coffee maker as a preheater?

[sap seeker]

I apologize in advance if this has been covered 100 times, but looking back through I could only find discussion on using one for finishing the product and bottling. Do you guys think it would equally as well for preheating the sap for us small time guys? Thanks gentlemen.

[RileySugarbush]

It certainly could be used for that. Anything that warms up the sap could be used.

Most of the preheaters you see discussed here are based on capturing some heat that was going to waste, either the heat of vaporization in the steam or combustion heat after it has entered the stack. Another point is that many are preheating the sap on a continuous flow basis to feed a float type flow regulator.

When I was boiling in steam table pans on a block arch, my preheater was a stainless pot set next to the stack to capture a little of the radiant heat. A little valve dribbled sightly warmed sap into one of the pans.

Your idea is fine, and could be extended to add other sources of heat, even to the point of boiling sap in other vessels.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If the idea of preheating is to save time then I would do it but if its to save fuel your just trading wood for electricity. If your going to heat the sap to a boil then its part of your evaporator. As far as a bottler they make GREAT bottlers if you find the perfect setting and dont scorch the syrup.

[sap seeker]

Thanks guys - we are on the same wave length. Certainly if its my intent to go wood, its to go wood all the way if possible. Just trying to figure out the best way to configure everything on what is a pretty small surface. (12" X 24") If I can't how to get everything situated on the woodstove, I still wanted to explore the pre-heating ideas, seems to have big benefits over adding cold direct as far as recovery to the boil.

[brookledge]

One thing to keep in mind. As a rule electricity is the most expensive form o energy for heating. So over the course of the season you will spend alot on electricity to pre heat the sap in a coffee pot vs. oil or wood. I may be wrong but I have been told that my many. Just look at the yellow stickers on electric appliances vs gas.
Keith

[Grade "A"]

I know I have seen it writen some where on this site before and we use to also do it, was to rap copper pipe around the stack. It will heat up sap fast. The bad side is you can't stop the flow (trickle) because it will boil in the copper if you do.

[Clan Delaney]

My coffee maker is 1100 watts, costs me $0.16 and hour to run. An 8 hour day pulling duty as a pre-heater would cost about a buck and a quarter. Small change I suppose, but it does add up. A bigger concern might be the load you'd placing on the power supply to your shack/boiling location, especially if you're also running lighting, a blower for the fire, etc.