Filter press question...

[butler]

I just bought a 7" cdl press...was wondering if I should set up the hoses with cam locks and also wondering if I need to attach a hose to the outlet of the relief valve.....any tips, info or pics would really help..thanks

[maple flats]

Mine has SS cam locks on the hoses and you absolutely need a hose on the relief valve (bypass valve), to go back to the vessel you are drawing from (mix tank). You use that at the start of each batch to mix the syrup-DE blend, then you send it thru the press. As the pressure builds when the hollow plates get towards full, you also adjust the relief valve to keep under your max pressure to get more filtering done. As you open the bypass valve slowly, you are then sending a portion back to the tank being drawn from.
The best way to use the filter, is to get the syrup to be filtered hot (I like 205+), mix the first DE charge. In my case I usually add 2-2.5 cups for a 5 plate 7" press, and about 3 gal in the tank . Then I mix it with a wisk (or spatula). Once mixed, I turn on the press with the bypass valve fully open and the filtering valve closed. I run until the mix looks well blended. Then I open the filtering valve and slowly close the bypass valve. Make sure when you do this, that the filter discharge hose feeds back into the draw tank. Let it run until the filtered syrup looks perfectly clear. Then, without stopping the pump ( I now open the bypass and close the filter valves, I used to just catch the flow in a SS pitcher while I moved the syrup hose to my canner). I found that stopping and restarting the pump has potential to push a little DE thru with the syrup, if done my way I get no DE passed. Then when that first batch of mix finishes pumping, I shut off the pump. Next I draw my next batch to be filtered, (still at 205+) into the draw tank. This time I fill the tank, which is just over 6 gal. I add about 1.5 cups DE, mix like before and repeat the filtering process, until either the canner or my barrel is full.
The main thing is to do the first batch with more DE to "charge" the papers (build a filter cake on the papers). Then additional batches on the same set of papers need less DE, maybe half, in 2x the quantity. At this point the DE is just adding to the filter cake and spreading out the sugar sand so the papers don't get plugged before the hollow plates are full. The amounts I indicate are typically for early season, as you get to late season, often times you need to add more DE. You will know you need more, when the papers plug before the hollow plates are full. A proper filter press clean up will have the hollow plates completely full as you open the press. If the plates are full and the pressure never climbed above your initial pressure, you used more DE than needed.The papers do not do the filtering, they just catch the DE, the DE does the filtering.
Check on Procter's maple site, Proctor Maple Research Center, they have available for download an excellent paper on filter press use. In the beginning it helped me a lot. Once you learn the press you will no longer need it, as everything will make sense.

[butler]

Awesome response...that clears up a lot of confusion....appreciate you taking the time for such a clear explanation...

[northwoods_forestry]

[QUOTE=maple flats;246645 As the pressure builds when the hollow plates get towards full, you also adjust the relief valve to keep under your max pressure to get more filtering done. As you open the bypass valve slowly, you are then sending a portion back to the tank being drawn from.[/QUOTE]

Maple Flats - This is why I love this site, always something new to learn. I never knew you could use the bypass valve in that way! Might have avoided a couple of 200 degree syrup geysers had I known!!!

[jmayerl]

flats-
I totally agree that you need a hose for some if the reasons but why would you need to use the bypass to mix the syrup in the beginning? I have a SS spoon and mix it in the tank. I then send it through the press and recirculate for a few minutes before sending to bottler.

[wiam]

flats-
I totally agree that you need a hose for some if the reasons but why would you need to use the bypass to mix the syrup in the beginning? I have a SS spoon and mix it in the tank. I then send it through the press and recirculate for a few minutes before sending to bottler.

Same here I do not use bypass to mix.

[PerryFamily]

I mix the DE with a wisk in my draw off pail once density is adjusted.
I use the bypass to get each draw flowing through the pump then slowly send it through the press until at full flow. Then when the pressure gets up there I relieve it with the bypass to get that last draw through the press before changing papers.

Side question: do people wet their papers or go dry? I have done both and I think wet works better. I use sap from the flue pan. Just curious.

[maple flats]

I mix first with a wisk, but like to get everything, including what is in the hose leading from the mix tank to the filter press totally mixed by recirculating using the bypass valve. Then the first syrup to hit the filter is hot and I don't have 8' of 1" hose worth of cold syrup with little DE in it hitting the filter first.

[wiam]

I mix the DE with a wisk in my draw off pail once density is adjusted.
I use the bypass to get each draw flowing through the pump then slowly send it through the press until at full flow. Then when the pressure gets up there I relieve it with the bypass to get that last draw through the press before changing papers.

Side question: do people wet their papers or go dry? I have done both and I think wet works better. I use sap from the flue pan. Just curious.

I wet my papers with water off preheater.

[maple flats]

I leave the papers dry.

[mapleack]

Wet papers leak less in mine. I use tap water and only wet the edges. For a 20 gal batch I'll mix three cups of de in a pot with a gallon of syrup, pump that in, then mix another 3 cups of de in the finisher and filter through. This is with a full bank 7" press. Keep in mind also that if you're filtering at over 190 you'll still have sugar sand precipating out after the press. Not a problem unless you're doing glass.