100 watt incandescent bulb. It was rated as moisture resistant. In the 8 years that has been installed I had to change the bulb once. In case the bulb breaks the screw on cover would catch the broken glass, but I never had it break. As far as glass sight tubes, I finally got a crack in mine, so I ordered 2 as replacements.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Tamworth NH
    Posts
    19

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    Even though the evaporator companies charge all outdoors for the glass sight gauges, you can get them from your local plumbing supply store for less than 2.00. They are a 5/8" sight glass for a steam boiler...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    20

    Default

    Try polycarbonate. Available through brewer's supply companies.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
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    Default

    Have polycarbonate tube on order from Amazon,until then used the dremel this morning and rolled the tube around and around until it cut off fairly clean,just a few burs to grind off afterwards. Might have to tighten the compression nut up by hand and allow it to leak so I don’t bust the tube any more. Should I have the nut tight before I slide the tube in if I can push it in,or slide tube in and tighten after?
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Wellsboro Pa
    Posts
    305

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    I've broken tubes before. I just turn them over and use the other end until I get a new one. Tighten the nut after you put it in. Just pull on it a little until it is snug. Will take Willstrtr suggestion and check it out. If you get some you can store in a piece of 3/4" mainline they fit snug so they don't fall out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
    Posts
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    I’m hoping that I found the problem. After breaking the end off a sight tube again this morning I noticed that the bracket that supports the top of the tube is pulling the tube towards the pan too much. I removed the bracket,straightened it and rebent it 1/2” further away,see if that does the trick
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Greenwood, Me
    Posts
    974

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    So I have a 2X3 Mason hobby evaporator and I have a LOT of trouble measuring my pan depth with all the steam I make. I saw an ad for the flue pan sight glass assembly from Smoky Lake. Seems expensive so I was wondering if anyone has made their own?
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
    2019 - New 12X12 boiling pavilion
    2018 - New Mason 2X3 Hobby XL and homemade RO

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Stockbridge,Ma
    Posts
    285

    Default

    A little late to this thread but what year is your max flue pan? I bought mine brand new a couple years ago, it was a left over older model. Had the same thing happen with my sight tube. Called leader and they said they had a few complaints with the 1st and 2nd generation pans. They sent me a complete new different style sight tube set up. No charge. Great customer service.
    First introduced to making maple syrup in 1969
    Making syrup every year since 1979
    3 x 10 oil fired
    Revolution syrup and max flue pan
    Almost 1300 taps total with 900 on high vacuum
    Bought first Marcland drawoff in 1997, still going strong.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Leeds County,Ontario,Canada
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    Hi Bill,bought in fall of 2011, first boil spring 2012, only fired 4 times that year as March became summer for a few days at temperatures in the 90’s to kill the season. Purchased plastic tubes through Amazon for beer making kits,no worries on glass breaking now
    7th generation maple producer in sugarhouse built in 1892
    2x World Champion Maple Syrup Producer
    1250 taps on cv adapters
    Leader Vortex 3x14 with Max Flue and Revolution Syrup Pan,Enhanced Steam Away
    www.leggettmaplesyrup.com

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