Finally getting my cone filter to work

[Sterlingsapper]

I only filter about a gallon at a time from my oil tank evaporator, but I've always had trouble with slow and clogged filters. I read a lot of posts with the similar issue and tried wetting the filters and using multiple prefilters. Then I read about heat and it's effect on filtering and it gave me the idea that it is wet and hot that gets the job done. So I cut the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and made wire holders to hang the filter inside. I set this bucket on top of a large pot of with a couple of inches of boiling water as I finish off the syrup on another burner. When the syrup is ready, I place a smaller pot in the larger one to catch the syrup, and I put the bucket with the filter inside back on top. Then I pour in the syrup and the hot syrup and steam keeps the filters flowing. Once all the syrup is in the filter, i cover the top of the bucket. My syrup is coming out crystal clear in no time. I appreciate all the great info on this forum and hope this helps other small time producers!

[Michael Greer]

Post a picture of this rig sometime. It sounds good and inexpensive too.

[802maple]

Sounds good the only thing I would be concerned about would be if you are putting enough moisture through the use of the steam to dilute the syrup below the proper density. Let us know.

[adk1]

when I first start my evap and get the steam a flowing I hang my filter with three pre-filters inside of it over my flu pan..this gets the filter moist. Before I set it up to draw into, I take my scoop and dump in a few scoops from my flu pan to really get it soaked and lit it run back into the flu pan. then I set it up under my draw off valve to draw into.
This year though I am going to a flat filter tank/bottler. You lose alot of syrup in those cone filters when you clean them.

[lastwoodsman]

Larry gave me a great tip this yr with cone filters.

After filtering and before washing in hot water swish the filter back and forth in the flu pan to get all the sweet out of it. Then turn it inside out and wash in hot water.

Saves a lot of sweet doing it this way and it is easier to clean.
Woodsman

[farmall h]

The only problem with that Lastwoodsman is your filtering the same stuff over again if you rinse off in the flu pan. Buy an assortment of filters and prefilters. Once you have finished filtering for the night throw them in a plastic bag..take home and throw them in the washing machine...NO detergent. I have an old Maytag appartment sized washer that we use only for sugaring. A filter press is in the future!

[whatever]

what if you took the filter holder with filter still in it and set it in your pan and scooped hot sap into the filter over and over until all the sweet is out ,leaving only thesand in the filter. This would obviously be done as a new batch of sap is heating up but not yet boiling enough as to not to be able to see due to steam? I see i typw like i talk, hope it makes sense.

[Ed R]

I just hang my used prefilters in the steam hood and let them steam steep until the sweet is out of them.