pre heater

[PARKER MAPLE]

ok so i got a 2x3 flue pan on my 2x6 rig, know im wondering if i could make a 2x3 flat bottom pre heater pan, that would sit directly above the flue pan, and gravity feed it into the flue pan. will it get hot enough or at least warm enough to not slow down my boil??any ideas. thanks m.r.

[KenWP]

You have to make sure the steam dosn't condense on the bottom of it and rip back into the evaporator. Hard enough to boil the water off once let alone twice. Somebody here should be able to come up with some ideas for you.

[3rdgen.maple]

If you put a pan on top of your flue pan it will definately preheat your sap but I think you will get a significant amount of steam dripping back into the flue pan therefore voiding out any evaporation rates you will gain. I would think if your holding tank is high enough Maybe you could run some copper pipe in series above your flue pan and then piped into your float box. I do not think it would vapor lock but maybe soeone on here who has tried that could lend some advice.

[PARKER MAPLE]

So Put The Coper Pipe In A Coil Around The Inside Of The Flue Pan Then Directly Into Float Box???

[Gary R]

Maplerookie,

The evaporator manufactures make parallel flow preheaters. Many traders here have them. Search old threads for some pictures. I am building one right now. I copied it after seeing one in person. It can have a pan or individual gutters to catch the condensate off of the tubing. I'm going with the gutters. Most get temperature of preheat to 200. I have a picture off my tubing portion at this thread at post #54. That part was easy to make. It's the brackets and gutter that been challenging.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?t=3621

I don't have a float box. Someone will have to help you on that one.