evaporator still hot

[bowtie]

i lined my evap with 1900 degree arch board and then used half brick(fire) and then slushed all joints with refractory cement and my evap is still super hot to the touch. i have been seeing how some guys are saying that their evaps are cool to the touch. just wondering how did they do it and is there something else they used. i am very happy with boil rates but just wondering if there is a way to keep the sides of the evap cooler so my kids will not get burned if they happen to touch it.

[adk1]

I installed 2" ceramic blanket then lined with 1/2 brick in the firebox only. I will tell yeah after tonight!

[johnallin]

Don't know of too many that are cool to the touch, I think the half bricks on the side are the problem - but not the end of the world. Most all use "full" bricks on the sides and use "half" bricks on the bottom and maybe the ramp area of the arch.
Although the arch board is a big help; you may need to go back in after the season and either add another layer of half brick or just knock out what you have and go all full brick. Even then, an evaporator is no place for small ones to be standing too close, there are too many valves and other stuff they want to start playing with.
Any way just keep the kids a safe distance away from it for now and keep on boiling.

[lakeview maple]

I dont know about cool to the touch,but I can put my hand on the side and not get a burn,it is definately cooler in the sugarhouse.I used a 2inch 2300 degree blanket on the whole arch then covered my fire box with splits .I didnt want the blanket getting shredded from putting wood in. Ive boiled twice now with it and it seems to work more efficient with more of the heat directed up into the pans ,I might add that I use AUF on my arch as well and it really gets going.Hope this helps ,Al

[northwoods_forestry]

I'm guessing that it's the 1/2 bricks too. My arch is lined with 1" arch board and full bricks and it really does stay cool to the touch, at least on the sides. Front and doors aren't as well insulated and they get hot hot hot.

[GramaCindy]

I installed 2" ceramic blanket then lined with 1/2 brick in the firebox only. I will tell yeah after tonight!


Oh MY adk1, are you doing your FIRST BOIL of your say on your evaporator tonight? BEST WISHES BUDDY!!!

[bowtie]

i will try something different next year but i used half bricks because that is what mason recommends on his site, i was worried that the full bricks would cut into my boiling surface. i can already see on the edges of my pan where the heat is not getting to, there is a distinct line where the sugar sand does not set, it is clean there and the rest of the pan is "dirty". like i mentioned i am happy with boil rates but if i can get a little i woould take it!
maybe next year the "boss" will let me get a bigger evap like 2x8 or 3 x8. my 125 taps have turned into 160 and i am going to order more buckets tonight, might be up to 200 by next week!!

[pamaple]

I used full firebrick 1" of insulation and then laid up a brick base and it's still extremely hot around the firebox! You can't lay your hand on it. I was hoping for it to be touchable with having 2 little kids (4 & 1) running around. They know not to touch it but anything can happen.

[Jec]

Well mine is not cool, but some parts are warm and can't burn you if you just graze it. Mine last year was very hot. You just need to always be careful.

[adk1]

After my first boil I can honestly say that that 2" of ceramic blanket works! I could hold my hand on the outside of the fire box side and it was just warm. No issues of being too hot at all.