Sirofilter or filter press

[butler]

Looking for opinions on the sirofilter compared to the presses....

I want to pull the trigger on one or the other...just want to make the right move....I make around 100 gals

[bigtreemaple]

Check out the video of the siro filter on Lapierre's web site. It may give you some insight. Personally I looked at both and decided on a press.

[gmcooper]

I would go with a short bank 7" press.

[tuckermtn]

Chris the MAple Guy had a Siro and now has a press. He sells both, but I would bet he would give you a honest and straight up answer as to why he switched. I too think for a 100+ gallon operation a short bank is the way to go.

[maple flats]

I think just on resale value if you outgrow a filter, the filter press wins. Far more producers looking for them, very few have a Siro Press.
That being said, a short bank 7" press can be expanded to 5 by just adding 2 more sets of plates, and can be made a full press by changing to the long rods and adding more sets as you grow further. Then if you outgrow that you can get a double and sell the single. Except the pump they should last "forever?".
I started with a 3 bank 7", added 2 more sets of plates last year. When I outgrow that I'll buy the longer rods and more sets of plates.

[butler]

Overwhelming response for the filter press....how much are the warren rump pair pumps?

[tuckermtn]

This is the pump I have been using.
good luck with it so far.

http://www.amazon.com/Diaphragm-Pump-Kynar-Body-PTFE/dp/B007IAZU4G

[wiam]

This is the pump I have been using.
good luck with it so far.

http://www.amazon.com/Diaphragm-Pump-Kynar-Body-PTFE/dp/B007IAZU4G

How long have you used it? 7" press?

[unc23win]

Ennis Maple also has a very good video on the Siro on youtube and twitter. The thing with the Siro is that it uses way less aid and you wash the filters in hot water and reuse no buying paper filters. Not that filter aid and papers are expensive. I am actually waiting for my Siro to arrive. I really like the idea of changing the filter and washing one. I really think it will be nice on days when you have a short night seems like less work for less syrup. There are also 2 different filters for them. The numbers of gallons before a filter change seems pretty good as well I have heard as much as 120. We shall see.

[tuckermtn]

wiam - yes 7" short bank. Ran it 1/2 of last season and when I refiltered this off season. Amber Gold has that pump on a full bank 7". Perhaps he will chime in...he has had his for longer...

[DaveB]

Sorry for waking an old thread but last week I was visiting the Cornell Sugarhouse outside of Lake Placid and I noticed that they were using a 24" sirofilter and I really liked the simplicity of it compared to my filter press. They have around 5500 taps and were filling drums directly from their draw-off tank using the sirofilter. I liked the fact that you could re-use the filter and it seemed fairly straight forward to clean and setup so I was kind of surprised that a filter press would be preferred over this kind of filter. I typically do my filtering at the end of the season when I pack my syrup but after watching these guys I was thinking this could be an easier approach to filter my syrup each day. Then I read some of the comments here and I'm thinking perhaps not. Does this work better for larger operations or could this work for someone making 5-10 gallons a day?

[Sugarmaker]

Just my 2 cents. We make 3 to 20 gallons per day. Have not had a plate press. Went from cone filters to the Siro filtering canister. Not going to a plate press! I like how they work! Probably only 5% of Siro units out there? I think if you were to give a plate press operation a Siro to use along side there plate press I think they would go with the Siro. I had the same thoughts first time I saw one being used. That was several years before I got one. Maybe 5 years ago. I stopped at the same sugarhouse recently and they are still using two, 12 inch Siro's to filter 1000 gallons of syrup each season. Would be interesting to see why the Maple Guys went to the plate press. Kind of like a Ford Chevy question. I am a Ford guy!:)
Regards,
Chris

[Sugarmaker]

Just my 2 cents. We make 3 to 20 gallons per day. Have not had a plate press. Went from cone filters to the Siro filtering canister. Not going to a plate press! I like how they work! Probably only 5% of Siro units out there? I think if you were to give a plate press operation a Siro to use along side there plate press I think they would go with the Siro. I had the same thoughts first time I saw one being used. That was several years before I got one. Maybe 5 years ago. I stopped at the same sugarhouse recently and they are still using two, 12 inch Siro's to filter 1000 gallons of syrup each season. Would be interesting to see why the Maple Guys went to the plate press. Kind of like a Ford Chevy question. I am a Ford guy!:)
Regards,
Chris

[DaveB]

Thanks Chris. That's great feedback. What do you use for the pump? I saw the 12" unit priced at around $900 but I'm not sure about the pump.

[ennismaple]

We are happy with our 24" Sirofilter. From the time you turn off the pump because the filter cloth is clogged until you are back filtering again is between 5-10 minutes to tear it apart, rinse off the clogged fabric, clean the inside ring and the main housing and re-assemble.

We can get 60+ gallons through a single filter with normal sugar sand.

[Sugarmaker]

Thanks Chris. That's great feedback. What do you use for the pump? I saw the 12" unit priced at around $900 but I'm not sure about the pump.

Dave,
Mine was set up with a, 1/2 inch ported, brass oberdorfer when I bought it. A stainless diaghragm pump and a compressor to run it would be a nice way to go too.
Regards,
Chris

[DaveB]

The only thing that concerns me is the price of the pumps are higher than the filter unit from what I have seen. I guess I could use the pump on my current filter press on bypass but I'm wondering what other options are out there. Can a Shurflo pump be used? I have several that I use to pump sap but I was sure about the viscosity of syrup. Any other options?

[unc23win]

Lapierre and others are phasing out the oberdorfer pumps because of the small amount of lead in brass. So that means that they are going to more expensive stainless steel pumps. Which I think is crazy because if you get a lead test it is like a water test it says that you are below whatever parts per million it does not state that your syrup is lead free, but that is another topic.

As far as the Siro compared to a 7' filter press I actually have been using both this season. What I have found out is that they are really similar in the use and the amount of syrup you can filter before cleaning. It really comes down to being able to adjust for the amount of sugar sand in the syrup when charging the press. If you get that wrong you won't like either one. Both take a little trial and error to get the hang of. The cleaning process is different but takes about the same amount of time.

[Clamer33]

We started with a 12" 4 years ago and upgraded the 24" this year, along with the diafram pump. Works assume. 306g so far this off 800 taps. Filter like a charm. And like Ennis said 10 min max to change filter clothes and your up and running again. We run with a 1 and 5 micron filter and almost fill and entire drum before its clogged up.

[Sugarmaker]

I have been in sugarhouses using plate presses and they have a lid over the top to avoid getting the ceiling splattered and the syrup is dripping out the bottom of the plates too. We don't have either of those issues with a canister version (Siro). Yes the mfgs are going away from the oberdorfer type brass pumps on Siro and plate presses.
Good luck with your filter press choice! They both will do the job for you.
Regards,
Chris

[DaveB]

Can anyone recommend a diaphragm pump to use with the sirofilter? The ones I'm looking at are all around $1000 and it seems pricey when paired with the sirofilter. I'd love to try one.

[Sugarmaker]

Can anyone recommend a diaphragm pump to use with the sirofilter? The ones I'm looking at are all around $1000 and it seems pricey when paired with the sirofilter. I'd love to try one.

Dave,
Some dealers have these for a little more than 1/2 half of that price.
Regards,
Chris