some water?

[bucksyrup]

I have open open pans and was wondering if anybody had some good ideas about how to get water to clean the rest of my sap house? Thanks

[Haynes Forest Products]

Is it a spring cleaning that your doing if so I always boil water when ever I start the season. I bring the evaporator to a full boil with a full pan to make sure that all is well and it also lets me dump all the hot water onto the cement floor. I will spray down the floor with cement cleaner and scrub it then dump the water out the flue and syrup pans from the drains.
If you dont have running water then your going to need to use the sap hauler. I use that first thing every year to clean the tanks in the woods.

[maple flats]

Same as Haynes Forest Products. I haul fresh water in a clean sap tank.

[bucksyrup]

i mean any way to get hot water off the evaporator without a preheater or steam away?

[Haynes Forest Products]

NO just hot sap

[3rdgen.maple]

I believe bucksyrup is refering to some kinda steam collection unit so he can use that water as needed.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Im not trying to be flippent but the only way to get hot water in large numbers is a cover to capture the steam and then a series of coils made of copper with continous cold liquid running thru it to condense the water. Then you need a way of collecting that condensate in a tray and piping it out of the cover into a bucket..............SSSSSHHHH its a secret ill PM you

[michiganfarmer]

bucksyrup, I have taken an flat piece of stainless, positioned it over my pan, and left one corner hanging over the edge. The steam will condense on the stainless, and drip off the corner into a bucket, but if you arent creating enough steam, the water that collects in the bucket will cool befor you get enough volume to use.

Anything that condenses the steam will give you hot water if you have enough steam available.

Build a steam hood, and build an "S" shaped trap in your steam stack like what is in your sink drain. Steam will condense, and collect in the bottom of your trap

Its almost inpossible for small operators to get hot water. There just isnt enough steam.

When I had my 2x6 I tipped my steam hood so all the condenced steam dripped off one corner, but it wasnt enough to keep the water hot in the bucket. I just resolved to use hot sap when I needed to wash my hands, or whatever. I drew hot sap off in a bucket. I dont want anyone thinking that I washed my hands in the evaporator.

[maple flats]

A simple hood with proper draining gutters will give you some usable hot water. Adding a preheater with collection and draining of condensate will greatly increase the hot water. I started with just the hood on my old 2x6 and got about 1-1.5 gal/hr when everything was boiling full tilt, but it likely averaged a little less than a gal/hr. My 3x8 with full hood and preheater now gives close to 3 gal/hr.. I have also put an old aluminum coffee pot with the guts removed on the back of my arch where it barely set in place. This heated water too, but I no longer need that. In a pinch a turkey fryer will heat lots in a hurry too.