can an evaporator be too big?

[40to1]

Your thoughts, please:

I'm looking to buy an evaporator for my very small (micro) sugaring operation.
Something like the Lapierre 19x36" would be fine. At 25 taps, it could easily handle all the sap I could throw at it - and since it's rated for 20-40 taps, there would still be some room to grow with it.
But I'm intrigued by something in the size of the Lapierre 18x60 (with flat and syrup pans)". Going up to the next level really gives one a lot more for the $$. Plus an 18x60 is more efficient than a 19x36.
But it's geared for 50-100 taps.

It may be one or two seasons until I can expand to 50+ taps. Until then would an 18x60 be too much evaporator?

What would you recommend?

[Haynes Forest Products]

Planning to grow is always a good thing..BUT if your doing it strictly as a hobby its no fun to not have enough sap to start the rig. Plus if all you do is start it up boil for an hr what fun is that. Nothing worse than sitting around with the buddys getting it all fired up and running at top speed only to shut it down:mad:

[tuckermtn]

need a bit more info-

what kind of evaporation rate per hour do each of the units have?

how much time per day can you devote to boiling vs. gathering, etc. ?

One thing to keep in mind is that small evaporators tend to hold their value very well.

[steve J]

On small evaporators holding their value I agree I sold my 2x3 Mason after using it for 4 years for exactly the same price I paid for it. And I had a list of nearly a dozen that were interested in it. And although I had listed it here it was craigs list that had people coming out of the wood work for it

[red maples]

the later model smaller hobby ++ (++ borderline hobby i would consider 2x6 I guess) evaps seem to always be in high demand. Bascom's is always looking for small evaps.

With the RO technology as of late you can turn 1% sap into 10%+ or more in a short period of time so for some producers that may be as many as 1000 or 1500+ taps with and RO + 2x6 or 2.5 x 8 or something.

Well keeping it hobby is tough.

If you are Possitive about putting more taps go with the bigger evap. but like haynes said be sure that you are. You don't want sap spoiling while your waiting to have enough to boil. I know the evap is already an investment but another $70 into some tubing and a few taps and you could be up around 35-40 taps that quickly. maple guys rigid tubing is the cheapest I have seen if I remember right its less than $50 for 500ft a few treesaver taps and T's a few 5 gallon buckets and you got some gravity tubing!!! don't worry your wife won't mind:evil:

[Sugarmaker]

40:1,

Heck, I have brought home 65 gallons of sap and started up the 3 x 10 and boiled it in. Yes it did not take long about 1 hour total.
The 19 x 36 may may only boil 10 gallon per hour? Thats at least 2 to 5 hours of boiling per day on 25-50 gallons of sap.
The 18 x 60 may boil at 30 GPH??

If it was me I think I would go with the 18 x 60 and find a few more taps. My bet is you will grow into the hobby.

The main thing is to scale the rig to the number of taps or time you have to boil just like tuckermnt says. And have lots of fun with setting up a new rig.

Regards,

Chris

[Russell Lampron]

Planning to grow is always a good thing..BUT if your doing it strictly as a hobby its no fun to not have enough sap to start the rig. Plus if all you do is start it up boil for an hr what fun is that. Nothing worse than sitting around with the buddys getting it all fired up and running at top speed only to shut it down:mad:

Whats wrong with only boiling for an hour or two? Most nights I only boil that long. It sure helps when I have to get up and go to my 8 to 5 job the next day. There is plenty to do before and after boiling to chew up some time.

[VT maple maker]

Theres nothing wrong with boiling for only a couple of hours. I myself like the long boils. A lot of the time it brings in lots of neighbors and company I dont normally see often. Other times its nice to have the sugar house to myself and just boil for 5 or 6 hours in peace and quiet. Of course your very busy either way but its nice to do your own thing. Plus we all wait for 10 1/2 months out of the year for sugaring season. I dont really consider a season a season unless most of my free time is up to my chin with sugaring. What else do I have to look forward to..... my day job??? hahaha!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Probably the 19 x 36 would boil around 5 gph and the 18 x 60 would probably boil around 15 to 20 gph.

[maple flats]

If you are going to boil sap, I think you should not start ther first time until you have 3x the boil rate. This will sweeten the pans to prevent freezing problems until your next boil. If you get too big of an evaporator you must wait and hold too many days sap to get started. After the first boil of the season you can boil any quantity, but realize, the more times you heat and cool the syrup the darker it gets. Dark is not bad, and has more flavor but it may get darker than you like. With this in mind I usually don't boil until I have about 5 hrs boil, unless a real cold or extended warm spell are forcast, in which case I boil what ever I have. I would suggest you start with the smaller, and sell to buy bigger as it looks like you are outgrowing the evaporator. As someone said above, small units are always in high demand. The sizes that loose resale value seem to be above about 3x8 or maybe 3x10, smaller ones in good shape hold value very well.