CDL Intensofire Owners

[briansickler]

I'd like to here from Intensofire owners. How do you like it? Any problems? Anything a new CDL Intensofire owner should now? Any regrets? What options you have? etc.

Thanks.

Brian

[GeneralStark]

I'd like to here from Intensofire owners. How do you like it? Any problems? Anything a new CDL Intensofire owner should now? Any regrets? What options you have? etc.

Thanks.

Brian

I have had my 2.5 X 8 for two seasons and really like it. I'm very impressed with how it boils for a rig of its size. I have been generally in the 100-115gph range with hoods and a preheater. I did also go for the sealed light in the flue pan hood which is very helpful, and the syrup gutter which I would highly recommend. It makes cleaning and changing the front pans much easier and cleaner. It also gives you an area to keep your hydrometer. I keep some warm water in mine so I can rinse the hydrometer and cup.

The only problems I have had with it are related to the draft controls. The door air and over fire air controls both malfunctioned the first season. CDL knew this might be an issue as they changed vendors for the parts, and they had someone here the same day to do the repair. Then they had someone come out this winter to go over it and replace a control lever. This season everything worked great. You do have to be careful with the controls as pulling them too hard can cause issues.

It has taken a bit to get used to putting the syrup pans all back together after cleaning. The connection between the flue pan and syrup pan can be especially tricky. Once the between pan gaskets break in it gets easier but getting the sanitary connections to line up can be a pita.

Depending upon the size of the rig you bought, there can be different ways to brick it. CDL recommends bricking right to the pans and cutting a bevel on the top brick. Instead, I bricked to within 6" of the pans and then fastened ceramic blanket to the arch wall from the top of the bricks to the pans. Instead of pouring refractory above the door I only went up to the top of the door and then used ceramic blanket above the door to protect the door frame and air nozzles. These tricks were recommended by 802maple and have worked well so far.

I certainly don't have any regrets and am very happy with it. I am still learning how to best fire it and I got some good tips from CDL the last two seasons. I have been very impressed with CDL's service and support. Any time I have called with a question they immediately have a response.

[briansickler]

I ordered the 2 1/2 x 8. Do you use the gasification mode or forced draft mode the most? I am considering adding the reverse option for the syrup pans....But pricey at $2000. Do you have the cdl auto draw off? It looks like you can use bigger wood than I'm used to looking at the videos I've seen. Also, somebody said the wood shouldn't be too dry for gasification. Is this true and how long should you season the wood?

Brian

[GeneralStark]

I have primarily used the rig forced draft, but this year I did experiment with gasifying more. First season I was burning mixed hardwood that was not well seasoned and aspen slabs that were basically green. Forced draft was key then. This year with better seasoned mixed hardwood, though not real dry, I was able to gasify pretty well once the bricks were hot. There isn't really a "mode" per say in the sense of flipping a switch from one style to another, but it is more about how you adjust the air. This year I used much less air under fire in general, and could keep flue gas temps high, and go up to 20 minutes between loads. I would agree that you don't want dry wood, but about 2/3 seasoned. I stack the wood, throw a cover on just the top of the stack, and that seemed to work pretty well. Now I am ahead on wood, so if you were cutting wood annually I would cut in the spring for the following season.

It will burn pretty large chunks of wood. I generally split everything to the medium range just so it is easier to handle. The key to loading the rig is to build a stack in the back, and build a stack in the front, almost up to the pans with the wood stacked lengthwise. Close the door and turn up all the air, and then turn down the auf once u hit desired temp. When you reload, push the coals to the back and build your two stacks again. I was told it is critical to have a good pile of coals in the back of the firebox right under the air nozzles, and this seems spot on. When thinking about wood length, divide the length of your firebox in two and then go a few inches shorter to give your self some space.

I did upgrade this year to the CDL auto draw and it is awesome. I boil alone so with the ro, filtering, loading wood, keeping an eye on tanks, etc. etc. it is real nice to have one less thing to worry about. You still have to check it, but you can generally leave it for several minutes at a time I find. There are cheaper options but IMO the 2" valve is key. All the cheaper models have a small valve which requires reducing from the 2" connections on the pans (which are excellent) and can become a restriction for niter. Easy way to burn a pan if you ask me. With the 2" valve, things keep moving well.

