What am I doing wrong when filtering

[Cindee]

I filter off the evaporator into a pot, For filters I use a synthetic white one and a pre-filter on top of that and within 10 minutes I am clogged and then the fun starts. Last night I had 4 of these pairs of filters with me and went through them all, finally gave up, just went with a pre-filter and again I couldn't get it dripping without babysitting it. My pre-filters are new. Anyway, I then do the finishing and when it is at the right hydrometer reading I filter again using the same sets, orlon filter and pre-filter, Start out good and then comes to a stand still and can take over an hour for a gal and a half of finished syrup. My last batch looked great in the pot as it was cooking and while I was bottling it. I use a glass jar for the first jar because I watch the color of syrup from one batch to another and it clouded right up. What happened. I am starting to get turned off with the finishing because of the length of time I spend filtering and washing filters and trying again, and again and then wind up with cloudy syrup, so now I have 16 pints I have to open, heat back up and UGH.....refilter...Can anyone help me. I see where some use 4-6 prefilters, I can't get it to drain through one.

[spencer11]

Wet the filters in the pan of hot sap before using, and make sure you have 5+ prefilters on top of your orlan. And as the first prefilters starts to clog take it off. Filtering right off the evaporator should be very easy sinc the syrup is screaming hot

[Shawn]

Your not alone in this area. All I can tell you is we used mason jars a lot when we started. We use a light paper filter to filter the sap coming into the holding tank in the shed, I then was told by an old timer that uses T-Shirts (yep) that he buys like at Wal-Mart and cuts the backs and fronts out of. So we gave it a try. We use them for our draw off pails holding them with close pins. We draw off when when have the syrup aproning and then dump into a large holding conatiner as in a turkey fryer pot. This draw off syrup is filter through two set of the T-Shirts. When we get around three gallons in the holding pot we bring it back up to boil and use our hydrometer to thicken the syrup up to a finish and then dump into our canning canister in which we use a wool filter. I also found that after several or one year its time to get rid of those after so many cleanings etc. The T-Shirts I wash after each night in the washing machine with only hot water in which some say is good or not good but we do it this way. Prior to using any of the filters for draw off or dumping into the turkey pot and then in the canister to bottle up I soak them in the back preheater pan in hot sap and then squeeze them to get the sap/water out. We have started to get away from the mason jars and have learned that each year with us anyways to buy new seals no matter how many we had left from the year before. Also we check the screw caps as sitting around and moisture seems to see rust appear on the screw caps. We went to jugs two years ago and still use some mason jars but it seems in the jugs the syrup stays better. I also as of this year started to put our finish syrup right into a frig that I have in my garage. So far it had worked well for us. Dont give up.:cool:

[red maples]

I didn't even have to read throught the whole thing. here it what you do

1. use 4-5 prefilters on top of the syn (short for synthetic) filter.
2. using hot sap or hot water(not syrup yet ) what ever put a little on the filters to wet them. by a little I mean no more than a cup don't worry it won't thin you syrup.
3. right after you have them wet add your hot syrup and cover it let it set for a second, don't add anymore syrup to this.
4. lift the cover when the first syrup you put on goes through remove a layer of pre-filter and repeat step 3.


what is happening is your prefilter is getting clogged up so no more syrup will pass through it. you may need to change several prefilters for a gallon and a 1/2 of syrup depending on much niter there is. the important things to remember are the syrup must be hot, and keep it cover to keep the syrup on the filter hot. don't do too much at one time. and if you see it taking too long for syrup to go through its time to put on a new synthetic filter. keep adding prefilters when you get to the last one.


Also what I do is I keep a bucket of about a gallon or 2 of sap handy and as I remove the prefilters the first rinse is in the sap this will remove any sugar in them. then when you finished filtering your syrup and remove it from the pot rinse your filters in the sap and filter it through dirty synthetic filter and prefilters sap as you would the syrup although its thin cold to remove the niter, let it sit over night and the remaining niter will settle and pour off the sap into your evap. then you loose no syrup at all!!!

