e-Vaporator

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Electric stoves are easy to find on Craigslist or in trading times free for hauling or $ 50. 2 steam pans or one large stainless pan on that outside in a lean too or small sugarhouse would make a lot of syrup in a season for not much $$$ for electric. I think most pull 50 amps and that includes oven running, so will all burners on high, it would probably pull well below that. I would guess it would evaporate off 5 gph. If you could build a large stainless pan with sides about 12 to 16" high, you could leave it alone and just check it every 1 to 2 hours and add sap to it. If you wanted to maintain a constant flow going into it, 5 gallon bucket or a small barrell or other larger container with a small piece of copper pipe and a valve could keep a constant stream flowing into it.

[Fyreaway]

is the increased evaporation rate because of the additional energy applied or from the wind?

I'm guessing that an increase in evaporation rate is a combination of both. Perhaps clearing the steam faster allows more molecules to escape the liquid phase. I always thought that a steam hood was more for channeling the steam out of the sugar house but in doing so it also clears the interface at the liquid surface. Makes sense then that it would increase the evap rate.

[Fyreaway]

Electric stoves are easy to find on Craigslist...

I'll bet that getting 5 gph from an electric stove would be very doable. Assuming an average of 2000 watts per burner there's a bunch of energy waiting to be converted into syrup. Using deep pans would allow the system to run unattended for some time but I assume that the evap rate is better running the sap less deep. My first few years making syrup were on a gas stove using four half size hotel pans. I had a siphon setup so I added sap to one pan and it worked its' way around the stove to the last pan. The siphon was much more fun to imagine than it was to use. Bubbles from the boil would migrate into the tubing and break the siphon. It was a bit of work but it was really fun to watch.

If you sell it right, you might be able to install an electric stove on the back deck and convince your SO that it's for summer time cooking!

[Cedar Eater]

Electric stoves are easy to find on Craigslist or in trading times free for hauling or $ 50. 2 steam pans or one large stainless pan on that outside in a lean too or small sugarhouse would make a lot of syrup in a season for not much $$$ for electric.

Putting the burner in the liquid is way more efficient than putting the burner beneath the pan that the liquid is in, especially if you insulate the outside of the pan to minimize heat loss. That's the beauty of using a water heater element in the pan. The pan itself never has to get hotter than the liquid, only the element has to do that. One of the problems with propane that the e-Vaporator overcomes is the loss of heat up the sides of the pan. Electric burners outside the pan has the same problem. I have an electric stove/oven available to me that I'm going to convert into a food smoker, if my kitchen sink performs as well as I hope.

[Locust Farms]

Dwight,
It takes about 40-45 minutes to bring 6 gallons of sap at 40° to a nice boil. The nice thing is that it starts to steam at about 120° so I know I'm already making syrup! Watching the aggressive boil in a shallow pan is both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. The first time I saw it I really wished I didn't have to run so far to unplug it.

According to my calculations , nearly 40% of your heat pontential could be lost through pan sides and ends without proper insulation.
Will build a test unit to see how evap rate can be increased. Will post results
Sap to syrup ratio 84-1 this year.
Dwight

[Fyreaway]

...nearly 40% of your heat pontential could be lost...

I had no idea the losses could be that high. Any idea what kind of insulation is going to work best? We don't need the high temp stuff used in a fire box so that should open up a whole bunch of possibilities.

[Locust Farms]

Foil covered fiberglass , foil towards tank,outer wrap with double bubble reflective insulation. Is what comes to mind.
As we Need to address both radiant & physical heat flow.

Dwight

[Cedar Eater]

My cousin who welded on my sink is intrigued by the idea of building and selling these, probably as just pans, so the buyer can choose his own heating element, valve, support frame, etc. I've already suggested a thermowell near the draw off and a grounding lug near the port for the heating element. Any other ideas?

[TrapperX]

This was such a great read and didn't notice it stopped on page 10

I was wondering Fyreaway did you make any improvements for this year?

[Fyreaway]

I was wondering Fyreaway did you make any improvements for this year?

The only improvement so far is making a fitted cradle for the vessel. The cradle is lined with foil faced bubble wrap insulation. If I see an improvement in evap rate I may go for a more insulated box. As always... it's a work in progress.