Can I use a finishing pan as my evaporator?

[jdircksen]

I have a 40,000 Btu natural gas burner (like a turkey fryer) that would fit a 15"x15" pan perfectly. I know some of the finishing pans come in that size, and so do filter boxes.


Would I have enough heat to boil 2-3 gallons of sap?
Is there any reason a finishing pan wouldn't hold up to 7-10 hours of continuous boiling?

[maple flats]

That should work fine. You will be boiling as a batch. Buy extra propane, that will be the only issue.

[jdircksen]

17832

I built that to run on natural gas so I don't have to worry about running out of propane next year. I just hope the burner is hot enough for 15x15. By my math, 15x15 is 225 sq in. My current turkey fryer pan is 12" diameter, or 113 sq in. So I'd have 2x the surface area and the burner won't be providing flame to the entire square pan like it does with the round pan.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Some basic sheet metal shielding around the sides will help keep the heat concentrated around the pan BUT don't restrict the ability for the flames to flow up and out so combustion is not effected.
Because of the cost of a finishing pan verses a commercial cooking pot you might go with the pot. Most burners are round and the stand is square so you might be sucked into thinking that is the best choice???
Turkey fryers are very poor at BEING efficient. There like a dragster for short commutes to the 7-11 down the street. How well does your heat being natural gas at low pressure?

[jdircksen]

You're right that a 15x15 pan sitting on top will trap the flames. it would basically plug the hole on top. Is that a problem?

it heats just fine. I bought a burner from tejassmokers.com with a natural gas orifice. i tested it yesterday with 5" of water in the 12" diameter pot. It boiled great and the valve was probably 30% open.

17833

[Haynes Forest Products]

Now get your leaf blower and stand 15 ft away and get Jiggy with it and for good measures have the wife throw some snow into the intake on the blower. :lol: I'm into real world experiences because that's how I roll.