[briansickler]

I did upgrade this year to the CDL auto draw and it is awesome. I boil alone so with the ro, filtering, loading wood, keeping an eye on tanks, etc. etc. it is real nice to have one less thing to worry about. You still have to check it, but you can generally leave it for several minutes at a time I find. There are cheaper options but IMO the 2" valve is key. All the cheaper models have a small valve which requires reducing from the 2" connections on the pans (which are excellent) and can become a restriction for niter. Easy way to burn a pan if you ask me. With the 2" valve, things keep moving well.

My dealer thought the 1.5" connections option would be sufficient for a n evaporator this size. I'm sure it's not too late to change this if there is a big advantage. Also, the 1.5" modulating draw off is $500 less than the 2" one. Any thoughts on this? I ordered the 2.5 x 10 Intensofire,

[GeneralStark]

I actually didn't think 1.5" was an option on a CDL rig this size. The 1.5" draw off is called the "Hobby" model for a reason. Even boiling raw sap I have seen some pretty impressive niter scale deposits upstream of the draw off valve. IMO, the bigger the better and more insurance to minimize the chance of burning a pan.

I don't know if your tap count is up to date on your signature, or how much syrup you typically make, but with my current tap count on high vac. and concentrating to 10-12% I am pretty happy with the 2" option.

That said, 1.5" is probably ok if your tap count is accurate and you don't plan to expand.

[Ontario Ian]

I have a 2.5 x 12 and it works great. I run in the 120-150 gph range, depends on the wood I am using. I have a 2" cdl draw off, I would spend the little extra for it again, sometimes it will be running wide open on start ups.

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

The 1.5" mod. drawoff will be fine. That is what I have. We run almost 7000 taps and put 18% in our 4x14 rig. Have never had a niter problem with it or any problem for that matter. We make between 50 and 60 gal. of syrup/hr.
Neil

[U.P. Sapsucker]

We have a 3 x 12. We dry our wood about a year. We use mostly Elm and maple in 3-6" diameter and we cut them about 3' long, no splitting. The loading is much faster when we have it this way. We run in the gasification type of settings without a lot of blower under the fire. We seem to get a nice even hard boil. With a little drier wood we maintain around 1500 degrees. We could push it higher if we wanted but I don't like to push things too much. Only raw sap has been boiled in it so far next year we will be going to an RO. Once we are up to a saturated heat in the bricks we run about 200 +- gallons an hour with load times between 20-30 minutes with maple almost always about 30 minutes. No regrets so far just still have a learning curve but getting to like it more and more. 1" in the flue pan and about 2" in the finish pans. We do have the steam hood pre-heater and that did make a difference.
Todd

[briansickler]

The 1.5" mod. drawoff will be fine. That is what I have. We run almost 7000 taps and put 18% in our 4x14 rig. Have never had a niter problem with it or any problem for that matter. We make between 50 and 60 gal. of syrup/hr.
Neil

Hey Neil,

Are all of your pan connections 1.5", or just the draw off?

Thanks, Brian

[Walling's Maple Syrup]

Hey Neil,

Are all of your pan connections 1.5", or just the draw off?

Thanks, Brian
The evaporator I have now has 1.5" connections. It is a 4x14 D&G oil fired. The last evaporator we had was a 5x14 CDL Intensofire arch with D&G pans. That rig had 2" connections with which we used a 1.5" modulating draw for that as well. Never had any trouble. I do however, take the drawoff assembly off the evap. every third or fourth boil and soak in hot condensate water from the preheater. Soaking overnight takes the sugar sand off the valve. I would recommend doing this regardless of the size you get.
Neil

[briansickler]

Well, My CDL Intensofire is here. It is a beautiful sight..... Can't wait to boil with it. Have to brick it up when I get time. All pan and float box connections are 2". They just reduced for the 1.5" draw off itself. Everything looks great.