Has anyone ever put a sub wall in G.H. Grimm 2x3

[captaincpfd]

Looking for advise on putting a wall inside my firebox on my arch. It's only 2x3 and the stack comes off the back. I was wondering if any vetrans out there have any input on this if i could do and shouldnt do? I'm trying to increase my boiling rate also trying to spread my fire out more to the sides. I had a problem my first time ever boiling with it only boiling in the center of my pan which is level and no high or low spots. My question here is would a wall help and how high do i go with it to the pan? Thanks for any sugestion you can give.thank you chad

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http://i641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/captaincpfd/all517.jpg
Greenhorn
4 kids and one beagle
87 buckets
2x3 G.H. Grimm
10x14 sugarshack

[Uncle Tucker]

My ½ pint came bricked (used) and it hade a wall in it. It was about 2” from the pan, but the fire still went to the center of the pans. I had a guy cut some steel in a triangle and placed it on the wall and it pushed the heat to the back corners. I hope this link helps http://picasaweb.google.com/uncletucker/HalfPint#5216991468694765170 if not look at my pictures and look under ½ pint.

[captaincpfd]

tucker thanks for the advise i had a problem the first time i boiled. could only get the center to boil. Then i burnt it. NOT GOOD!!!!!!!! But for my first time i exspected no less. Now I'm ready to cont. on and have fun making syrup. thanks again chad

[Uncle Tucker]

Chad
Another thing I found is run less wood in the smaller fireboxes. When I first started out, I would fill the firebox with wood and watch flames shoot out of the stack. It never boiled hard until the wood would burn down, then it would boil like crazy. I tried only putting only 2 or 4 pieces of wood in and it maintained that grate boil

[captaincpfd]

thanks i will try that also see if there is a differense in the boiling. I'm a greenhorn to say and dont know only what i've read everyone on here are very helpful to make someone succeed at sugaring. I've spent many hours on here reading my other half is ready to kill me dont spend enough time with her like i do on the computer reading about sugaring but thanks to her she bought me the evaporator for a gift.

[RileySugarbush]

Tucker's idea of the steel plate on top of the firebox wall is a good one. In fact, if it extended forward to make the 1.5 or 2 inch gap longer, it would be even better.

[Dill]

If someone who understands this process. If they could just post up the how to do the subwall, benefits/disadvatages, and what kinds of evaportors this works well on. I think it would help a lot of us.

[captaincpfd]

put the wall in my evaporator today and tomorrow i'm gonna put a steel plate in about 3 inches down from the pan. Gonna leave 6 inches in the front and 2 inches in the back. Does this sound like it will make my G.H. Grimm 2x3 more efficent to evaporate more and hour? If anyone has input please im me or pm me or just post it here thanks alot chad

[RileySugarbush]

I think this is the right idea. I would raise the wall/plate a bit more to more like 1 or 1.5 inch gap, especially if you have a blower. Without a blower, 3" is about right since smaller may inhibit the draft.

I can't wait to hear your results!


edit. I just re-read your post. I like the 2"in the back. Do you mean you are extending the plate all the way to within 6" of the front of your pan? That will prove something or other. In my old 4 steam pan rig, the back pans were boiled the fastest and had no exposure to radiant heat of the fire. But they did have the hottest part of the gasses blowing past them in a narrow gap. Just like your whole pan now. Keep your fingers crossed!

[captaincpfd]

Rileysugarbush yes i'm gonna put a steel plate in on top of my firebrick then i will put one more row of brick ontop of that. Gonna leave 2" in the back and 6" in the front hope it works new at sugaring just trying to make my evaporator most efficent that it can be for me. I'm gonna use the one i just got a week ago for a few years then i will most likely upgrade to a bigger one(evaporator). Well thanks for any of the input you have and i will keep you posted how it works. Doing all of these things to spread the fire out first time boiling was bad burnt my pan in the middle two dividers not boiling on the outter two. I hope this changes things for me. thanks again chad

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90 buckets on taps and counting
10x14 sugarshack
4 kids and one beagle
2x3 G.H.Grimm and preheater
one understanding girlfriend

[johnallin]

I put a back wall in my half pint when I bricked it up. Ran it up to within 1 course of the pan and then just set bricks with 1" spacing between them, and perpindicular to the wall on the top. After some adjusting I have a full boil all across the pan.

[captaincpfd]

Finish mods to arch now waiting to try it out again hopefully with more success the second time. I put the pics on of the mods i did here they are, does it look like it will work?

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102 taps now for 09
10x14 sugarshack
4 kids and one beagle
G.H. Grimm 2x3 and preheater
one understanding girlfriend
http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/captaincpfd/mods%20to%20sugarshack%20and%20evaporator%202009/

[RileySugarbush]

That looks great! It will certainly help.

A couple of things I can't see in the photos:

Do you have a fire grate? Without one, you will end up with a pile of coals and very poor combustion. You want the air coming up through the fuel.

You may want to place a firebrick on the plate near the stack to force the heat to the back corners, like tucker did with his plate.

Set your preheater tank tipped back at a little angle so the condensation runs back and drips outside the pan. Otherwise all the heat you recover in heating up the sap is wasted by condensate dripping back into the pan and being re evaporated.

Let us know how it works!

[captaincpfd]

That looks great! It will certainly help.

A couple of things I can't see in the photos:

Do you have a fire grate? Without one, you will end up with a pile of coals and very poor combustion. You want the air coming up through the fuel.

You may want to place a firebrick on the plate near the stack to force the heat to the back corners, like tucker did with his plate.

Set your preheater tank tipped back at a little angle so the condensation runs back and drips outside the pan. Otherwise all the heat you recover in heating up the sap is wasted by condensate dripping back into the pan and being re evaporated.

Let us know how it works!

I'm just waiting for enough sap now to boil didnt run today very well. Only have about 20 gallons in the holding tank. Hopefully i get enough in the next couple of days so i can try it out. No i dont have a grate but if i find i need one i will run out and get one. And i will put a firebrick in the back to force the heat and gases around it to the corners. Like i've said before i will take all the advise i can get. Thanks for the input i sure can use it. Chad from Northern NY

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102 taps now for 09
10x14 sugarshack
2x3 G.H. Grimm and preheater
4 kids and (2beagles now Harley and Maple)
One understanding girlfriend
http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/captaincpfd/
http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu138/captaincpfd/mods%20to%20sugarshack%20and%20evaporator%202009/

[RileySugarbush]

A grate is the next thing to get, giving you the best improvement/dollar. For a start, you can get a fireplace grate anywhere. You definitely do not want firewood sitting on the floor of the firebox.