Learning to use filter press!

[asknupp]

I had some syrup from this past year that I was less then proud to sell because of visible sediment in the bottom of the jars. Long story short. I primed the short bank press with two cups of de and added two more to about 4 gals. Cycled for about 5 minutes then pumped to another pot and jarred the syrup. To me it looks as though there is still particle in the syrup. Questions I have is whether I used enough de? Should the window plates be entirely full? The filter paper had about 1/4" of cake.14817

[halladaymaple]

I assume you took the temp to at least 180 ? 2 cups of DE is a bit much for 4 gallons of syrup but it shouldn't hurt, It should filter.. I have left cloudy syrup run for 20 minutes in a recirculation mode and it always clears it up as long as the syrup s at least 180. If your still seeing particulate you might have some blow by happening somewhere. I agree it's maddening to see the "floaters" after refiltering

[asknupp]

Yes, I heated it to 205 and tested and adjusted a bit. Ran it though hot. So windows should not be full I take it? Where might a blow out occur?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you reheat above 195 it will develop nitre(settlement).

[asknupp]

Heated to 205 then began charging and recirculating. The heat was off while recirculating.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Then you likely had a plate on backwards or a small tear in one of the papers.

[morningstarfarm]

If you taste it do you feel grit? If so then most likely your end plate is upside down..that's the most common one to miss...with that little de in the frames I highly doubt you had a blowout...you have to run the pressure pretty **** high to rupture a paper..and especially with just 4 gals going through...

[asknupp]

Well chalk it up to learning. It was the end plate. This press is so simple it is making me dumb.lol thanks Chris!

[maple flats]

Try again with the end plate right. Heat it to about 195-200, mix in 1.5-2 cups DE (must be meant for maple, not pool filters). Recirculate it for 4-5 minutes, then send it thru the filter press while still returning it to the mix tank until it sparkles (perfectly clean). Then send it to your canner. Make sure you have washed the canner first to get it 100% clean. The only danger in doing it again is that every time you heat the syrup it gets darker. I also discovered that turning the pump off to move the discharged clear sparkly syrup from the mix pot or tank to the canner and back on can give a minor shot of cloudy into the canner. I used to use a SS pitcher to catch the flow while I moved the hose to the canner, now I just open a bypass valve and close the valve that sends syrup from the pump to the filter (I added that valve) and then re-open the pressure valve and slowly close the bypass (recirculate valve). It seems the sudden surge moves a tiny amount of "cloudy" upon restarting the pump if you had shut it off.
I don't know if this is the same on all filter presses but it corrected the problem on mine (A Lapierre plate press, originally 3 banki, now 5 bank).
The amount I stated for DE is low because you are almost completely filtered already, had it been a 4 gal batch on first filtering early to mid season I use 2.5 cups in 4 gal, recirculate AND mix well with a chef's mixing whip first (I've also used a long handled spatula to mix). Then once the papers are coated, after that 1st 3-4 gal batch, each of any following batches only need about 1.5 cups. Later in the season you will need to use a little more DE. I then start my initial coating mix at 2.5 cups in about 2 gal of syrup, followed by 2 cups in each batch after as long as it is all within the same session, if the press sets more that an hour the cake can sometimes settle a little and you may again want to treat it like a fresh set of papers.
The hollow plates do not need to be full, but when and if they do become full the pressure will climb considerably, letting you know that you need to shut down, open the press, change the papers and start all over. Using 5 sets of plates with a 1" hollow I get 35-45 gal before the plates fill up in early season and sometimes only half that in late season.

[morningstarfarm]

An easy trick an old timer showed me years ago...take a wide sharpie and after you have the press assembled make a wide red line down the side with the markers...you will know at a glance all is right..also, use a pipe clamp on top of the plates..this will hold them tight and if you run to high pressure and it does blow..it will blow DOWN...nothing like a hot syrup shower to ruin a night...