5,000 Taps on vacuum
9,400 gallons storage
3 tower CDL RO
3.5'x14' Lapierre Force 5
10" CDL Wesfab Filter Press
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The closest I've ever come to burning ships, is when I clean up around the front of the evaporator while boiling. It seems I often get a qty. of bark pieces mixed in with lots of chainsaw sawdust/chips. I sweep it and sometimes there is enough to fill a really large dustpan (industrial size). I open the door and toss it in, this does not smother the fire, it flashes immediately and burns. This however is not the same as filling the arch with chips as a main fuel. I think however, if you can add then often enough in smaller batches it could work. However I think that may keep you overly busy and detract from other things to do, along with some of the enjoyment.
Dave Klish, I recently bought a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
I was told D&G would put a larger feed tube in their pellet arch for chips if someone wanted to give it a try.
That's awesome! Nice job I really like how clean the fabrication was done.
I'm looking to use chips but on a smaller evaporator. I have a 30" x 8' forced draft unit with max combo pans. I have the clean wood, I have the chippers and trucks and even a machine to transfer chips.
I have located a chiptec boiler unit that was set up residentially and removed because they couldn't find chips. I'm hoping to some how modify this unit to fit my evaporator but I'm still learning about how to burn chips.
Steam is nothing to dabble in. Don't try to make your own. If you do use steam, buy the unit and then fit the pans with the exchange tubes. Steam in homemade rigs are a real explosion hazard. Steam has an almost unlimited force if done wrong.
Dave Klish, I recently bought a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
I wouldn't try to make my own and would have someone set it up. What I mean is my chip burner would power the boiler. A local guy 20 years ago was putting them on boilers at schools. It was a neat setup but the price of oil went down and they went back to oil. Mine is the same size as the ones that went on the 250hp boilers.
In Michigan even if you had it set up by a person with a boiler installer license you could not change a steam coil in the pan on your own. I did some checking, you would need a union worker to come in and work on the coils if they need to be removed or reinstalled. I have been told by a guy that boils with steam in Vermont that there are no regulations in Vermont and no inspections. It is completely different than Michigan.
Last edited by Mark; 05-16-2014 at 07:59 AM.
After all that being said, Bascom boils for his 60,000 taps (or maybe he's up to 80,000 now) on a single steam powered boiler. It looked to be maybe 6' x 16' (but I didn't measure it), just a single syrup pan. In each channel is a steam tube. Done right steam is a super method. As I understand it, boiling with steam you can burn the syrup nor the pans.
Dave Klish, I recently bought a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
Bascom is running 82,000 taps now and they told me it was impossible to burn the syrup.
Brandon
CDL dealer for All of West Virginia & Virginia
3x10 CDL Deluxe oil fired
Kubota M7040 4x4 Tractor w/ 1153 Loader hauling sap
2,400+ taps on 3/16 CDL natural vacuum on 9 properties
24x56 sugarhouse
CDL 1,000 2 post RO
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