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Thread: Downsizing Considerations & Divided Flue Pan?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Gelert, Ontario
    Posts
    6

    Default Downsizing Considerations & Divided Flue Pan?

    Hi folks,

    Just getting ready to start pulling taps this year. Still lots of season left up here, but my day job has become so busy I just don't have time to boil anymore. I'm already wondering about next year, and thinking I should scale it back. With my day job, cattle, and other commitments, I just don't have the time to run the number of taps I'd like to.

    I'm thinking about a smaller & simpler evaporator so I don't have to run enough taps to keep my old 3X14 Grimm covered. It would also be pretty handy to boil closer to home, rather than in the sugar house in the bush 40 minutes away from heat, power, the house, & family. There's a guy not far from me who makes smaller flued pans. Nothing fancy, but more than adequate for what I'm thinking. I'm thinking of getting one of his 20" x 36" drop-flue pans and making my own 20" x 12" cross-flow divided syrup pan (if I can convince my brother to give me back my TIG welder). I'd build an airtight arch for both, giving me a 20" x 48" evaporator. I figure it should be adequate to scale down to 40-80 taps: Just enough to have fun and give the kids some idea what it's all about. It would also allow me to tap in my small bush that's closer to home and boil in a 12' x 16' shed right next to the house. Any thoughts on this plan? I welcome any input. I work at a steel supply/fab company, so building the arch and syrup pan myself are no problem. The flued pan w/ float box looks like it'll run me about $1100 (Canadian).

    Further to that, when I was looking at the flue pans he makes, I noticed that they're divided/continuous flow - much more so than you typically see. He has a divider on the top of every other flue. Can't remember for sure how many flues, but I think the sap does 5 passes to get across his 20" pan. All the major manufacturers only have one divider in the flue pan (at least with these smaller widths).

    I got wondering why that is? Why don't folks like D&G, SL, Thor, etc., put more dividers in the flue pans and make the sap traverse a longer distance before hitting the syrup pan? Too hard to keep a continuous gradient with the uneven heat at the sides of the arch? I'm sure there's a reason, but can't really think what it would be. Any thoughts/speculation greatly appreciated.
    Last edited by DanielS.; 03-15-2023 at 12:27 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    MA
    Posts
    588

    Default

    Generally speaking, the greater the distance sap travels, the better gradient you will get. Extra dividers cost extra money so big manufacturers omit them.
    60ish taps on buckets
    D&G Sportsman 18x63
    Turbo RB15 RO Bucket

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Red Bay Ontario
    Posts
    191

    Default

    I have a 2x6 evaporator and the 2x4 drop flue has two dividers in it. Once it’s running strong you can see the difference in gradient. I’m not really sure I’d gain anything by having more dividers in it. Might actually slow my flow down to the syrup pans to much when running the pan lvls low. Causing me to have to run higher lvl or add a second float. Just a thought
    225 taps 180 on vac 45 on natural gravity lines.
    2x6 drop flue with auto draw.
    Home built 3 x400gpd ro
    2017 kubota M7060hdcc12
    2019 can am defender


    2017- first year 80 taps 22x36 home made arch and pan.

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