Smoky Lake Steam Filter/Bottler

[wnybassman]

I received my unit in the mail today. It was EVERYTHING I expected! (although removing the protective plastic covering on the stainless was a bit of a chore).

Anyway, a few questions for those who use this model.

- How much water (depth) do I run in the steam tray?

- Do I have to worry about evaporating off that water completely in a long bottling session, or does it do a good job capturing the water back from the steam?

- I am guessing when filtering the syrup, the hotter the better like most other filters?

- Can I "preheat" the steam tray and actually get it steaming away with no syrup in the pan yet?


http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s163/wnybassman/maple/filter_bottler_zpsf8tuyolz.jpg

[GeneralStark]

Are there no instructions for the unit?

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

Fill half way. You won't loose that much. You will have to turn the fire down anyway or it will keep climbing.


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[SevenCreeksSap]

- How much water (depth) do I run in the steam tray?- I fill mine to just below the lip that holds the top pan and have never lost enough to be concerned. I use a turkey fryer style gas burner under it, and it heats up in a reasonable time

- Do I have to worry about evaporating off that water completely in a long bottling session, or does it do a good job capturing the water back from the steam? _ does a good job of keeping the water, I check it every couple of hours and may have to add a pint or so, if even that

- I am guessing when filtering the syrup, the hotter the better like most other filters?-we use the flat filters in the included filter pan. I use the pan for final finishing, drain it into a stainless milk can, then as soon as I can start pouring through two pre filters and a filter layer. the first pre filter usually clogs and i drain into the next one. never have had issues or complaints of not filtered enough. Hot filters faster of course

- Can I "preheat" the steam tray and actually get it steaming away with no syrup in the pan yet? _ havent tried it, but might make the bottling process a bit faster. I'll try it too. seems like you might steam away water though, then might have to refill which might cool it down some again. I'm a little more concerned in the bottling process so usually start with about an inch of syrup to be safe, then add all I have( prewarmed on our woodburner) when it starts to warm up. usually do about 3 gallons at a time and it takes about an hour start to finish.

i've been very happy with this piece of equipment. really made the finishing and bottling easier than our prior setup, which was a water heater type vat. this has much more control over the heat and no additional sugar sand gets developed. no scorching during bottling. it does leave a scorch ring when I finish using the big top pan only, but hasnt been a problem with taste.

[markcasper]

You don't want the syrup to go above 193 F even in a water jacket or you will start getting more sand.

[bcarpenter]

Love this! Been thinking about getting one just not sure if I have missed the window to pick one up.

[BAP]

I just bought one about 10 days ago. They had it in stock and shipped it right out. The canner arrived 5 days later. I am very impressed with with the build quality. I can't wait to try it out.

[n8hutch]

I really like mine. But if I had to do it all over again I would buy the electric water jacketed one. If you want to finish with the pan then the water jacketed version would not work. I always finish on the evaporator so I think the water jacketed electric bottler would be easier to work with.
It does work good for its intended purpose. I do wish the valve was in the bottom of the pan.

[1arch]

I was told by Jim @ Smokey Lake that my 20 gallon water jacketed finishing pan had enough water reservoir to finish cook for about 8 hours before needeing more water. I typically fill it all the way and as the flames heat the water the water expands and and begins to leaking out onto the floor which was no problem in our sugar house. I'm sure not filling the water to the top would work fine since finishing takes significantly less than 8 hours and it is really the steam heating the syrup anyhow.
My 16 gallon water jacketed electric bottler also from Jim needs sufficient time to warm up to temperature prior to finish filtering into it. I usually add hot water from my steam away to the water jacket to get up to temp sooner.

[palmer4th]

I love mine so far. I have only bottled five gallons so far this summer but it worked great! I was also wondering about how quick the water would evaporate out and need to be refilled. and also thinking about what happens at night when it gets cold. Do I have to drain it every night? could be a pain.

[wnybassman]

I do wish the valve was in the bottom of the pan.

The outlet is very near the bottom, but I did notice a little lip there. Would propping/shimming up the back a 1/4" or so help drain everything out better you think?


Thanks for all the other advice everyone!

[n8hutch]

The outlet is very near the bottom, but I did notice a little lip there. Would propping/shimming up the back a 1/4" or so help drain everything out better you think?


Thanks for all the other advice everyone!
Yes every time you use it you will have to prop up the back side to empty it. My unit still has about 3qts in it when it starts to slow down & you have to tilt it up, also you will notice the temperature start to drop. Don't worry about that. Your syrup is still hot enough. It is just no longer touching the thermometer probe.

[1arch]

[QUOTE=wnybassman;291366]The outlet is very near the bottom, but I did notice a little lip there. Would propping/shimming up the back a 1/4" or so help drain everything out better you think?


