Leader American Style Pans

[briansickler]

I just bought a new 2x6 leader evaporator a couple of weeks ago for next year. They had to order the pans which were going to be wse style pans. I ended up calling them today and ordering the Amrican style pans instead. It cost me an additional $1100. I think I'll be much happier with these pans over the WSE pans. Does anyone have any experience with these american style pans? Let me know how you like them.....Thanks

[Sbascom]

I dont have personal experience with those pans, but have seen them side by side and the american set is much better then the WSE set. I think you will be very happy that you went that route.

[vtsnowedin]

What made you change your mind between your first order and now?

[briansickler]

I got looking at leader's web site and figured since I'm in this deep I might as well go for a better set of pans. I plan on keeping this rig for a long time and don't want to have any regrets down the road. Some of the features that clinched the deal are:
1. Higher sided pans...the flue pan sides are 15"
2. The drop flue pan has 2 more flues than wse pans
3. The flue pan has a drain..... wse does not
4. You don't have to turn the syrup pan around to switch flow like the wse pan
just switch 2 plugs around and keep on rollin'.
5. The American pans just seem to be better built and more of a commercial or
professional type pan.

I guess I've really got the syrup bug and want to do it up right. New sugarhouse plans are dancin around in my head as I am typing these words....Is this normal?

[Haynes Forest Products]

When I go to my storage area to get equipment I see $50,000 boats, $80,000 RVs and 1/2 finished hot rods I think about the $25,000 I have in my operation and that includes the 2.5 acres. You will never lose with the right/best equipment and I dont think you will ever have more fun with family and friends.

[JohnsSugarShack]

Brian, I think you'll be very happy with the change. I also looked at the WSE and decided to go with patriot pans (raised flue) instead of the WSE pans for some of the same reasons you mentioned. This was my first year with my new setup, with out even trying I could get 25 gallons an hour and if I paid attention to the stack temp it would stay at 30 gallons per hour. When I talked to the sales rep at Leader last April he felt that the drop flue had a little better heat transfer but my mind was stuck on raised flues, so that's what I ended up with. Either way the pans are definitely built better, you'll be happy.:D

[johnallin]

When it came time to move up from the 1/2 pint the WSE was ok but I went with the Patriot raised flue pans for the same reasons as you are thinking over.

You won't go wrong with a better set of pans and will soon forget just exactly what you paid for them, but the quality will be there for as long as you use them.

[sapman]

I've got American pans in a 2.5x8. I really like them. The high sides are much nicer than the King I used to have. That's really the only advantage over my old pans. Oh, and of course American is welded, like all new equipment.

[tapper]

I have the American pans on a 2 1/2 x 8 also. This was my 4th season with them and absolutely no complaints! Team them up with an inferno arch and you will have a sap drinking monster.

[briansickler]

Tapper, That's a nice rig you have there. I checked out your photos...I am now thinking of adding the preheater and hood to the rig I ordered. These photos really confirmed that I did the right thing upgrading to the American pans overe the wse pans....Thanks, Brian

[tapper]

Brian,
Definitely get the hood. I tried to boil without a hood on my old 2x6 just for the heck of it and found out right away that a hood is a must. A front hood is at the top of my wish list. I ordered the 2 1/2 x 8 with a preheater. It does a good job but not near as good as the steamaway that I replaced it with.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I have a set of 2x8 Welded American pans and I have no complaints on them. As far as design of each pan, they are tremendous and they way they are designed is far better than WSE. Nothing at all I would change on them as quality is tremendous, you can't even hardly tell they were even welded, look like they were just formed.

[briansickler]

Brian,
Definitely get the hood. I tried to boil without a hood on my old 2x6 just for the heck of it and found out right away that a hood is a must. A front hood is at the top of my wish list. I ordered the 2 1/2 x 8 with a preheater. It does a good job but not near as good as the steamaway that I replaced it with.

I ordered both hoods and a parallel flow preheater for my rig. Can't wait to get them. I'll be like a kid on Christmas morning when they come in. Please don't tell She Who Tries To Rules Me.:lol: I plan to tell her I won them in a drawing. :D

[tapper]

HaHa good deal! It is almost Christmas she might even believe that Santa brought them!

[briansickler]

Hey Tapper,

I don't see any pictures in your album of your rig with the steamaway on it....I'd like to see that. I'm hoping to have a steamaway for the 2012 season.

I see you have an auto drawoff. How does that work when you reverse flow? Do you have to have another probe and valve in the other side?

Brian

[tapper]

Brian,
I just updated the sugaring album and there are a few pics of rig with steamaway now. Forget the preheater and go with the staemaway now.
I dont switch sides I get away with that by cleaning the pans often. If cleaning wasnt an option I could just add another selenoid valve as the probe wire is long enough to reach the far side.

[briansickler]

Nice ! ! ! What is the total height with the steamaway and hood on it? I'm building a new sugarhouse...Maybe I should plan on more height in order to have my feed tank high enough. I can't swing the steamaway this year. New sugarhouse takes priority. 20' x 30' house is in the planning stage. Hope to start building next week. Considering pole type building or possibly building on a slab. Any input is welcome and appreciated from all.

Brian

[tapper]

8 feet high including the piece of stack welded to the top of the hood.
Go with a pole structure and pour the slab inside of and not around the poles. Keep the slab free to come and go as it will.

[briansickler]

Tapper,
What is the height to the top of the float box on the steamaway? That will tell me how high to allow for my feed tank. Thanks.
Brian

[tapper]

The top of float box is approx. 6 feet off of floor. The top of my feed tank base is 7 feet off of the floor.