Pre-Heater

[adk1]

I have bought a 2x6 Leader King Pan setup. The original owner did not have any form of preheater for it. I know you can coil copper aroudn the stack etc but that wont work for me, this is contonuous flow with a float box. What else can I do to preheat the sap into the float box?

[3rdgen.maple]

You would need to build or purchase a preheater thats sits on top of the flue pan and then you would need to put a hood on it to get a good temp out of it. I would have to think that wrapping coils around a stack on a 2x6 would get you such a small increase. Sap will not have much time to heat up at a feed rate of 30 to 40 gph. I say run her as is you dont need a preheater. With 170 taps I think you would be pleased with your progress of boiling without one. You might benefit better by rigging up air in the firebox. You got alot on your maple plate with setting up a whole new operation from tap to syrup jug. Get all the basics done and then worry about evaporation improvements. Plus it will give you something to tinker with next summer. Just my thoughts laid out there for you.

[adk1]

thanks. I am always thinking ahead! Once Little League is over (coaching) all that time is gonna be spent on maple!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

buy 1-1/4 copper sweat your own together, buy a drip pan from leader that will give you the size you need and steam hood. The clear plastic tube that goes into your float is 1-1/4 so you just have to reduce from your bulk tank size upto 1-1/4 or down i guess depending what you end up with.

[adk1]

ha! the hose that is coming with this evap is of the typical garden variety! Am planning on gettign a new section of clear plastic first thing though.

[maple flats]

I found out that the condensate tray drain is critical. I had one with a drain that left a shallow but large area pool in the bottom before it drained out. This is no good. Too much steam hitting the underside condenses with liquid in the tray. You must design a tray that empties with no pooling in the bottom. Mine will be changed next year. I made the double pass copper and got decent temps of incoming sap but realized very little gain because the drain tray emptied from the side rather than the bottom. It was sloped and the drain was at the low corner but that was not good enough. My drain for next year will drain 100%.

[wiam]

The evaporation gain is not the big advantage in my opinion. It is the hot water. My 2x6 has a 1 1/4 header with 3 3/4 pipes going back and forth twice.

William

[lakeview maple]

ADK1 thats the same setup that I use,and it works great,I have a 30 gallon barrel inside the gets fed from the storage tank outside,when the outside tank gets empty I know Ive got 30 gallons to shut down with. I run about 1 inch in both pans and its awesome to watch the sap run non stop into the flue pan once it gets boiling.Good luck and God Bless ,AL

[Kev]

Wahooo ADK done did it!
Have fun man

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Wahooo ADK done did it!
Have fun man

whooooooooaaa Kev, we need proof, I haven't seen any pics of rig with him next to it:D

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Wahooo ADK done did it!
Have fun man

whooooooooaaa Kev, we need proof, I haven't seen any pics of rig with him next to it:D


Maple Flats
I found out that the condensate tray drain is critical. I had one with a drain that left a shallow but large area pool in the bottom before it drained out. This is no good. Too much steam hitting the underside condenses with liquid in the tray. You must design a tray that empties with no pooling in the bottom. Mine will be changed next year. I made the double pass copper and got decent temps of incoming sap but realized very little gain because the drain tray emptied from the side rather than the bottom. It was sloped and the drain was at the low corner but that was not good enough.

Do you think you lose evaporation rate because of it? I wouldn't think it waould have anything to do with it but you never know. I have exact same thing, every one on here talk mid 30 to 40 GPH on their 2x6 I am getting 28 to 30 this year.

[wiam]

whooooooooaaa Kev, we need proof, I haven't seen any pics of rig with him next to it:D


Do you think you lose evaporation rate because of it? I wouldn't think it waould have anything to do with it but you never know. I have exact same thing, every one on here talk mid 30 to 40 GPH on their 2x6 I am getting 28 to 30 this year.

Flat lander, when the steam hits the cooler tray (from condensate sitting in it) it condenses and drips back in the pan.

William

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Flat lander, when the steam hits the cooler tray (from condensate sitting in it) it condenses and drips back in the pan.

