Pre-wetting filters

[Gary in NH]

I use a synthetic cone filter with a couple of cone pre-filters inside. I have been pre-wetting them with warm water. They are not dripping wet, just moist. The first syrup passing through is diluted a little due to the remaining water being flsuhed out by the syrup. This dilutes my syrup a little so I have been going past 66% sugar when finishing to compensate. My question is: Is it necessary to pre-wet all filters or just the pre-filters?

[ennismaple]

We pre-wet both the pre-filter and the cloth filter. If you wring them out well the amount of water in them is so miniscule it shouldn't make a difference to your density.

[Gary in NH]

Does wringing them out cause any fibers to release from the filter? I wring out the pre-filters but not the final filter.

Thanks,

[325abn]

I dip the filter into my flue pan. Why use plain hot water when you already have boiling sap?

[maplehound]

When I was using cone filters I would get the filters wet and then hang them in the steam over the flue pan. that kept them hot and damp, gave them a chance to drip out all excess water and they where there when I needed them. Also I kept 2 or 3 haninging at al times so I could use a new one for each draw. Then when the first one was done running syup through it I would hang it up and ladel some sap in the filter to get all the sweet out of the filter before rinisng them for reuse.

[argohauler]

When I buy new Orlon filters, I run them through the washing machine, without soap. I find the 1st run off of syrup goes through the filter much better than not pre washing them. I always have damp filters everytime I take off syrup.

Then after I run a batch of syrup through them I dunk them in my boiling pan to get most of the remaining syrup in the filter fibres out.

One other thing we've learned is to never wring out the syrup filters. Just squeeze the water out.

[Sugarmaker]

We wet ours with hot water and gently push most of the water out. I think the syrup filters better than with a dry filter.

Still using the old filtering system for our small operation. We can in some glass and I think it is nice and clear.

We do use one/or several wet prefilters to capture the surgar sand.
Just went to double filter tank this year but havent made enough syrup to really need it. YET, Common whats with this snow stuff!!!

Chris