Filter canner not filtering great

[adk1]

So this is first year I have a new to me filter canner.mbeen using cones. I have the heavy flat filters and allot of prefilter sheets. I use three layers of prefilter sheets over on layer of heavy filter. I make sure the filters are damp, I dump hot syrup into them. Seems like it takes a long time to filter. Should I not wet the filters first? Always did with the cones or does it just take longer with the flat filters? It's a 12"x20" filter canner

[wnybassman]

I have been using my new Smokey Lake filter/canner this year and I thought the syrup passes through much faster than I thought it would. It's a 16x16 and I am using the heavy filter along with 4 prefilters. I did 6.5 gallons today, in three separate 2 to 3 gallon pots. Each 2 to 3 gallon pot took about 5 to 10 minutes to pass completely through, and by time the third pot went through I only had to pull one of the prefilters. I soaked all the filters in a pot of water, then gently squeezed as much water out of them as I could before placing in the unit. I have been impressed how sparkling the syrup has been coming out.

[abbott]

So this is first year I have a new to me filter canner.mbeen using cones. I have the heavy flat filters and allot of prefilter sheets. I use three layers of prefilter sheets over on layer of heavy filter. I make sure the filters are damp, I dump hot syrup into them. Seems like it takes a long time to filter. Should I not wet the filters first? Always did with the cones or does it just take longer with the flat filters? It's a 12"x20" filter canner

wnybassman's experience seems more like my own. Most of the time the flat filter setup is very effective. But you want to know what to do when it isn't...

I "prime" my filters by putting them in the rack, suspending the rack above the flue pan, and dumping hot flue pan sap through them. I move the rack back to the canner after my first draw-off. I'm making 2 gallons syrup/hr (draw-off 1.5 gallons every 45 minutes) and I can generally put 1-2 batches through a paper and anywhere from 6-15 gallons of syrup through a felt.

There always seems to be a spell near the beginning of the year (not necessarily the very beginning) when filtering is really hard. There is a fine sediment that passes though the papers and clogs the felt. When this happens I will only filter through papers for a couple of days until it clears up. The resulting syrup may have a small amount of sediment in it, so I usually just use it to make maple sugar. If I do bottle it, I put it in plastic and nobody notices or cares.

To determine where your syrup is being held up: pull the top paper partly away from the side so you can see if syrup is going through it well and pooling at the next paper. Then pull the whole stack of papers away from the side to see if your syrup is pooling on top of the felt. Now at least you know where it is getting stuck. If it is getting held up by the top paper, try using a flat metal spatula to gently scrape the niter to the side. Put your ear to the side of the canner before and after you do this to see if the flow picks up. I mostly only do this later in the season when the volume of niter increases, but it can be helpful even if there is only a small amount clogging the paper. Just remember to be gentle!

Some other notes: is your syrup hot? are you putting a lid over the canner rack to keep it hot? is cold air blowing past your canner cooling everything down? You really want that syrup to go through within 10 minutes if possible, because once it cools off you're really in trouble.

[adk1]

I may not have soaked them enough, will try doing that next time. thanks

[Russell Lampron]

When I filtered with flat filters I used to light the burner under the canner when I had enough syrup in it to get an accurate reading on the thermometer. I was always careful not to heat the syrup over 190* and the added heat made the filtering go much faster.