pan size ratios?

[maple flats]

Relating to my other post, the question is raised about ratios. I ordered a 3x3 and 3x5 with the flues 10" deep. What is the experience of those who concentrate to over 8%? I'm thinking 12% max but then I only thought 6-8% a year ago. With over 10% concentrate do you have too many issues making syrup in the flues? should I try to change to 4 and 4 on my 8' rig? Please only answer if YOU have experience and not what you GUESS, please. Not to be rude, but I really want experience to speak here.

[spud]

I just talked to my friend who has a 3x10 with a seven foot flue pan. He runs his sap to 20% and has never had an issue with syrup in the flue pan. Although he did say if he had a steam-away he thinks he would have syrup issues in the back pan. He draws off a barrel an hour and uses a quart of oil per gallon of syrup. You might want to pick Thad's brain on this issue. I think he runs high sugar 20+ and I thought he had a steam-away also.

Spud

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Dave,
I have a 4x12 with an 8 foot flue pan. No pre heater or enhancements. Wood fired. I boil concentrate at about 16% most of the time and sometimes as high as 22%. I have had no issues with syrup in the back pan. I think you will be fine with the 5 foot flue pan you have ordered. You will just be drawing off syrup much faster than you ever imagined was possible. I do have much more niter in the back pan than I ever did with raw sap.
Doug

[mapleack]

Dave I have a 3 x 10 with 7 ft flue pan, at 12% we got nowhere near syrup in the flue pan.

[maple flats]

Thanks for the replies. 3 in a row, who run higher concentrations without issue. The only issue I was wondering about was the initial firing, when everything in is at 10 or 12%. It seems like that could pose a problem, but I was thinking if it seemed to be a problem I could just draw some sweet from my syrup pan and feed it into in float box on the rear pan to get things moving forward. That might not be needed either.
This is what I was looking for, some real experience rather than a bunch of guesses.
Thanks everyone, I'll stay with the 3x3 syrup and the 3x5 flue with the 10" flues. I thought the Thor recommendation should be good, they have the feedback for their customers and dealers.

[Thad Blaisdell]

I will chime in, go big and go fast. 6x14 with 10' flue and 10' steamaway, 20%, at full throttle making roughly 150gph. No problem with syrup in flue. Only problem is filter press cant pump fast enough. I use (4) 6gph nozzles at higher pressure which gives me 28-29 gph of oil. I am going to neck that down next year to (4)5 gph nozzles which should be 23ish.

Steamaway, the higher the concentrate the faster the sap moves through the system therefore the less a steamaway actually does.

[Bucket Head]

Dave,
Just for food for thought, call Leader directly and ask them about the 50/50 pan set up that they offer. You might still go with what you have already ordered, but this way you could hear their reasoning on the latest pan ratio's. There must be a benefit somehow or they would'nt have made the one I looked at.

[maple flats]

Steve, I'm not changing now. I have paid the 20% deposit and I'll stay with that. If the ratio ends up being a problem, which I doubt, I can extend the arch, sell the 3x3 syrup pan and go with a 3x4 syrup pan. Based on the replies I got from users who boil higher concentrations, I had none that said to change. They were happy with their ratios and none were 50/50. They ranged from 30,70 &20% concentrate, 1/3,2/3 & 16-22% , 30,70 & 12% and 4', 10' 20% and with 10' steamaway. No one with these ratios expressed concerns.
I did however make one change. I had them make the sides 24" instead of 20", with no price change. My total was 3849 + 925 with 10% off season discount. That thrilled me. If I do change the syrup pan size in the future, I'd likely build a new sugarhouse to house it, I've been leaning that way anyways. 16 x 24 is just too tight. Joan suggested we build a new one for 2013 but I think I'll wait a year and maybe enlarge mine out the side for next year. Then if I build a new sugarhouse the old will make a good shop and storage building.

[Bucket Head]

Dave,
Thats fine. Since you've placed the order and paid on it, go with that. Regardless of the ratio, it will boil better than what you have. Your current front pan is way too small for the amount of syrup your making now with concentrate, as is mine. Any increase right now is a step in the right direction.
Steve

[500592]

Wow thats a good price does anybody know how they would compete with leaders max pan thanks

[maple flats]

They added $199 to go from 7" to 10" flues on a 3x5. They used to make 14" flues but discontinued them because the sap could not be contained. That is why I chose 10". Leader's Max are 11.5. I did not ask about 11.5 flues. Just google Thor Evaporators, then click on "contact us", either phone or email. I did it by email. They replied about 2 days later. Then I called and talked with them.

[Like Minded Farmer]

I never gave this a thought untill this thread. What is the percent where we can expect to get into trouble in the flew pan? I'm thinking it may be quite high due to so many folks using ROs and steamaways and 7 foot flew pans. I was planning on enhancements soon, but maybe a bigger syrup pan should come first.