Evaporators ash pan

[steve J]

Today I was up at Dominion & Grimm in Fairfax Vermont to buy some syrup jugs and glass and while there I looked at a couple of 2x6 evaporators. Now I currently use a 2x3 from W. F Mason but I would like to up grade next year to something bigger. My question is the units I looked at today had no ash pan to catch the hot embers when they fall thru the grates. My current sugar house has a wood floor so this would be a fire hazard. Is this normal for evaporators of that size not to have a ash pan? Seems to me to be pretty cheap of them not to have made it part of the arch. I was not very impressed.

[Russell Lampron]

Steve J.

When I bought my Algier evaporator in 2001 it also had no tray or floor in the ash pit. It has a folded edge so that one could be installed if I wanted to make one and put it in. I was told that none of the manufacturers put them in anymore. I put fire brick under mine so that the ashes land on them instead of the concrete floor.

Russ

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Steve,

On a normal evaporator, they do not come with ash pans to my knowledge. The first year I used my evaporator, a guy my dad works with built me a nice stainless ash pan with a handle on the front. The front actually slid up and out of the ash pan if you wanted to open it up for more draft. I had my evaporator sitting 8" off of the concrete floor for room for the ashes at that time. The ash pan was nice because you could put it out and empty the ashes and slide it back in.

An easy fix to your dilemia would be to put a piece of 1" ceramic blanket underneath your evaporator and a piece of stainless on top of it. Leave it where it will come out even with the outside of your evaporator or stick out 1/2" past and this will hold it in place. :D

[nmerritt]

I to have a wood floor. When I put my 2x6 in I covered the area with 2” patio blocks. I think there 2’x2’. I then put the entire rig on bricks so it sits about 3” in the air. I then had Leader bend me an ash pan and put handles on it. Slides under the firing portion of the arch completely. At the end of the boil I slide it out and dump the ashes over the bank. Cost about $20.