William

humm cant see it being that much cooler with all that steam inside the hood, but I will take your advice and have something welded in so its even with pan and no standing condensate

[vtmapleman]

The trip pan under my preheater is not flat but V shaped. With this design all the condensed water moves down to the V. The pan is then slightly sloped to the exit point - I have never seen water pooling - than again with all the steam within the hood not sure I could see it if it was.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If you have a condensate tray and that tray is flat and level it will dish with the heat and will likley pool some condensate. SO WHAT as long as the condensate flows out the drain there is no harm. Now like in a air conditioning condensate tray crap will build up over time. Mold, flies, dust. I disagree with the idea that liquid sitting in the pan will remain cool during the boil causing condensate on the bottom. Its a form of a crude double boiler I would expect the liquid to get around 180 degrees and that wont cause condensing.

[maple flats]

I don't believe the pooled liquid remains cool, but by the fact that it IS liquid, steam hitting the bottom can condense under the pan at a higher rate than steam hitting a pan with no pool.
My only confirmation of this is that I tested my coil for leaks, and my drip tray for leaks and had none, but with the preheater/drip tray in place I got good sap temps but gained very little in my boil rate. When I had a 2x6, I made a pre-heater and it drained well, that one increased my boil rate between 10-12%. On my 3x8 this past season I got 170-190 degree sap into the float box but I only gained about 2-3%. What else would account for this if the large pool in the drip tray was not the cause? I'm eager to learn.

[Jim Brown]

Well all you guys post and brag when you get a new rig. well we got a new one yesterday! No there will be no more like it and No my old 2x6 is not sale!
Enjoy
Jim

[xyz5150]

Man you have either a real small evaporator or some real big cracks in your driveway.:lol: That's cool !!

[Dennis H.]

Hey Jim this is about Pre-heater, So where is the hood and preheater??:lol::razz:

So how many sapplings are you tapping for that rig? What's the evap rate, 10-15 oz/hr?

[Haynes Forest Products]

First I don't believe you need a hood to have a preheater. Second I think having the heater and solid tray up to high is a bad design. I think Jim from Smokey Lake has the best design for a preheater tray.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

First I don't believe you need a hood to have a preheater. Second I think having the heater and solid tray up to high is a bad design. I think Jim from Smokey Lake has the best design for a preheater tray.

you dont need a hood but it sure makes the preheater work better, and you have a link to smokey jims pics if he has one

[Ausable]

Well all you guys post and brag when you get a new rig. well we got a new one yesterday! No there will be no more like it and No my old 2x6 is not sale!
Enjoy
Jim

Jim - Thanks for sharing the pictures of Your new rig. I like the drop flue set up - how far below the pan do the flues go? -- Mike

[Jim Brown]

Mike; I would say about a1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Really nice workmanship. I'm sure you are aware it is a model but I can tell you this. It's as close to the real thing that alot of folks will ever see. and To an untrained eye it will look REALLY good and to thoses of us that know the difference it still looks good!
Thanks

Jim

[CBOYER]

What is the evaporation rate? 5-6 ounces per hours? :lol:
It is a nice piece of art.

[Ausable]

What is the evaporation rate? 5-6 ounces per hours? :lol:
It is a nice piece of art.

Thinking about that 5-6 ounces per hour evaporation rate. That is not all bad - Here I am an old retired guy and slowing down some and no longer in a hurry to do much of anything except make a little steam in March. Hmmmmmm - no - need more than that - still need steam coming out the coupola - so the neighbors know I made it through the Winter -- LOL -- Mike

[cvmaple]

That would look really cool in a miniature post and beam sugar house!!! I can see it now a few fake maples and G.I. Joe bringing in a tank full of sap in his action jeep. Whew, c'mon spring this heat is getting to me.

[Ausable]

Mike; I would say about a1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Really nice workmanship. I'm sure you are aware it is a model but I can tell you this. It's as close to the real thing that alot of folks will ever see. and To an untrained eye it will look REALLY good and to thoses of us that know the difference it still looks good!
Thanks

Jim

Hey Jim - Thanks for the reply - The pot of Impatience kinda gave it away. Sure looks good though -- Mike

[500592]

Ha that is th perfect size for adk1 :lol: