What's up with my evaporator?

[bison1973]

I have a CDL 3X10 rasied fule. It has preheater and hoods. Last year when really doing things right I could get up to 100-110 gph.

This year I added a blower to the back of the firbox under the grates. Now the best I can get is 85 gph. I'm very dissapointed. That is a big difference to me.

What gives? I added the blower and slightly more insulation under the flue pan to make it closer to the bottom of the flues. I did not expect the GPH to go down.

Please give me any ideas or thoughts you have on this.

[3rdgen.maple]

I dont know about the weather there but I have been fighting my evaporator for 3 days. Slow lazy boils drive me insane. I made zero changes to my setup and struggling to get the same rate as a week ago.

[nymapleguy607]

Back down on the blower, you are probalbly pushin the heat out to quickly. What are your stack temps? I had to restrict the inlet on my blower and it increased my evaporation rate from about 33 gph to 40gph. You might need to close your grates up a little as well

[RileySugarbush]

What blower did you add?

[bison1973]

The blower has a speed control and I'm running it full speed> I'll try slowing it down and see what happens. I don't know what my stack temps are... I don't have a thermometeor on it.

I'll look to see what size of blower it is today.

Should the back ramp under the pan just before the stack be altered for forced draft?

[danno]

Bottom of your pans clean?

What are you using for grates? I use block with holes drilled for the forced air. Those holes will plug which will stop the air from getting to the firebox and will slow down my boil.

[bees1st]

I feel your pain ! I have ,new to me a 3X10 raised flue with a pre heater, a blower, and good dry hard wood and I'm only getting around 50 gallons an hour!!!!! It's got to be the arch spacing under the flues. I'm thinking the space at the exit is too large.The boil is great up front but gets kinda slow towards the back of the flue pan.

[bison1973]

I have the standard grates. The blower is rated at 273 cfm (Dayton). Today I turned it down to the lowest speed and it still got the same 85 gph. It did not seem to use quite as much wood though. Should I slow it down even more by restricting the air intake?

Is there a different recomendation for the size of space under the back of the pan for exit up the stack for blower vs. natural draft? Maybe this is the problem. It just doesn't seem to be boiling that great in the back third of the pan.

Just can't believe I did better without the blower last season.