Natural gas burner?

[Algonquin]

Hi Guys, just sitting around waiting for the sap to start running, and coming up with new ideas. I'm thinking of using natural gas instead of wood. I have a half pint leader and was wondering how many BTU I would need to equal the wood. A web site BAYOUCLASSICDEPOT.COM sells NG burners for cheep. Thanks in advance.

[maple flats]

I'm not sure of the number, but when using wood you should add about 4-5 wrist size pieces, 14-15" long every 7-8 minutes. If you can calculate that you should be good. If a finisher was 2' x 3' it would have about 120,000 BTU prorating down from a 2x4. But generally I'd guess you'd wand more in a evaporator than a finisher. A finisher is not intended to boil quite as hard. My "guess" for the burner might be more like 140,000 BTU. The harder you boil, the better the syrup.
Dave

[SDdave]

Algonquin, if you do get any burners from Bayou make sure you also order the correct orifices for the burner. Most of their burners don't come with orifices. Great people to talk to if you have any questions for them.

SDdave

[madmapler]

I was at a seminar last year and the CDL rep. said natural gas is by far the best way to go cost wise if you can do it.

[bowhunter]

I would estimate 65,0000 to 100,000 btu's per hour. That's assuming about 50% efficiency and boiling 6 gallons per hour.

[Algonquin]

Just ordered a 230,000 btu burner, three extra jets for $51.00 including shipping. I'll let you know how it works out, provided the cold lets up and we get some sap run,lol . Still haven't tapped yet, but standing in the garage with a length of tubing in my mouth and a bucket in each hand.

[Homespun]

You might want to check your NG supply pipe size/capacity and possibly your NG meter capacity (ask your NG company) for that many BTUH of NG. Getting enough NG supply for those newer "on demand" water heaters and outdoor wok burners is a common problem for many existing homes, sometimes requiring the installation of larger diameter piping in the house and a different gas meter to supply the BTUH needed. Here's a link to gas supply piping sizes needed for different lengths of pipe:
www.endot.com/OpenFile.aspx?path=21eb7_0.pdf&Type=1&pid=34

[Cameron Duke]

Hey Algonquin, we started our natural gas operation with burners like that also but the problem we had was the heat doesn't get dispersed well with those burners so you will end up having a circular hot spot that boils amazingly but the perimeter of your pan just simmers. We also had problems with the tips melting so you will want to make sure its not to close to the bottom of your pan. We ended up going to a 1/2 inch pipe with a end cap drilled with 5 or 6 small holes and then another pipe with a large blower like one used to keep a bounce house inflated. The swirling ball of purple fire and sound of a jet plane you know your cookin' with gas.

[maple flats]

I think you'd have been better off with tube burners like those used on a larger finisher. They are actually easy to make the tube, but you must know what size holes to drill. You'd also need something to let air into the tube and be able to adjust that air coming in.

[Cameron Duke]

Pipe burners wont give you the coverage of flame you need, once again they are better for a finishing pan than a evaporator.

[shane hickey]

Defently make sure you can get enough gas through the meter. I run a 2" line with 10 psi for 8 burners. Its not the pressure but the volume of gas that's important I have the orifices drilled out to 3/8 at the tip. Also put a damper at the back of the evaporator to control the heat try to keep most of it in the arch. Before I had an to it would cost me $4.00 or less to make a gallon of syrup.NY far the cheepest. Remember 1 unit is 1 million BTUs and 1 unit cost here any ways less then 6.00 dollars but that's farm price residential is more. Good luck need any info private message me.

[Algonquin]

Thanks guys, you put me to work researching for sure. I'm not sure I can get this working and ready for this year, but in will by next year for sure.
Cameron , I'm not sure I understand the second pipe with the blower and how to set it up. My fire box is 21x21 and 14" to the grates and total of 21" from the bottom of the arch to the pan if I take out the grates. I'm wondering if I could put the burner on the bottom and make a heat defuser or just put in the grates to spread the heat off the round burner? Thanks, Tom

[maple flats]

You don't want the fire too far below the pans. My old 16x34 finisher had 2 burners similar to the Bayou burners, and they were about 6" below the pan. You might be good at 8" or so, but don't place the burners on the grates. They must be closer to the pan(s).

[maple flats]

As far as supply line for natural gas, you should be ok with a 1.25" line. Natural gas pressure is less than 1/3 that of propane so you need the larger supply line to get proper volume delivered. Your main regulator from the gas co. should be fine, just use a large enough line from there to meet the demand. 1.25" if longer than 35-40' and 1" if under 35' should work if memory serves me. I no longer have the charts to verify. The number of elbows affects that too, keep them to a minimum.

[grumpy]

the standard residential meter is good up to 250,000 btu. you may need to upgrade your meter size, if that service is not dedicated to that burner. residential sets can only deliver a maximum of 12" of water column for pressure, a minimum of 4" wc, and 7" being normal. commercial/industrial sets can deliver elevated pressures (1-10lb delivery) usually meter upgrades require charges, in some areas new svc's under 100' are free. call your local gas company and they should send a service person out to solve it all for you

[Algonquin]

Thank you Cameron, still thinking it's a little late for this season but definitely next year. I called the supplier , national grid and they told me a separate line to the same address would be very expensive and a meter upgrade would also be expensive, basically all on me. Then he said the meter that was there will handle up to about 450,000 btu, my est. for my little rig is about 150-170,000 btu. Hoping I can make it work.
I see what you are doing with the blower now, I'm going to research that some more and try a few ideas. Thanks again everybody, Tom

[Cameron Duke]

Have fun, good luck. When we fire up for the first time ill try to record a video of the power burn