Air flow on my new evaporator....

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Hi Everyone,
Any advice is appreciated!!

Got my evaporator this weekend and boiled with it to test it out on Saturday and Sunday. I found that no matter how much I kept the flue open on the front of the door that I didnt get enough air to keep the fire hot, I got a much faster boil opening the door almost fully as opposed to keeping it closed. I ended up removing the flue on the front entirely and that didnt seem to help much either. Keeping the door cracked was my best option. Fully open was my best result. The inside of the stove is fully lined with brick and blanket and I have a pretty tight seal between my pan and the top of the stove.

Im guessing a fan/blower is my best option for keeping the fire burning hot while still keeping the door closed. Does anyone have any other thoughts on this? Pix attached to this message so you can see what im working with. Also anyone know where I might be able to find a blower that I could mount to that front opening?
90159016901790189019
Also anyone in NH have any of the ceramic fire blanket you are looking to sell or get rid of? I could use another 2 ft of it, I can get it online if necessary, but I wanted to check with the locals 1st. THANKS!!

Thank you!!
-Scott

[Ausable]

Scott - What is the diameter of Your stack and how tall is it. Sounds like You have a poor draft - but no mention or pictures of your stack and that is probably where some or most of the problem lies.

[bowhunter]

I second the stack issue. It sounds like you don't have enough stack. You probably need at least 9 feet of stack. The grate may also be plugged. Make sure you keep holes in the grate open so you get good air flow up through the grate.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

I didn't realize the stack was so important….I just went out and measured, it is 5ft tall, and 7" diameter. My pans are 24x46" for my back and a 24x24 on the front….I am going to see if there is a way for me to open the holes in the grate on the bottom a bit more. I really would rather not keep the door open, so if extending the stack doesn't solve the issue, i guess a blower is my only other option?

[Daves Maple Farm]

Our unit is a 2x8 and stack is 11 inchs by I think 12 feet. Sounds like a small stack to be but I am new to this too. Good luck.
Dave

[Ryan August]

I have seen somewhere a two to one stack to pan ratio, so u got six Ft of pan, that's twelve feet of stack. I got four Ft pan, with eight in stack.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Wow…thanks Dave….I just didn't think it was so important…I'm learning!!

[maple flats]

With those pans you need at least 12', maybe more if that doesn't do the job. The stack height is what generates the draft as the heat rises in the stack. You still need a bigger air inlet (draft door) or even the taller stack won't work well.

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Hmmmmmm I don't know how to solve the small air inlet issue...can't really cut a bigger hole in the door. I will look into a taller stack though.

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

my leader 2x6 came with 7"dia, 12' long it ran good for years

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

I guess my biggest concern with the bigger stack, is its not a traditional evaporator...so the box in the back of the stove, leading up to my pipe is homemade and not really engineered to work as they normally do.
Also the pipe wont have anythng supporting it and it will get flimsy with that tall length and a good gust could blow it over or bend it or something? Im going to line the box with bricks this weekend, and will add a few more feet of stack and see what happens...thanks again everyone!!

[mellondome]

1. Your wood is tooooo big. Split it to wrist size. Or smaller

2 the floor of the firebox doesnt allow enough air through for boiling.. it was made for heating a room.

Easiest fix is to add a blower to your draft door.


And take the ash pan out.. it serves no real purpose other than block airflow to the grate under your fire

[tcross]

i'll second the blower idea! it'll allow you to get the draft you need without as much stack! a little air to stoke the coals will do wonders in terms of keeping the fire roaring... and getting back up to speed after firing !

[JOSHP]

If you decide to go with a taller stack search for Dan's Rugged Pipe on facebook....We just purchased stainless steel stovepipe for our stack from him through Ebay and it is great quality and about half the price of s.s. stovepipe from our maple syrup supply place. He is in Maine but has quick shipping times :) We are very happy with it :)

[The Butcher]

Hey Scott,

before we had the shack we took long rebar and pounded into the ground on both sides of the stack, then took wire and wrapped it around the rebar and stack. I will send you an email picture if I can find one. Not the best option but it worked for us. Plus I think your wife will really enjoy that as an addition to the wood pile and evaporator that you have in her lawn!!!!hahahaha

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Thanks Jared! Lol RICHARD......most of the wood pile is gone, I picked up 2ft more of stack today, I'm working it....just need sap now.

[Big_Eddy]

When I boiled outside, I used 3 guy wires to support my stack. I used 3pcs @4' of fence wire attached to the top section of pipe (3 holes 120 degrees apart) then used a flourescent pink rope down to 3 solid concrete blocks. It withstood hurricane strength winds without issue.

If you do use ropes / guy lines, make sure you flag them or block them so you can't walk into them. I would park my sap trailer under one and pile wood under the other and the third was back in some shrubs. Wouldn't want to run into one and pull the whole stack down.

[maple flats]

My 1st year I boiled outside, and I sloped the stack slightly and braced it with 2 legs made for 1/2" emt. They were attached to the stack with a screw thru a hole on a flattened end and the other end was screwed likewise to the railing on our adjacent deck.