Here we go again... Need some help on filtering...

[hitnspit]

I know this has been asked before i just cant seem to come across it. This year i went out and bought new synthic filters and prefilters. Made 2 quarts of finished product the other day and filtering went sooooooooooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwwww. My syrup got cold before it all made it throught the cloth filter. Am i putting to much in at one time or is this a normal thing... My old filters worked better. Had better flow.... Any help or ideas would be wonderful. I held the filter over the boiling sap to help the flow... did not seem to help. Maybe im in to much of a hurry........

[concord maple]

I usually have 3 or 4 prefilters over my synthetic so as a pre starts to load up I pull it and the same with the next until everything is filtered. Goes very quickly this way.

[adk1]

I do not know what kind of evap you are running but I filter directly off of the evap..i.e. the filters are directly below my draw off port. that way the syrup is hot. no issues filteringthis way until the top prefilter gets clogged. then I just remove it and dump any remaining syrup that might be in it into the next filter etc. that is the only time that Ifilter the syrup and have had no issues yet.

[psparr]

Steam up your filters over the evaporator first.

[English River Maple]

The hotter the syrup when filtering, the easier it will filter. Generally if its 200+deg, it will be a quick process. I like the idea of drawing right off the machine and into the filter, this will be your best bet. Good luck.

[hitnspit]

I do filter right off the pan but still need to finish the syrup. I filter again and i use 2 prefilter and take it slow keep it as hot as i can. I guess i just need more practice,,, ugh

[adk1]

I do filter right off the pan but still need to finish the syrup. I filter again and i use 2 prefilter and take it slow keep it as hot as i can. I guess i just need more practice,,, ugh
If you filter off the evap you really do not need to filter it again. Just bring it up to the 180 degrees or so and bottle..

[wcproctor]

What I do is poor the finished syurp in a heat pack 5 gallon of 1 gallon jug let it sit for a day or three to let it all settle down to the bottom then poor it into the finish bottler with a pre-filter, then heat it up to 190 then bottle. I use glass and it looks as good as all the hard work.

[StayinLowTech]

I first made a holder for the filters out of steel with no sides, but it was too cold near the floor, even right beside the evaporator. Made a box with bottom top and sides to completely enclose the hanging filters and the pot below, same idea as the stainless filter tanks. It just keeps the cold air off the filter which slows down the process. Its a little faster.

[johnallin]

I do filter right off the pan but still need to finish the syrup. I filter again and i use 2 prefilter and take it slow keep it as hot as i can. I guess i just need more practice,,, ugh

Don't worry - it's not about practice...it's about making sure your filters are not dry. Get them wet and squeeze out as much water as you possibly can, you will be amazed at the difference. Note I said squeeze; if you wring or twist a wool filter it will break down and not work as well.
Good luck.

[hitnspit]

Want to thank you all so far. I will try and get it closer to finished syrup before i draw off and try to only filter 1 time and see how that goes......jim

[abbott]

I have a 12x20 canner/filter unit. I use the orlon felt with papers on top - I dip the felt in the flue pan before I start filtering. I don't even let it drip much, I just start filtering. Getting sap in the canner isn't a problem because I draw off a little thick.

Now, all that aside, last year on my first couple of boils I couldn't get the syrup to filter and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. An old timer told me that sometimes syrup just filters hard early in the season - be patient and it will get better. Turns out he was right. After a couple days the syrup was filtering great.

[Greyfox]

In my half-arsed hobby outfit I use vaccum to draw the syrup through a coffee filter. I built a simple ghetto soda-bottle rig using two 1 liter soda bottles. I cut the end off of one and place a coffee filter over that and hold in place with a large hose clamp. The other bottle I cut down about three inches from the neck, inserted a piece of 1/4" flexible tubing in the side, and siliconed it in place. Place the bottle with the filter upside down into the neck of the bottle that has the hose attatched, press down and you get a sort-of seal, then pour your syrup into the filter and add vaccum to the hose. It draws the syrup down through the filter into the bottom bottle. Works great.
If I get a chance I'll take a photo of it and post it; it makes sense if you see it but sounds preposterous as I describe it. I'm running just a couple of dozen taps so this size works for me, but it would be easy to use the concept and scale it up.

[TerryEspo]

My two cents to all of us that are small time.

If you dont have the filter presses and such, we all have our way but here is a simple tip.
Whatever way you do it, we all use two or three prefilters. I always read people saying ....when the first one gets clogged they pull it or pour all of it into the next filter,,,dont.

Just pull one side of that filter and clip it off to the side, no more liquid going into the first one, but still dripping into your container, the second filter is now catching the new fluid, but the first filter is getting heat from that, aiding in the first filter to empty. Also, the crap from filter one does not get put into filter two.

In short, dont remove first filter, clip it to the side and start pouring into the second filter.

Hope that helps someone.

Terry

[maple marc]

Thanks, Terry. I've always done the "pour into the other" shuffle. I'll try your way.