My water jacketed electric bottler is designed with the port on the bottom and the bottom is tapered towards the port allowing the unit to drain completely without shimming. Works great! FYI the electric water jacketed bottler has a water jacket not only on the bottom but also extends up all four sides ensuring bottom and sides of the syrup is at designated temperature.
However my water jacketed finishing pan (water jacket on bottom only)has the port on the side wall as low as could be placed which didn't allow complete draining of the finish pan. I used it for one year and put it up for sale. It was a dangerous balancing act of 190 degree syrup over a hot double boiler trying to hold up a hot pan so my filter press could suck the final syrup out of this finish pan. I went back to Jim and asked for a redesigned double boiler gas finisher with a tapered bottom towards the port. I hope to stop up by him soon to see if it is done. He was great about custom designing and building a finishing pan for me that would drain completely so I don't have to do actrobats with hot fluids.

[maple milker]

I am able to slip a small tip sensitive thermometer through the corner of the steam pan into the water and judge my water temp according to how close to filtering I am. Even with the water at 212 degrees I seldom have the syrup over 190 after the bottles are filled. Fill the pan to the top for better heat conduction. I would have it hot before filtering or it will actually cool the initial filtered syrup. The best part is that you can take your time to do a good job without concern for the syrup getting to cold on you.

[wnybassman]

I hooked up the gas line and did a test boil with water. Water was at 50º when I fired it up, and once the steam pan started boiling it didn't take too long to bring it up to 155º. Turned it off at that time because I figured it passed the test. :) The thing that impressed me, was after I turned off the burner it held right at 155º for a solid 15-20 minutes before the temp started to slowly fall. I imagine it won't take too much energy to keep it at 180-190 bottling temp either, plus the syrup will go in hot.

[wnybassman]

I used the filter/bottler yesterday and really like it. The best thing I like is how mellow bottling can be now, instead of rushing to beat the temperature drop.

Couple questions.............

How do others get their syrup into the filter? With my old coffee urn method, I was able to pour finished syrup right from the stock pot(s) into the urn with no problems. Pouring into the top of the shallower flat filter proved to not work so well with excessive "splash out". Just wondering what others do.

Just finished rinsing out the filters. Should I just be rinsing out the paper filters and freeze the wool filter until the next bottling? I rinsed out the wool this time, but again, wondering what others do.

[bowhunter]

I draw off syrup into a 32 quart turkey frier from a couple of runs. When I'm ready to filter and package I heat the syrup up to 211 F check the density and adjust with permeate if necessary. From there I drain the turkey frier into the filter finisher. I then put the filter/bottle on the burner with the steam pan and allow the syrup in the filter to finish draining through. When I get the syrup in bottler up to 186F, I start bottling and turn the burn off with the syrup gets to 195F if I'm not finished bottling.

[wnybassman]

From there I drain the turkey frier into the filter finisher..

Does the turkey fryer pot have a spigot on it?

[wnybassman]

In all reality, how much syrup does a heavy 16x16 flat filter soak up during the filtering process? Is there a formula for this? I soak it then squeeze out as much water as possible without wringing. It is nice and damp, but not so wet I'd think would change syrup density.

Just wondering..........


EDIT: And while on the subject of flat filters, how do you keep the layers of prefilter from flopping over into the syrup and allowing syrup to run behind them? I could use clips, but then couldn't use the cover.

[n8hutch]

I wash my pre filters & synthetic felt in near boiling hot water. I mark the corner of my felts with a magic marker so I know what side is up. Just in case you didn't get all of the nicer out of your filter this way you won't push it out with hot syrup the next time you are filtering.

I don't rinse my filters in the flue pan or anything like that. I know I am loosing a little syrup/Sugar but I don't want to be reintroducing that sugar sand back into my system. I know some people do it that way & that works for them. I might loose a quart of syrup at the end of the year. I probably spill more than that on the floor.

I use 5 gallon Delaval milk pails to dump into the filter & they work really well. I think I pour slow enough so it doesn't seem to bother the prefilters.

I also try to keep the filter tank warm before I start so my felt isn't cooled while waiting for syrup.

[YAZER]

My wife took the wool filter and sewed it so that it fit into the top, like a box. I was able to put flat filters in and easily deal with all the fun of filtering and bottling. I also draw off right into this bottler, when it is full of syrup I reheat, using a temperature compensation chart will check for density.... I will usually draw off heavy so that I am thinning it in the bottler and never boiling all this is done before I reach 190 bottling temp. We have a few of the sewn filters so it is easy to rinse and let dry... Not super concerned that I am loosing some syrup, at least the product I have is clear....

[adk1]

Can't u just rinse the filters in your flue pan?