Double flue pan

[jmattice]

Does anyone have experience with adding another flue pan to an evaporator setup? Thinking of lengthening my arch and adding another 5’ flue pan to my 3x8. I can’t wrap my head around the actual plumbing part. Thanks!!

[maple flats]

That might work if you don't want to run an RO, but with an RO you could conceivably get syrup with less flavor.
Back when I first got my 3x8 it had a 6' flue pan and a 2' syrup pan. That worked well for 3 years. Then I got an RO and while the syrup was still OK it was not as good as before the RO. I then had a new set of pans made, I now have a 5' flue pan with 10" deep flues and a 3x3 syrup pan. That combination brought the flavor back.
Another example is how Proctor maple Research center is doing it. They concentrate to 34-35% concentrate using a super RO, then they have a short flue pan and a very long syrup pan, to give the syrup time to develop a good flavor. Same idea, to what seems to be extreme.

[Sugarmaker]

I have a feeling that unless you increase your heat source the rear flue pan may be more of a preheater. Not that that would be a bad thing, it just may not boil as you might expect it to? I believe Glen Goodrich has a several evaporators with short flue pans and long front flat pans to bring back that old fashion flavor too. Me I just boil on antique KING designed pan system, with a 5 foot drop flue (9 inches deep ,14 flues) and a 5 foot front pan (4 channel) 38 inch wide pans. Most folks like our flavor too.:)
Good luck with your pans. It would be a long arch. Another option would be to add a steamaway on your rear pan. No cheap and they wont do what a R.O. does, but I like mine.
Regards,
Chris

[n8hutch]

My advice would be to sell your rig and buy another bigger evaporator, a 3x8 would be an easy sell and there are lots of nice used 3x10-3×12 rigs out there. You most likely cant build what you want for the price that you can upgrade for.

Unless ofcourse you are a master fabricator.

[jmattice]

Thanks for all the helpful insight. All really good points. I have seen this mod done with success so it was a thought to increase my boiling capacity with the same rig.

[Sugarmaker]

I wont say it wont work and of course more boiling surface should get you more GPH. I would ask those folks that did this what there boil rate was and what it went to. You basically making a 3 x 13 rig. You may need to really pour the coal to it but might do 125-140 GPH?? Maybe? Might wat to do something like stagger the new flues to catch the fire as it passes through the front flues. You may need more stack if on wood. More fire if on oil?
Regards,
Chris

[jmattice]

It is oil fired so I’d have to increase nozzle size at the very least. What kind of piping would be needed to go from flue pan to flue pan and still be able to reverse the flow? I guess there would be only one float box?

[Mead Maple]

Mattice, your best bet would be to have a fabricator weld stainless piping with stainless fittings and the couplers for the 90s etc. then you can remove the pans/assemble each individual pan. If these are flat pans you will actually need to treat them like drop flue and have one rear float box that acts as your feed float. This will keep the level for the entire system


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[fred]

the "vermont" style pans used to be a thing but was short lived. we boiled on a set but wasnt real efficient. had full flues in the back, middle was syrup pans , front was a shallow flue. didnt make good syrup in my opinion