CDL Hobby 18x48 flue/flat GPH?

[maple6275]

Hey gang,

I've been eyeballing the CDL hobby 18x48" with the combo flue/flat pan as a replacement for my dying home made scrap-heap wonder. Anyone have insight as to what I might be able to expect for boiling rate?

Thanks!
Ryan

[Drew Pond Maple]

CDL claims 18. I get around 12 - 15.

[Biz]

I just bought an 18x48 CDL with drop flue last fall. Have yet to do more than a short test boil. I thought I read that 12 gph was its boiling rate so that is what I am expecting. I know that even with brief moderate fire on my test boil, there was about twice the steam of my old Leader half pint which was 5 gph, so I hoping for results as good as Mike's.

Dave

[maple6275]

About what I expected. Better than the 10 I'm getting now, and way more efficient I'm sure. Thanks guys! On a related note, how do you like your rigs? Any tips for a new owner?

[Drew Pond Maple]

I do like it alot, a big step up from my 20"x30" flat pan with propane.
Like Biz said the steam is pretty good for a small rig and maybe I got 18 gph if everything was perfect, but I seemed to have alot of flame shooting out the stack after a good load of soft wood, 1500* so I will have to work on the draft issue once mother nature gets her finger out of her @$$ and gives us some good temps. (sorry but getting tired of waiting).
I added a float box and home made blower this year (AUF).
Other than that, great evaporator.

[mgale]

I average 15-18, but arch is insulated well and I have a forced draft. have really good wood this year so will try for 20 gph

[Biz]

Mgale - what are you using for your forced draft, and how are you mounting it? I averaged about 10gph this year on my 18x48. I have logged 131 hrs boiling this year, so much that I haven't had time to bottle my syrup! I can get it boiling hard but not always consistently. Depends how good the wood is. I bet a blower would save a lot of time. Hate to upgrade evaporators after only a couple seasons :)

Dave

[maple6275]

Well, since I started this thread a year ago I might as well reply to it now! Now that I own this unit, I can report that if I stoke the fire at 5 minute intervals and keep the stack temp in the 900-950 range, I can get 17 GPH. I put a small 7" fan on low speed in front of the draft door to get some extra air in. If I relax a bit, over the course of a full day it averages out to 15 GPH. Overall it's a sweet setup.

[adk1]

Build a plenum and cut it in to the back of the evap and use a squirrel cage blower. U will not be disappointed. It is basically air under fire and I would guess will increase your evaporation by 15%. That is what it did for me.