filter caner unit VS. Filter press

[michiganfarmer2]

Ive had a filter press for abuot 5 years now. It does a fantastic job, but no one will use it except me. What happens is if someone els is boiling, they put the syrup in buckets, it cools off, then I have to reheat it to filter it. Im thinking about buying or building one of those water jacketed combination filter/canner units. My thought is whoever is boiling can take syrup from the drawoff, pour it in the filter while its still hot, the water jacket heater will keep the syrup hot, and if someone els comes along they can can it up. Easy peasy. I dont can much in glass so having pefectly clear syrup shouldnt be an issue.

Does anyone els make a few hundred gallons of syrup and use this method? WHat do yo think?

[maplwrks]

Get someone else to boil for you!! I think it comes down to your help feeling comfortable with operating the rig and pressing syrup at the sane time. You should try to make the filtering process as simple as possible. Do you draw syrup into a drawoff tank? If you did, they may like using the press, as it just becomes a flick of a switch to filter.

[Amber Gold]

I use a drawoff tank and wouldn't do it any other way. While the press is running, it frees me up to fire the evap. and do other things. It can take a few minutes to filter some draws and I don't have the time to be holding the hose in the bucket while it does it.

Presses are fairly simple to operate. If they can operate the evap., why not the press? I'd trust someone w/ a press long before my syrup pan.

[michiganfarmer2]

My draw offs are on opposite side of the syrup pan. I guess I could use one draw off tank, put it under the closer draw off, and pipe the far side draw off under the evaporator over to the tank.

[michiganfarmer2]

how do you test the syrup as it comes off the evaporator with a hydrometer if it goes directly into a tank?

[maplwrks]

My draws are usually large enough that I can float the hydrometer in the drawoff tank. My drawoff tank only holds 7-8 gallons. Once the syrup has been standardized, I flick the switch and the syrup goes through a press and into a barrel.

[Amber Gold]

I move the drawoff tank from one side to the other and the suction hose is long enough to go under the evap. I draw off a touch heavy, so being light isn't an issue. I have a large s/s ladle that I use to scoop syrup into the hydro cup, and like Mike, adjust density and turn the switch and walk away until the tank's empty.

[michiganfarmer2]

I will consider this ambergold. THank you

Another goal I have is to be able to make syrup without electricity. I forgot to mention that orginally. ..and I know I have an RO that needs electricity. Im one of those people who are concerned that modern society may collaps someday, or some huge natural disaster may happen, or some freak electric grid faillier.... I wanna be able to make syrup without electricity if I need to

[brookledge]

I thought about my dependency on electricity this year. I use about 60-70 amps @220V. Every aspect of my operation uses electricity. But to go off the grid and have a generator or other source of power would be very expensive. This year my electricity was $300. Divede by the syrup I made = about 50 cents per gal of syrup. As for this thread I think you have the right idea. Keep the syrup as warm as you can and then you can run it through the press later. I know it cost money to reheat syrup. But unless you take it right from the evaporator through the press and into your barrel you are going to have to reheat it one way or another. I also feal I had more lost syrup when I used filter tanks. I always ended up with a small amount in the bottom of the cone filter that I'd throw away. But nothing is lost with the press
Keith

[PerryW]

how do you test the syrup as it comes off the evaporator with a hydrometer if it goes directly into a tank?

I have a 10 gallon filter canner that sits directly under my drawoff valve, but with enough room to fill a test cup. I keep filling cups and checking density throughout the entire drawoff.


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