I made a front pan washer and bought a flue pan washer. The front pan washer has a 5/16" thick polycarbinate top. Thru the top I drilled a hole to run 1" PVC tubing from above the top to under the top. There it has a 3/4 x3/4 x 1" tee. The water flows then to each of 4 channels. Each channel has a 3/4" pvc pipe going full length suspended about 2.5-3" below the cover and the end on each is capped. Each pipe has 3 rows of holes, I think I used 1/8" drill bit. I drilled the holes in at different angles, about 1/3 are facing straight and 1/3 face toward one end and 1/3 toward the other end at maybe 45 degrees. I also have a hole shooting out those end caps straight out. In use I connect a 1 HP sprinkler pump to push the water, it then sprays out those holes and runs out the draw offs. My pan is same side draw off and reversible thus I have 2 draw off boxes along one side, one one the left, one on the right.
To use it I have a 55 gal food grade blue barrel that I cut at about 3/4 height, that sets under the draw offs and the valves are full open. I start by filling the barrel to just under full with permeate. I then pump the water thru the washer, it flows out the valves and back into the barrel.
To use it I set the pan (in my case 3x3) on a shelf under my head tank, just outside my sugarhouse. I only use it to clean if I burn a pan. I have not used it in 5-6 years. It does however work well, just takes a few hours and sometimes 2-3 water changes. For my daily cleaning I just drain the contents from the syrup pan into my draw off tank. I then flush with hot permeate thru a hose/nozzle to initially clean, then I drain the pan, close the valves and add 1 gal white vinegar. I then use a weed burner torch to heat it to just over 100F and let it set a while. When the sugar sand loosens I flush it out with the hose/nozzle rinsing with hot permeate. The heating and setting is usually repeated 2-3 times before it is time for the rinse.
I have a spare pan, so any time I need to use the pan washer I swap pans.
To see how the pan washer on the flue pan works, look at Lapierre's video on their pan washer.
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.
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