Filter life

[Blake Scout]

Just a quick question,
How much syrup does one usually get through a filter before the filter needs to be changed? In other words, what is the general lifespan of a filter?

[maple flats]

It is widely variable. I had a 3 bank, now a 5 bank and for each bank early in the season I get between 3-10 gal, thus I've gotten as little as 9-10 gal on a 3 bank and as much as 30+ on the same. Late season it is usually less. The amount of sugar sand is different every year. Most of the time I get between 15-25 gal on a set of papers when using 3 sets of plates, with 5 sets I'll get about 66% more. Most of the issue is knowing how much filter aid you need for the sugar sand you have, too little and the niter plugs the filters and too much and the FA fills the void too fast. However, the learning curve is fairly short.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Gravity filter or filter press?

[Bruce L]

If it is gravity filter I have had one going for probably 20 + years . I use the paper pre-filter, then soak the filter in hot water for a couple of hours, then a toss into the washer after I have run it through a cycle to make sure no detergent is left. Filter hangs up and is ready to go for next day. Depending on the day I can usually get around 20-22 gallons of syrup through an 18 x 18 filter.