Another steam stack question ...

[danno]

Well, after a beautiful 13 hour roundtrip road trip through NY, central VT and NH I am the proud new owner of a 3x10. Thanks Parker, she's a beauty!

The 30x8 will be up for sale soon, just need to upload some photos.

So, it's time to make a new steam cover. The cover I made for the 30x8 fits nicely over both pans - but I'm now deciding how to make the new one. Just cover the flue pan, both pans or two seperate covers, one for each pan.

What are your preferances, advantages and disadvantages of each. Advantage of covering both pans with one hood is one steam stack and reducing moisture in the sugar house (raining off the metal roof). Disadvantage is access to syrup pan. What else?

[Sugarmaker]

Danno,
Congratulations on your new evaporator.
I follow the lead of the guys that have been doing this a lot longer than me. Go with two hoods one for each pan and visit other sugarhouses if possible to get ideas.
I love my hoods, for almost eliminating steam in the sugar house, and you will have a bunch more steam on the 3 x 10, about 90 gallons per hour.

Regards,
Chris

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Danno,

I like my design with one cover over both pans and 2 seperate steam stack with a divider between both pans and the front hood suspended so I can see the syrup pan. I have pics on the website link if interested. Good luck and congrats on the new evap!

[danno]

Brandon -

Nice steam hood - This style was one of the ideas I am seriously considering, tying the stack over the syrup pan into the main stack over the flue pan. In hindsight, would you have done anything differently?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I am very happy with it, I may have went to a 12" stack to pull all of the steam draft where it is suspended instead of 10" and made the syrup hood overhang the front of the pan a couple of inches, but other than that I am very happy with it.

[Bucket Head]

Westvirginiamapler,

I like your hood. I am going to do mine similiar to your's- one hood, two section's.

Why would you make the hood over the syrup pan a little bigger? Does it not capture all the steam?

Just wondering.

Steve

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have a thick gasket between the syrup and flue pan and it is not quite long enough. I would rather have it a couple of inches longer.