evaporator size help!!!

[caseyssugarshack93]

Hi, i would like to know how many gal per hour a 3 by 10 would boil and for a 4 x 8 how many that would boil do they even make a 4x8 the reason i ask is because of the size of my sugar shack and i just did a addtion and this year we have a wse 2x6 and its not big anough for the the 800 taps we have and we will have about 800 on vacuume and about 700 not on vac and if thoes size evaporaotor isnt big anough can u tell me what size i need for about 1500 tap and about 800 on vac ? thanks, nate:D

[brookledge]

Nate
Alot depends on what the 3X10 has, such as is the flue pan a 3X6 or a 3X7. Does it have a hood and pre heater, does it have an insulated arch and a blower etc.
But a plain 3X10 I'd say would be about 80 to 90gph and if it had all the bells and whistles I'd say 120-150gph
As for a 4' wide arch I think 10' is the shortest standard arch
They also make 3.3' wide arches (40")
I have a 3X12 that I get 140gph and up until this year I had 710 taps on vacuum that averaged 6hr boiling per day
Keith

[brookledge]

Nate
I just read the rest of your post. If you are going to have 1500 taps You should be looking at a 4X12. This year for me was unbelievable. I have 1165 taps with 1161 on vacuum. I was boiling over 2,000 gallons per day for many days this year and let me tell you 16-17 hrs of boiling and then right back the next day for the same amount of time wears you down. So figure how many hours a day you want to boil and then size the evaporator from there
Keith

[VtSugarhouse]

If your sugarhouse is very small and you are increasing taps. You might want to try to stay with a 2X6 and put a steamaway on it or a piggyback.
I have heard of sugarmakers with 2000 taps on a 2X6 ....it is only a thought.

Good luck

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You could stay with the 2x6 and go with an RO. If you were running 10% sap thru the 2x6 at 30 gph, it would be the same as boiling 150 gph on a larger evaporator with 2% sap.

As far as evaporator sizes, there are a few 4x8's out there, but I think they are fairly rare and a 4x10 is a little more common, but quite rare too.

[sapman]

Nate, I agree with Brandon, that a 2X6 would definitely require an RO to do an appreciable # of taps. Does your 2X6 have the flue pan? I was boiling some 10% sap this year. Approximately 1350 gallons of 2.5-3% sap took 3.5 hours on my 2.5X8 with Steamaway, doing about 115 gph.

By the way, do you know the Casters (extended family), also from Saranac? or their relatives, the Gadways?

Tim

[caseyssugarshack93]

alright u helped me out alot do u know if anyone wants a wse 2x6 it was only used this year got it last year and found out its not big anough without a
ro and were thinkin about getinng a 3x10 or 12 if we doo and yes i know the gadways im 15 years old and i go to saranac school and mrs gadway is one of my teachers i think her name is barb or somthing like that and she was telling me a wile back how they had a sugar bush and my sugarshack could fit a 3x10 even a 4x10 i just want to get set up with a\the right stuff parker family farms set me up with the wse and the only bad thing about it is that u cant put a steamaway on it b/ of the wse pans and he said with a RO i could do 1000 taps is that true or do u think i should get a big evaporaotr i would atleast get a 3x10 or somthing but maybe we will get a ro i dont really know but i think we will be getting a leader american 3x10 if we end up getting one b/ ill be on vacuume next year and this year sucked for us we have 800 taps and only made about 50 gallons of syrup and most of it was B but thanks for the help guys let me know what u think i should do if i should stay with the wse or go bigger with evaporator

[Flat47]

Nate,
Here is a link to an evaporator for sale here in Maine. It's not mine, but close by.

30"x10' Small Brothers Evaporator oil fired Thunderbolt Arch w/a piggy back system. Unit is capable of boiling 200 gal of sap per hr. Excellent cond. $9500-Contact Information-Lincoln, ME

The seller's phone number is (207) 794-3397. The ad is in www.unclehenrys.com farm and garden/farm section.

Hope it helps.