Changing pans on Leader American Pans

[Brent]

As noted in the previous thread, I am setting up a new-to-me Leader with American style pans.

This style evaporator has no valve or float box between the pans. This makes changing pans impossible without a complete shut down and draining both pans down to the level where it will not piss all over the floor.

Has anyone ever modified a set to put a valve between them. The rubber coupling has 3" to spare and I could pretty easily cut another inch off the elbow coming off the flue pan. I think that would give me enough room for a slide valve and a rubber coupling on either side of it.

???????

[Haynes Forest Products]

Its a good idea. Plus some paddle valves are shorter in length. Did you try and get plugs for the unit. Because the valve will only help you for one side during take down. You might try a gate valve because they are shorter. Mount it hanble up so it doesnt get sedement in the workings.

[Brent]

Yup I got the plug to go into the draw off box on both sides. So if I work out a valve to keep the sap in the flue pan I'll only dribble the bit thats between the plug and the valve.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brent,

I have the same pans as you, just 6" narrower. I reverse the flow about every 4 hours whether it needs it or not, so I see know reason to change pans. I try to clean it one time in the middle of the season and I drain the entire evaporator and wash the flue pan out and scrub the syrup pan out with some vinegar. I try to filter everything I took out of the evaporator and put it all back in the syrup pan and plug it off until the level drops down to normal and start with fresh sap in the flue pan.

Before I do this cleaning, I try to run the level of the entire evaporator down to 1/2" or less. To reverse the flow, I plug off both sides of the front pan and I draw off about 1.5 gallons on your size evaporator from the side of the front pan that you just had the sap running in from the flue pan. What this does is that it gets the heavy syrup flowing towards that side and then I take the 1.5 gallons I drew off and dump it on the opposite side you were just drawing off and the light stuff pushes the heavy stuff towards the new drawoff side. Entire process takes about 60 seconds and the evaporator don't slow down. Doesn't take to long to get another drawoff on the new side.

[Brent]

Brandon, we do have pretty much the same set up. I will be dumping about half the water out with the RO and the rig has a Steamaway so I think, I am hoping, that the gallons per hour will get up to 5 or 6. The guys I got the rig from averaged 3 to 3-1/2 without an RO.

I think that means I'm also going to make more sand faster. The rig came with one perfect pan and one that got too hot and is a little lumpy. They said they still used it without a problem. So I'd like to have the option of changing pans on the go.

[Brent]

Brandon: I just had a look at your pictures and was surprised at the size of your head tank. How big is that ?

Do you think you need that much reserve for your rig to let the fire die or are there other reasons for it ?

One my 2 x 6 last few years I only needed 20 gallons overhead when I last fired. That thing looks HUGE !

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Brent,

It is a Stainless round bottom Lapierre tank with a nice welded aluminum frame. It holds 320 gallon and I bought it in 2003 when I bought my evaporator. Got a steal deal on it as it was just over $ 400 with 10% early order discount. Don't need one that big, but when I started, that was the only storage tank I had in the sugarhouse. Now, all the sap goes in the 625 gallon sunset milk tank on the floor and I pump it up in the 320 gallon tank to feed the evaporator. If I get a huge run, I can fill both of them and both the tanks on the tractor give me about 1,050+ at the sugarhouse and about 1,200 gallon in the woods.

Might have to get rid of the tank if I add a steamaway, but I think I can make it work. One advantage to having 10' 4" ceiling.

Lumpy pan won't affect your boil any or syrup flowing thru the pan as long as level is well above the lumps.

[gmcooper]

Brent I had a 2 1/2 x 8 King for several years with similar connections. I just reversed flow as needed. With RO I wouldn't think you will be boiling much over 4 hours any way. Changing those pans over a hot arch does not seem like a fun job.

[Brent]

Brent I had a 2 1/2 x 8 King for several years with similar connections. I just reversed flow as needed. With RO I wouldn't think you will be boiling much over 4 hours any way. Changing those pans over a hot arch does not seem like a fun job.

The guys that had it before me got 3 to 3-1/2 gallons an hour without and RO. If I concentrate only to 8% I "could" get 4 times what they got. The numbers add up with what Leader say it should do with the Steamaway. They collected 100 gallons an our of condensation out of the Steamaway alone. ( I'll have hot running water in the sugar shack .... if I could store it in there I'd have free heat for the membranes )

So I do think the sand is going to build up pretty fast ... even with reversing.

I figure it will all pan out ( punn ) in a few weeks, one way or the other.