Cleaning paper filters...any hope?

[Groves]

Should these be considered necessarily expendable or can you use them more than one season?

[heus]

I have used the same 3 prefilters (square) and one orlon filter all season and have filtered over 100 gallons of syrup through them.

[Kev]

when you hold them up to the light and they have "thin" areas they are shot.
how long and how many filterings that may be, is up to you. how you handle cleaning them is the biggest factor.

[Groves]

how you handle cleaning them is the biggest factor.

This is what I'm after.

Do you invert and force water through? Boil? How do you get that sludge outa there?

[Kev]

AAHH
sorry
first I very gently collect as much gunk as I can with a spoon while they are still clipped in place over a pan, WHILE the gunk and residual syrup is still hot. if it has cooled do not bother.
I hold them up in the stream from the faucet with hot only water. held up hanging down like a sheet on a cloths line. I hold it about an inch and a half from the top. that way what tension is there from holding it gently streched out is not on the very edge of the filter. start rinsing back and forth at the top. with the water flowing down the syrup side of the filter not sandy side.
this way it washes the gunk off not through the filter. I continue rinsing back and forth raising the filter a little at the end of each pass. after the top part has released and looks clean. the first few passes nothing seems to happen. then it gets warm enough and it just seems to let go.and I work my way down the filter. after it all looks clean I do it again. you will see ny sryup that you missed. then I gently bring it all together, with out folding or rolling or twisting. it like a loose ball. Then i squeeze it between my hands. not gripping it just pressing my hands together, if that makes any sense. run water into it again while still holding it that way. squeeze it out good. hang it up to dry.
but I also turn the hot water heater up during the season. Oh if you are doing this like me at the kitchen sink... do not forget to clean the trap after the season is over.(reminder to self go up to dads and clean the trap in moms kitchen sink before they get home from florida!) :)

the orlon I turn inside out before rinsing then fill with hot water. then basicly do the same thing rinsing from the top around and around untill I am at the bottom.
I have trouble with getting those clear. hence I call my self a half way competent filter washer...

[Groves]

You must have a very different setup.

When my pre-filters are coming out, I've got every hand full and toes as well. I've barely got enough wherewithall to dump the contents in the correct place and fling that sucker asunder. I find it the next day a cold, hard, niter laden specimen.

I think I've found my problem.

[Kev]

You must have a very different setup.

When my pre-filters are coming out, I've got every hand full and toes as well. I've barely got enough wherewithall to dump the contents in the correct place and fling that sucker asunder. I find it the next day a cold, hard, niter laden specimen.

I think I've found my problem.

I clean my pre filters on a run into the house right after I dump the syrup I prefiltered into the orlon and covered it. Then a quick check on the evap to make sure all ok. then a dash into the house for the burning hands ritual.
worrying about the evap un attended seems to take my mind of the super hot water I have my hands in LOL

[PerryW]

I don't think I've bought any prefilters in 3 or 4 years. I have 10 or 12 I put 100+ gallons thru each season.