[PerryW]

I would build some kind of a box around the filter unit to keep it hot. Even a wood frame with cardboard attached would help.

Or you could just let the syrup sit for a couple days and the nitre will settle out. Just pour off the clear syrup. I have an old 30 gallon settling tank for this purpose long ago..

[Cindee]

Thanks all for your great suggestions, this gives me something to think about and tweak next year. Because time is running out and the trees are running like bulls I am trying the steaming of the filters. I have my biggest canning pot on the stove, starting at the bottom of the stack I have my orlon filter and then 5 prefilters and letting the steam run through all that with a cover over the center. I will try pulling the pre-filters as they clog and continue on. I also will cover the pan as it drains and wrap a towel around the outside of the pot. I have nothing to lose but patience....LOL...if this works I am going to repeat this for the 16 pints I have to re-open and redo. Next question. When I do the 16 pints I am suppose to heat back up to 180 or so, drain, and then reheat back to 185-195 for bottling is this correct? Reheating so many times won't hurt it will it...

[Big_Eddy]

When I do the 16 pints I am suppose to heat back up to 180 or so, drain, and then reheat back to 185-195 for bottling is this correct? Reheating so many times won't hurt it will it...

Cindee - Don't reheat your existing syrup to 180 and try to filter it. It will just sit there. Get it to a boil to filter. Keep it above 180 after filtering and bottle it right away.

Easy trick to steam the filters. Place them inverted over a kettle with the lid up and let it boil for 5 mins. Then place straight into your pot and put a lid on to keep the steam in.

Not sure what you're using for a pot - but it's best if you can get the filter to hang within the pot and then put a lid over it. Better a smaller dia taller pot than a wide shallow pot. Pull any extra filter over the edge of the pot and secure with a bungee or strap. For smaller batches, it's fine to only use the lower half of the filter.

Pour BOILING syrup into the filter as much at once as you can. Put the lid back over it, or some other way to prevent cold air hitting the syrup as it comes out of the filter. What slows the flow is cooling of the syrup on the outer surface of the filter. With a properly steamed filter, a lid and boiling syrup, 5 gals will flow through in about 20 mins and nothing will be left in the cone. Avoid the temptation to peek - keep the lid on until 10 mins, then remove the first pre-filter and re-cover.

You can place the receiving pot on the stove on low heat to keep it above 180 if you want. How are you filling bottles? By ladle? If so - I'd suggest preheating the jars to 200 as well.

Reheating syrup over and over and over won't hurt it. It might darken a bit - but not much if you don't keep it at temperature for long.

[Asthepotthickens]

Wet the filters in the pan of hot sap before using, and make sure you have 5+ prefilters on top of your orlan. And as the first prefilters starts to clog take it off. Filtering right off the evaporator should be very easy sinc the syrup is screaming hot

I agree with the above BUT It is easier to filter syrup at 62 to 63 Brix and then re-boil it to 66 then bottle it.

[wiam]

I agree with the above BUT It is easier to filter syrup at 62 to 63 Brix and then re-boil it to 66 then bottle it.

So you filter it twice?

[jrgagne99]

I agree with the above BUT It is easier to filter syrup at 62 to 63 Brix and then re-boil it to 66 then bottle it.

Maybe it depends on your trees. For my sugarbush, I couldn't disagree more. I draw off at 0-2 Brix past syrup, then gravity filter with flat pre-filters and felt in the canning unit. Then I dilute back to syrup with distilled water (from steam-away). Never have any problems filtering heavy syrup.

[maple flats]

I agree with the above BUT It is easier to filter syrup at 62 to 63 Brix and then re-boil it to 66 then bottle it. Filtering at 62-63 brix is easier, but if you don't filter again at final density the syrup will be cloudy. I like to filter mine at 210 or above. Then I can or bottle it at 185-190. That way there is never any more niter formed and the syrup is clear. You might also do much better if you mix a little Filter Aid (FA) in the syrup and then filter it. FA is used with filter presses but it also helps you when using flat or cone filters. In any case, the syrup must be real hot to filter well.