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ok so if i got this right, i have a 24in pan, i would drill a series of whole front and back run pipe down to the hammer arrestor and a pip to the other end two another arrestor wich then another pipe would complete the run back into the pan at the opposing end.. if this is correct coulde i use 1in pipe and keep them 1in appart?? and how much evap increase do you for see me getting out of a 2ft x 4ft pan with say 20 of these drop tubes??
sounds like an awesome idea..
Maple Rookie. You drill 1 inch holes in the pan or better yet cut them and flare the top of the water hammer arrestor and drop it thru the hole and solder it in. it is just a tube dropped down the few inches in length of the arrestor. The sap basically boils in the tube faster since it is copper and attacts heat better and drops down so the whole circumference is exposed to the heat. You can also use one inch tubeing and either cap the end after you drop it through the hole in the pan or squeeze the end shut on the tube and solder it and then drop it through the pan. The pictures of the process explain it a lot better.
Another idea brought up was to drop the tubes down through the pan and attach two of them toghether with a short peice of tubeing and elbows. I am thinking you could then run less tubes through the pan and rely on the surface area of the connected tubes to heat the sap. What I also wonder is just how hard the sap boils up out of the tubes and if it splashes a lot. I can see mini geysers all over the pan. Riley might know the answer to that.
After searching for water hammer arrestors all over I have found they don't sell them up here. The only ones we have here have a piston in them and sell for close to $90 bucks. Will have to use pipe as they don't sell 1 inch tubeing up here either I am told. I have another idea also if I can figure out how to cut 2.5 inch holes.
find a guy that has the hole punch kit that they use to cut into elec panels. The only reason I have one is I found a complete set of them on the side of the road. They will cut/punch a perfict hole every time. Using a hole saw will only get you a sloppy over size hole that will piss you off. The reason that hole saws cut such sloppy holes is the sheet metal cant keep the pilot drill in place because it wallows out as it cuts. There is a trick but its a bitch to do if you drill thru the sheet metal and then into a thick block of steel with the sheet metal clamped onto the block of steel you can get a better hole slow slow slow oil oil oil
I tried to find a Greenlee punch up here and no dice either. I think they use another name for them up here. Can find them on US web sites. I used them years ago when I did electrical work and the electricians still have them but how the find them beats me.
Sorry I haven't been paying attention...
Ken has it right regarding the drop tubes. Click on my name and select "visit homepage and you should be able to find a bunch of photos of how I made my drop tube pans.
Any sheet metal shop should have Greenlee punches or equal. Even in Canada.
The sap does jump out of these vigorously!
check mcmasters.com or grainger.com for greenlee punchs.there both maintenance supply com. and i no at one time they both carried them!
Thanks Spiledriver. Turns out the other name for them is a knockout punch which is waht they call them up here. I needed another name for them inorder to find them up here.Quote:
Originally Posted by SPILEDRIVER
I have used "step drill bits" with good results to put darn near perfect holes in sheet metal. Installed a port for a thermometer in my half pint pan with one last year and it worked great.
Just make sure you back the pan up with a piece of wood (2 x 6 or close), keep the pan and the wood clamped together nice and tight and the bit will bite into the pan and the wood without wobbling. With some practice you should have some nice round holes.
Should be able to find one for less than McMaster Carr prices but here is link
http://www.mcmaster.com/#step-drill-bits/=22ky8e
I have the step drills already and if I could not rent a knockout punch would have resorted to useing it instead. The best place to buy stuff like the knockout punchs closed May 13 up here and I haven't found another outlet for them yet. I can also use a 1 inch drill bit if I use wood or two peices of steel with 1 inch holes drilled in them as guides.