Marc

[Waynehere]

Just pull one side of that filter and clip it off to the side, no more liquid going into the first one, but still dripping into your container, the second filter is now catching the new fluid, but the first filter is getting heat from that, aiding in the first filter to empty. Also, the crap from filter one does not get put into filter two.

In short, dont remove first filter, clip it to the side and start pouring into the second filter.

Hope that helps someone.

Terry

Very interesting.... I will have to try this as well. I always assumed that all that gunk stayed in the 1st prefilter. But I have noticed that the 2nd and 3rd always seem to clog up faster. Good catch Terry...

[jake22si]

id love to see a pic of this setup
In my half-arsed hobby outfit I use vaccum to draw the syrup through a coffee filter. I built a simple ghetto soda-bottle rig using two 1 liter soda bottles. I cut the end off of one and place a coffee filter over that and hold in place with a large hose clamp. The other bottle I cut down about three inches from the neck, inserted a piece of 1/4" flexible tubing in the side, and siliconed it in place. Place the bottle with the filter upside down into the neck of the bottle that has the hose attatched, press down and you get a sort-of seal, then pour your syrup into the filter and add vaccum to the hose. It draws the syrup down through the filter into the bottom bottle. Works great.
If I get a chance I'll take a photo of it and post it; it makes sense if you see it but sounds preposterous as I describe it. I'm running just a couple of dozen taps so this size works for me, but it would be easy to use the concept and scale it up.

[MapleLady]

Would too like to see a photo of Greyfox' filter set up using 2 liter bottles.

[Greyfox]

I'm at the day-job today, but I'll try to get a shot of the rig this weekend and post as soon as I can. It's REALLY simple, but hard to explain. And the best thing is the cost.....ZERO $!

[log cabin luke]

I have tried many methods over the years and come up with what works for me. I can not stand filtering through wool cone filters, just takes to long. Last year i got so fed up I desided to take a few nice cotton t shirts that I had and tryn them out. I was very happy with there performance. The syrup goes through fast and easy. I filtere 80 gallons this way, sold most of the syrup to repeat customers and did not get one complaint about the syrup. I would not recomend it for bottling in glass because it doesn't get perfect but I bet it gets close to 90% as good as through the wool. It filters easily 5 times faster than through wool. I plan on fitering this way for ever. I did pack some in glass a few months later after it was really settled and the glass was fine. i strongly recomend to anyone not bottleing in glass to through that wool away and grab a few t shirts. wife beaters are to thin. go for the haines!

[marktripp]

I have tried many methods over the years and come up with what works for me. I can not stand filtering through wool cone filters, just takes to long. Last year i got so fed up I desided to take a few nice cotton t shirts that I had and tryn them out. I was very happy with there performance. The syrup goes through fast and easy. I filtere 80 gallons this way, sold most of the syrup to repeat customers and did not get one complaint about the syrup. I would not recomend it for bottling in glass because it doesn't get perfect but I bet it gets close to 90% as good as through the wool. It filters easily 5 times faster than through wool. I plan on fitering this way for ever. I did pack some in glass a few months later after it was really settled and the glass was fine. i strongly recomend to anyone not bottleing in glass to through that wool away and grab a few t shirts. wife beaters are to thin. go for the haines!

So what if you used the T-shirt then a filter? I'm new at this so I'm trying to learn.

[log cabin luke]

You could always try till filter it further with one of the store bought felts. if you desire alittle more filtering I would just use 2 t shirts or cotton cloth. i haven't heard anyone else doing this but it works.

[Springfield Acer]

I am in my third year and always used wool. My first two runs of syrup this year have come out cloudy. I have two wool filters and I used one on the first batch and the other on the next batch (with four paper filters) but still slightly cloudy when last year my syrup was crystal clear.
Do the wool filters not last long?
I do not wring mine out; just squeeze when rinsing out. I just do a hot water rinse to clean.:confused:

[adk1]

I have heard that you might get 2 seasons out of the filters but that is it I guess. I have already decided to buy 2 new synthetic filters every year.. In my opinion, you can never get them clean enough. I boiled mine last year at the end of the year and they still got mold on them..I have also heard that the synthetic filters do a better job over the wool. As a matter of fact, I dont even think Leader sells the wool ones anymore

[Greyfox]

id love to see a pic of this setup

I just uploaded a quick video of my set-up to youtube. You can see it here:
http://youtu.be/TUhQruGOXCs
It's a simple, cheap and easy filter for a hobby operation. I hope you like it.

[Run Forest Run!]

Greyfox, that was great! Thanks.:)

[mrnoodle]

Greyfox, that is awesome. I'm going to take it a step further and use a styrofoam minow bucket instead of a paint pail, to keep the syrup warm. For that matter, an aquarium pump might do the job for preasure.

[mrnoodle]

Greyfox, that is awesome. I'm going to take it a step further and use a styrofoam minow bucket instead of a paint pail, to keep the syrup warm. For that matter, an aquarium pump might do the job for preasure.

[mrnoodle]

Are people suggesting using layers of prefilters without the heavier synthetic? or using both together, plus layers of prefilter?