Well I tried to boil the 70 gallons today. I had a new wind direction, but it was not a strong wind. It caused all of the steam and smoke to stay in the shelter and when it did blow out, it blew out to the entrance. At times I could not see the hand in front of my face. I limited my time in the shelter and stood out in the all day rain. I breathed in more smoke today than in my entire life combined. I am feeling it. The weather also caused a down draft that slowed the evaporator.
About 6 hours in, the evaporator stopped boiling, I tried to figure it out, but couldn’t and because I had a zoom call I had to chair, I pulled the pans off the evaporator and will finish it tomorrow. When I did that I discovered the problem. I had pushed the coals up the ramp and it was almost totally blocking the draft. Lesson learned.
I also should have learned not to stay in the shelter as long as I did.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/014t...9OeI5pSWQQzReg
This is a picture of the syrup I bottled yesterday from the third batch of the season.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/036_...FQvdEBC5NrWzNA
Last edited by Swingpure; 03-24-2022 at 10:15 PM.
2022 - 5 pan block arch - 109 taps, 73 on 3/16 lines, 36 on drops into 5 gallon pails.
930 gallons boiled, 109 L (28.8 gals) of delicious syrup made.
DYI Vacuum Filter
2023 - 170 taps, mostly on lines, 1153 gallons boiled, 130 L (34.34 gals) of delicious syrup made, on a 2x4 divided pan and base stack, 8” pipe, on a block arch that boiled at a rate of 13 gallons per hour.
2024 - made 48 L, December to March, primarily over two fire bowls.
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