I didn't accumulate as much firewood last spring as usual. I was wondering if anyone out there burns wood pellets in a block arch?
Burning wood pellets in block arch?
I didn't accumulate as much firewood last spring as usual. I was wondering if anyone out there burns wood pellets in a block arch?
2024 - 16 taps - buckets on our best producing trees, still boiling on a block arch with slight modifications/refinements over the years.
2021 - 25 taps - all buckets
2013-2020 - 30/41 taps: discovering which trees were the best producers
2012 - First year - 21 taps in our backyard - block arch evaporator with 3 steam table pans!
Pallets are great. They burn realllly hot, but fast. You have to be careful though. Only burn pallets that are stamped "HT"....Heat Treated. I think all pallets have to be treated...most are chemical treated. Don't burn those.Originally Posted by MapleLady
sbedilion-I think MapleLady meant Pellets as in pellet stove, or at least that's how it was spelled.
oops...hahaha
Yes. I meant pellets -- like the type used in a pellet stove. I have seen inserts for a fireplace and standard woodstove, but wondered if anyone had tried that with a block arch. My arch is insulated with firebrick and I am using 3 steam table pans on top. I have a sheet metal door on the front that is far from air tight, so I thought that those pellets might burn well in that scenario. Just thinking of a different way to handle fuel while boiling.
2024 - 16 taps - buckets on our best producing trees, still boiling on a block arch with slight modifications/refinements over the years.
2021 - 25 taps - all buckets
2013-2020 - 30/41 taps: discovering which trees were the best producers
2012 - First year - 21 taps in our backyard - block arch evaporator with 3 steam table pans!
I suspect you might go broke making syrup using wood pellets. Aren't they meant to burn long and slow? I don't think they would burn hot enough to boil sap
Dave Barker
2014 30 taps, steam tray pans
2015 ~100 taps, in conjunction with University of Louisville
2x5 Smoky Lake hybrid pan
2022 150 taps
I too was wondering if they would burn hot enough to keep my pans boiling.... I suppose if it was a good source of fuel, a lot more people would be using it?
I am a bit low on my usual source of dried pine and hardwood mix and like to save my best wood for the house. Next summer, I will need to plan better.
2024 - 16 taps - buckets on our best producing trees, still boiling on a block arch with slight modifications/refinements over the years.
2021 - 25 taps - all buckets
2013-2020 - 30/41 taps: discovering which trees were the best producers
2012 - First year - 21 taps in our backyard - block arch evaporator with 3 steam table pans!
They will work fine. But you need a " burn pot" for them and a way to keep it full as they burn. There are full size evaporators being produced by the big mfg s that burn pellets. An auger with a supply and a cast "pot" with a blower in the bottom will get you started.
You will not be able to put a pile on the ground, light them , and expext them to burn hot.
2008 4 buckets
~
2016 1300 vac tubing
18x24 sugar shack
2x6 Grimm Lightning w/preheater on natural gas
7" full bank press
CDL 600 RO
2000 Sonoma w/ 200gal tank
2003 Duramax w/ 500 gal tank
2 sap guzzling kids
very patient wife!
Same ol' addiction
A friend of mine gave me a full bag of pellets. I plan to create some type of burn pot and experiment with them later this week.
2024 - 16 taps - buckets on our best producing trees, still boiling on a block arch with slight modifications/refinements over the years.
2021 - 25 taps - all buckets
2013-2020 - 30/41 taps: discovering which trees were the best producers
2012 - First year - 21 taps in our backyard - block arch evaporator with 3 steam table pans!
MapleLady, our house pellet stove had enough blower air flow directed at the burning pellets to tumble the pellets (and sometimes even blow them straight out of the burn pot!). The bottom of the burn pot was perforated small enough to keep pellets from falling through but allowed ash to fall into the ash pan below. On one occasion I tried to light them in a small pile on the ground...no go! If I remember right they needed air blown onto them to stay burning proper.
Matt
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote