modifing parell pre-heater

[maplemaggs]

looking for some in put on outlet placement and any design oppsions that anyone may have build. my preheat is on a 3X8 raised flue and it works well, but like anything I'm try to make it perform alittle better.

[danno]

I did something a little different that worked well for me. I was able to find a 50' coil of 3/4 refridgerator coil on the cheap. It was $45. It sets perfectly on top of a hot water heater pan ($17 at Home Depot). I have a BBQ grill rack that sits over the pan. The coil sits on the grill and drops it's condensate into to pan. Coil inlet, outlet and pan drain all exit hood in the back next to the stack.

I'm getting 190 degree sap into the float box and about 5 gallons condensate an hour from the pan. All for under $75.

[WF MASON]

Outlet placement would be higher then inlet and close to the float box, if you read prior threads when Fred scorched his pan , he gets a temp of 200 from his preheater, which to me is outstanding , that is done by using finned baseboard copper, anyone who is building a preheater or has one and wants to get more out of theirs that would be the way to go. I will be trying it in the future. One more great idea from across the boarder.

[Fred Henderson]

Outlet placement would be higher then inlet and close to the float box, if you read prior threads when Fred scorched his pan , he gets a temp of 200 from his preheater, which to me is outstanding , that is done by using finned baseboard copper, anyone who is building a preheater or has one and wants to get more out of theirs that would be the way to go. I will be trying it in the future. One more great idea from across the boarder.



What do you mean from across the border? From one state to the next?

[tapper]

I have a paralell flow preheater made by Leader. It has 5 paralells of 1" copper, is installed on a slight incline with outlet and a 1/2" vent on the high end. The inlet and outlet pipes are 1 1/4". I installed a thermometer just before the sap goes into the float box and it registers 200+ degrees without the finned tubing. To achieve that temperature the steam stack damper must be slightly closed and the forced draft fan has to be turned on to about 3/4 speed. In my opinion the best mods to a preheater would be the damper in the steam stack and a forced draft system.

[Fred Henderson]

I don't run a forced draft but I do have a damper in the hood stack.

[WF MASON]

I do know you can get 200 degress from copper pipe, I've done it my self , but I do like the finned copper idea , I know , 200 is 200 no matter how you get it there.
Over the boarder here Fred means Canada.

[Fred Henderson]

Bill,

I told a friend about using fin tube before I built mine and he is seeing temps of 211 deg from his. When we get sap again I will be able to give a more accurate report.
I thought you were refering to me as being across the border.LOL

[WF MASON]

My mistake Fred I thought our buddy Patrick had bult your hood and preheater, I need to give credit wheres it do , great idea Fred. One of the few advantages of getting older is wiser and having great ideas that work.

[Fred Henderson]

My mistake Fred I thought our buddy Patrick had bult your hood and preheater, I need to give credit wheres it do , great idea Fred. One of the few advantages of getting older is wiser and having great ideas that work.

When I got retired I seemed to have time to think things thru a little better.

[maplemaggs]

Jon,
are your inlet and outlet pipes in the center of the manifolds or are they at the ends of the manifolds. how much liner feet of cross pipe do you have ?

thanks,
Shawn

[tapper]

Shawn,

The overall dimension of this preheater is aproximatly 9" wide x 40" long. Click on the link in my signature that will take you to pictures I have posted. There are quite a few pics of the preheater there that may help answer your questions.

[maplemaggs]

Jon,
thanks for the input, I check out the pictures of your set up. it's alittle different then what i'm trying to improve on, i'm trying to make something smaller so I can still see in the back pan and watch the boil. So I might on
get the temps of preheat that I'm looking for.

thanks,
Shawn