Multiple pan setup + evaporator advice

[danfredw]

Hi, looking for some evaporator arrangement advice and thoughts on an additional pan to what I currently have. Sorry for the long post and the sideways photos - they're normal on my computer.

I've gone from 5 hotel pans on a block arch evaporator to continuing to use 2 of the hotel pans but replacing 3 pans with a 2x3 smokey lake divided pan evaporator from my neighbor as we work together. We have been batch boiling tho we're considering actually going to continuous flow this year. Here is my old setup:
IMG_20200224_170416.jpg
Here is the new (tho we've tried having the large divided pan at the back, and in between 2 hotel pans (not sure which worked best):
IMG_20200321_181550.jpg

We like having the hotel pans for the extra gph capacity (I think we get 8-10 if that seems reasonable), tho it can be annoying adding to each pan, and we've had some slip ups at the end when I have to carefully pick them up and pour 1 hotel pan into the other. Since we're batch boiling, we finish on 1 hotel pan so we have to drag the divided pan off the to the side, drain as much as we feel safe then get it off the heat and remove the rest. Then add those pans back in with just regular water (I have a creek and figure it's safe enough).

Anyways, rather than buying a larger pan as sweetening it would be even harder, what do you think are the best options?
1) Get a 2x2 pan and have both going at the same time? Picking that one up would be a lot easier than the hotel pans, tho I have been looking for handles to attach to them. Hotel pans are 2-4" deeper into the fire than the flat bottom divided pan which affects things. And I guess I could cover both the 2x3 pan we have and if we got the 2x2 pan cover that too, and have them both go continuous flow (seems like a 2x2 pan is $5 cheaper than a 2x3 pan - odd)?
2) Make the evaporator smaller and have a second setup on the side? I would have 2 fires but could finish without having to replace an empty pan with a pan filled with water.
3) Just completely eliminate using the hotel pans and not get another divided pan and therefore make the evaporator smaller.

If I did get a second 2x2-3 pan, would it be best to keep it continuous flow and so get one that's divided, or use that one in batches and when we're close to finishing for the night, add its contents to the other pan? Not sure where to add it - in the middle or a bit everywhere?

On a different note, here is the only photo I could find without any pans in the evaporator:
MVIMG_20190313_203048.jpg
1) I've raised the back end up to the height of the chimney hole. If the divided pan is in the back, I think that's an 8" gap for the air to flow thru. With a hotel pan it's a little bit different. How much room should I leave for air flow?
2) How long should that section be? I think from the picture it's about 1.5 bricks. So probably about 2'. Should it be more or less?

We have around 35 taps currently, and he has 100-200 more trees available (I haven't counted). They aren't too close to where our other taps are, so we're still trying to figure out what we can do to access them as they're across a hay field that has some soggy parts year round. Basically, I'm saying we have potential to grow more. I think last year we boiled and RO'd around 300 gallons. Not many are sugar maples. I do want to switch to a real chimney with I think a through the wall insert so we can be more stable, draft better etc, and then eventually build a shack around it.

[Pdiamond]

Handling the hot liquid that way is an accident waiting to happen. I think you may have come close as you mentioned. If you are considering increasing your tap count count maybe its time to consider getting or building an arch for the pans, that way you can boil and draw-off without having to lift hot boiling liquid. This is just my opinion, but I would not want to see you get burned in that way.

[ir3333]

syphons could work for you.You will need to shield them in each pan if your boil is vigorousIMG_3396.jpg

[Pdiamond]

I believe I just read on the forum that copper is not going to be allowed by the FDA for use anymore.

[therealtreehugger]

Isn’t the whole point of divided pans so that you can have continuous flow, adding sap/RO-ed sap at one end and draw off at the other end? Do you have a spout at one end of the pan to draw off from? I have a divided pan that stays put the whole season, I only take it off when the season is over.

[ir3333]

I believe I just read on the forum that copper is not going to be allowed by the FDA for use anymore.

if you use copper be sure to solder with silver solder.If you are concerned about copper use stainless.

[danfredw]

Never thought about using a siphon. I see some for brewing that could probably be cleaned easily enough, I'll think about it. I've never seen one like yours, normally I'm used to one where I start the process like a trombone player and then it gets going. How do they work?

Yes, I've had a few issues with "inertia waves" for lack of a better matter. Not too worried about burns, more about losing (near) syrup. I normally wear welding gloves that I got cheap and if I do it by myself, I can do it with minimal drips. One time, even tho I had suggested doing it by myself, someone grabbed the other side, caused a wave and dropped it. I was pretty frustrated. I think handles would help with picking it up, currently it's a stupid process I have with a screwdriver or 2 to get it up in the air and then I go for it quickly since it's hot. But it wouldn't eliminate the waves and spills.

Isn’t the whole point of divided pans so that you can have continuous flow, adding sap/RO-ed sap at one end and draw off at the other end? Do you have a spout at one end of the pan to draw off from? I have a divided pan that stays put the whole season, I only take it off when the season is over.

I don't think that having a divided pan requires you to do continuous flow, it just gives you the option. For us, it's just a very nice pan that they suggest requires 7+ gallons of sap/syrup to keep it above 1" (or is it 2") of liquid in there. That pan does allow us to draw off, which is fairly easy - we draw off into a turkey fryer pot, then we start finishing on 1-2 hotel pans. But getting it out of those pans is the issue.

If we do go to CF, then yeah, we'd stick to that pan, but we'd either make our evaporator smaller, get a new 2x2 or 2x3 pan, or stick with the hotel pans (again, issues with removing it), which I mentioned in my first post. Just trying to figure out some options and ideally not lowering our GPH boil.

[ir3333]

easy to make with 1/2" copper pipe, elbows and caps.Very difficult to finish properly on wood.Consider taking it off at 218
and finish on propane with a hydrometer.Does your divided pan have a valve?

[ir3333]

syphon from one steam pan to the second steam pan and then to your divided pan.
Draw syrup or near syrup at 219 and finish on propane with a hydrometer?
Very hard to finish on wood.