The Max evaporator by Leader

[H. Walker]

I'm replacing my flue pan this year and very interested in Leader 11.5" flue pan. What I was wondering is does anyone have one, heard any feedback, or any advice. "The Max" is a bit more money, but it is suppose to increase evaporation 50%. I have always belived if it sounds to good to be true it not likely is.

[fred]

The Heated Surface Area Is Alot More, So It Has To Boil More. Sounds Good, Im Not Real Impressed With Leader Like I Used To Be. I Spent Over 30,000 On A New Rig And Misc. In 2000, Had Multiple Problems And Gary Didnt Seem To Care. Finally Richards Got Through To Him. Quality Control Definitly Was Not There. For One I Bought A 6 X 16 With A Steamaway And The Condensed Steam Pipe Was Dumping Back Into The Evaporator They Never Pluged The Ends Of The 2" Pipes. If You Get It Make Sure You Inspect It 110% Before You Need It!!!

[brookledge]

I think they only had them out in trial situations this year. So other than those few I don't think anyone has ever used them. But one would think that after the feedback they got from the ones they tested in the field this year they would not make a statement that they couldn't back up or at least be close. So if they say they will increase 50% ask them 50% over what? You could also ask them to give you the names of the producers that used them in the trial run to get their feedback.
Marketing a new product is always a tricky thing. They want you to buy it because it says 50% increase and if it doesn't you are going to be disapointed and not recommend it so others are not likely to buy it. And on the other side if they are to conservative on their % increases you are likely to say it's not worth the extra money.
Good luck
I know they had the max set up at some of the spring open houses this year
Keith

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I spoke with a guy that had a 3x12 about a year ago and he was getting 300 gph with a steamaway and was someone independent of Leader, just field testing it for them and he had nothing but good to say about it.

[brookledge]

With the max flue pan you can still put a steamaway on top of it and really lower your fuel usage
Keith

[Parker]

4 years ago I orderd a Leader flue pan thru Bruce Bascom on something like march 1st,,they had it built in in 5 days (during a busy time of year) and I would call the finished product a work of art,,,,,I was very happy with the product and the service.

[Jim Brown]

Brian Ianson in Coudersprt has a 3x12 with and steamaway and the 11 inch flues that was to be used as an test rig .Brian's wife fires the rig(wood) Donna says she was geting 175 per hour last season

Jim

[New Hope Mapleman]

I have a 4x14 Wood Fired All Raised Flue version of the max flue. I am as happy with this system as I was with my first evap-Half Pint. Everything inbetween has left me wishing for something else.

I have an OLD Piggyback on top of mine and get around 425 gallons of evaporation an hour. I know if I went with the enhanced Steam-a-way I'd get over 500. It took a couple of boils getting used to it and sweetening the pans takes a bit longer. Once thats done, stand back and watch the syrup flow!

If you want to see mine or have any other questions let me know.

The hardest part is paying for it initially. After that you'll love it!

Dan

[Dave Y]

Its like this if you think you will do better with a newer piece of equipment, you probably will. How ever how much better is up to you. You experience and knowledge have a lot to do with you how well you do. I will own a Max as soon as I get the money! Period!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

As far as quality, the quality on my pans and the other Leader pans I have seen is second to none. I have no complaints on anything from Leader and customer service has always been second to none and I have worked with tens of thousands of customers in customer service for over 10 years. I know there are problems out there as with any company.

With the monetary conversion rate between US and Canada getting a lot closer the past couple of years, the price of equipment is getting closer also.

[H. Walker]

Thanks for the input guys.
Like I said before I'm going to replace the flue pan anyway because it's tin, it has leaked, it only has 5.5" flues and the best I can get out of the 4' x 12' out fit is 100 gph. My local dealer is suppose to get a comparative price on a regular flue pan and a Max pan. The Ontario Goverment is giving a grant to help cover the cost to "get the lead out", but the more I spend on my flue pan the less I have to spend other lead type items. I just hate to spend good money on a new product if Leader doesn't have all the kinks out yet.

[802maple]

If I had a 3x12 with a steam away on it and it only got 175 gallons per hour I wouldn't be in to much of a hurry to go buy one. My old 3 x 13 intens-o-fire with no preheater or nothing got between 175 and 190 gallons per hour .

Dallaire experimented with a 12 inch flue pan a few years ago and they found that you made a lot of dark syrup with it as it put large air bubbles in the sap to low in the pan and it would burn sugars suspended. They had more luck with making smaller and more flues in the pan.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Sounds like Brian doesn't know what he is doing for sure. The guy I talked to was in VT before last season and he had used it one year a 3x12 with a steamway and was getting 300 gph and I think he had an inferno arch. From what he could calculate, the stock 3x12 with a max pan was giving him 200 gph and the steamaway 100 gph . Keith(brookledge) has a 3x12 with just a preheater and gets 140 gph.

[Sugarmaker]

Only second hand comments from a local non Leader dealer was that you may get darker syrup on the deeper MAX type flues???? Some folks will love them because what ever new equipment they buy may be a lot better than what they have. I am sure a new right sized set of pans for my 3 x 10 would get me another 20 gallons per hour, ( Currently at 80-90 gph)
I would like to see some more numbers and some quality of syrup reports with the MAX. I think this really takes a side by side run with same sap and non MAX vs MAX flue pans. So who is going to do It?
Would love to buy some new pans but I haven hit the Lotto yet. So we will keep the old ones going for another year. Syrup Quality was very good last year!
I am looking at the road side tubing to reduce labor away form the sugarhouse first. So that's where I am putting my dollars. When that's done I may be able to improve the boiling time with some new equipment in the sugarhouse.

By the way what is the price on a MAX flue pan in the 3 x 5 or 3 x7 size?

Regards,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Chris,

Don't know the price but I would guess that those pans would get you 120 to 150 gph on a 3x10 depending on arch design and air flow.

[maplecrest]

I started working with leader on my usda grant loan for a new r/o and evap. having used leader all my life and seeing the max in action i decided to go for a new 4x14 rev, with max and enhanced steamaway. in the process of the usda scavenger hunt leader has to produce data that backs up there claims. leader did not return faxes,phone calls or emails with the data needed to proceed with the process. the engineer did not agree with leaders claims, and said the with the numbers ,btus, pan sizes, steamaway claims. just do not add up.and leader would not work with the grant loan process. so being left out to dry in the middle of the process, i called maple pro. who have backed up there claims with the boiling rates, the new steam panand btus under the pans. having bought new pans and a steamaway in 2000 i never got the boiling rate that they said i would with the up grade. after adding an r/o to the system two seasons ago the numbers added up that they claimed.[after running 6 percent into the steamaway]. leader told me they do there tests with wood fired rigs. i have not had good luck with leader. so i am going to a new direction in maple production. jeff

[farmboybert]

I enjoy reading the comments on here, but i feel a clarification is needed. Bryan Ianson's rig will boil off around 300 gals per hour wood fired. I hope he knows what he is doing as he is the 5th generation doing this. He is a Leader dealer and makes light syrup with the experimantal pans he has from Leader. He tries to stay up to date on all the new stuff coming out, but always welcomes new knowledge. Any one wants to give him a call for unbiased answers or add to his knowledge 814-274-9680.

[Dave Y]

I was at Bryan's the other day. He gets well over 300 with his 3x12. And by the way it is his wife that does the boiling.She has been using this rig several years.