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Thread: is preheater really worth it?

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Kronenwetter, WI
    Posts
    7

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    Preheat by all means. The other day I did 11 gph in my first hour with a 2x3 pan.

    But the pan had some help. I had 4 buffet pans on turkey fryers going at the same time.
    I only had 20 gal of sap to work with so I emptied those buffet pans pretty quick so didn't use much propane at all and never lost the boil.

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    159

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    Trapper 2 -
    With your preheater pan on top of your main pan, do you get condensation dripping back into the main pan?
    2017 - 20ish taps on buckets, boiling outside in two baking pans
    2018 - 70+ taps, 14-buckets, 50+ on tubing, homemade arch from oil tank in my barn, 17 gal syrup
    2019 - same set up, 20 gal syrup
    2020 - less taps, short season, but RO kit was fantastic! 6 gal syrup and a maple cat!
    2021/22/23 - expanded into the neighbors yards! 50 taps on buckets and 40 taps on tubing

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Canaan NH
    Posts
    373

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    From an engineering and physics perspective, you're not gaining anything unless you catch the condensate before it drips back into the pan. That was my experience back in the day too. I saw a noticeable difference when I jacked up the preheater pan and started channeling the condensate off into a bucket on the side.
    Boulder Trail Sugaring
    150 Taps on Vacuum
    Homemade 20"x40" Hybrid Pan - 15 gph
    Homemade Steamaway - 10 gph
    Waterguys single-post RO

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