I need help sizing evaporator

[rayjavu]

We currently have 200 taps on gravity but are looking to add 200 next year and 200 in two years for a total of 600.
We would like to buy an evaporator that will work now and in the future.
It's a large investment for us so we don't want to buy the wrong size.
We're open to all suggestions and opinions.
Thanks,
Ray

[MapleMark753]

I bet you'll get a lot of suggestions...
If you could give just a bit more info it may be helpful.
What are you using now?
Do you have, and will you have a RO?
How much sap do you boil now?
What is your projection for sap volume in the future?
How much time do you have/are you willing to boil?

Stuff like that.
take care, and good luck!

[Sugarmaker]

3 x 8 evaporator.
Regards,
Chris

[motowbrowne]

We're going to need to know if you want to run vacuum and if you ever want to add an ro. 600 buckets with an ro would be a cinch on a 2x8. 600 on vacuum with no ro would be 3x12+ territory. I'm running 400 taps mostly on vacuum this year and I was really happy to have my 4x14. It's great to fix leaks and deal with problems in the morning, then cook syrup in the afternoon and finish in time for dinner. :)

[abbott]

Assuming 600 taps on gravity will produce about 6000 gallons of sap in a season (you can adapt that number based on your experience) you can figure how many hours you want to boil in a season and divide to get your evap. rate. I figure about 200 hours myself - but this is my full time occupation. So 6000/200 = 30. I would want an evaporator that would do at least 30 gallons an hour. Which could just be a reasonably efficient 2x6. But if you're collecting buckets and/or don't have as much time to boil, a 3x8 might be perfect. But don't just look at the size - look at how fast you can expect to boil, depending on the arch and pans.

Good luck!

[rayjavu]

16321
No RO. No vacuum. Boil 10 hours/day
Thanks for the help!

[VT_K9]

We have just under 400 taps. We use a vacuum and an RO. We boil on a 2x6 evaporator. Today we moved, processed, and boiled about 650+/- gallons of sap for 15 gallons of syrup. We have no addons on our evaporator and we figure we get about 25 gph. Without the vacuum and RO we would be bouncing between a 2X8, 2.5X8, 2.5X10, 3X8, and 3X10. The major concern I feel is sizing an evaporator is not having enough sap to boil. Our 2X6 was great for the low to upper 200 taps without vacuum. Once we introduced a sap puller we found an RO helped A LOT. I read somewhere the extra width will do more for you than the length. I am under the impression that a 3X8 would be a good choice.

Start reading the data about those of us who post here. Hopefully the lists are up to date. Send an IM and ask the questions directly of the other members to get an idea of satisfaction....always ask what would you do different if you could do it over again.

Good luck,

Mike

[motowbrowne]

I'd look at a 3x10 or 3/12 personally. A little more expensive than a 3x8, but a little faster and more efficient as well. Last year Thor had the best prices of any manufacturer I found when hunting for a rig. Worth checking out.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Sunrise Evaporator has an evaporator calculator on their website that may help.

[MapleMark753]

This is just my opinion, but it seems like your "now" situation, (maybe next coming season too?), and the future situation might be two different evaporators.
Looks like you're batch boiling now, flat pan, on a barrel style evaporator, is that right? The front 6 inches or so don't look like they are getting fire to them, is that right? ( maybe its how you want it dunno)
A few manufacturers have hybrid "hobby" pans that might fit your current arch if you wanted to go that way. Gallons per hour boiling on them may about double what you have now, but use the same footprint. Check out Smoky Lake pans, and Mason Evaporators web site. That'd give you an idea of some options. Just a pan set would probably cost 1000- 1400 or so. BUT, it might be ok for you for a season or two. I bet Sunrise would have one too, as well as at least some of the major mfgrs. If you went that route on your current arch, you could then use the pan set for a coupla seasons, and then get the evaporator you want and may then know better what size fits your needs and budget.
The other posts above are right, but you might blanch a bit at the sizes (and prices) that go along with these suggestions.
Good luck with your research and decision, theres lots of choices out there.