A & A Metal 2 x 6 Raised Flue

[umpwood1]

I went up to Ulysses, PA and picked up my new evaporator a couple weeks ago. I got her bricked and built a pre heater. Ran the line from the s/s supply tank. Did a couple test boils and she works great. I have to build a hood this week and shes ready to go.
I do have a stupid question. How do you guys figure your gph so close. There has got to be a trick I am missing.
Regards,
Woody

[Bucket Head]

You need a scale on your supply tank for gallons- like the cage tanks/totes have on them. Or a sight tube that you can mark yourself, but you have to fill your tank sometime at, say, 5 or 10 gallon increments and mark it as you fill it. Some folks have water meters on their feed line also.

Steve

[mountain man maple]

Who did you contact to order pan?

[Dennis H.]

I put in a T fitting on the drain line that I then put on a lenght of clear tubing on which went up and above the top of the head tank.
I put in 5 gals or water and then marked the level on the clear tubing with a black sharpie. Added 5 more gals made a mark.
Kept doing this till it was full.
My head tank will hold about 27 gals which works out to be about 1 hr of boil time.

[umpwood1]

Thanks for the replies !!
Dennis H.- Thats the trick I needed, I knew that there was a simple answer.
Mountain Man- I drove up to Collins Hill Road in Ulysses, PA and talked with them directly. You can mail them and they will respond. When I picked mine up they where 13 evaporators backed up. I think It took about 6 months to get mine built. It was worth the wait. Very good people to deal with.
Regards,
Woody

[heus]

Im waiting on a gathering tank and 500 gal holding tank from them. Im anxious to use my A&A evaporator for the first time this coming season.

[Gary R]

I did similar to what Dennis did. I have a tee and a piece of tubing running up the side of my 112 gal. head tank. I calculated the gal. per inch of depth, 231 cu. in. per gal. After the evaporator warms up I refill the head tank and mark the level. Boil for an hour, mark and calculate how many gal. used. Don't mess with the float while doing this.

I like my A&A. It is a great value. I was just under 60 GPH last year. I switched to separate blowers this year and hope to break the 60 mark. Atlee's son was impressed when I was talking to him this fall.

[Timberwolf]

I purchased an A&A 2x6 and I am anxiously awaiting being able to do my first test boil and the season.

You can also purchase flow meters similar to the ones used on RO units. There are several manufacturers out there, I think King Instruments makes them.

[umpwood1]

I can't wait for the sap to flow !! I put a few pictures of the cooker in my photobucket. Hope to start on the hood today.
Regards, Woody