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I have made what I think is the simplest cleanest and cheapest vacuum filter system. I have run 75 gallons of syrup through it so far this year without a fault. The syrup is clear. Very clear. It will filter 5 gallons in 2 minutes. This is a video of the design, build and operation of it. The biggest improvement over the CDL design is the tear away filters. Just like dirt bike goggles. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8nbZd8EOT0
That looks fabulous. What is the diameter of the pot you used? You've got a lot of surface area there to work with. I think that's part of the challenge on the smaller CDL units is that the filtering surface area is actually pretty small.
Nicely done.
Very nice! How often can you clean and reuse the "peel-away" filters?
This is a great video thanks... I sent you a message (using this board) to try to get more details, eg. a "parts list" etc.. that would be helpful. Thanks again for the ideas!
Just watched the video, two thumbs up!
I followed 4walls example and made one last year. I did not have the over centre clamps on last year but added them this past summer and it all worked fantastic.Quote:
Originally Posted by red/one
I highly recommend it for the DYI hobby sugar maker. It filters extremely well and extremely fast.
I already had the Toronto Brewery kettle and purchased the exact same Walmart pot and silicone baking sheet.
I am very impressed!
I am adding this to next year's improvements!
Very nice setup. i make about 30litres of syrup a year in 3 or 4 batches. Do you think this would seem like too big of a set up of me? Or it doesn't really matter?
Update.
That filter rig processed over 470 litres of syrup last year. Works like a charm. Just had a couple of buddies build them for themselves and I have built another for a friend. Everything has gone up in price. Almost 300$CAD now.
Minor modifications. I got rid of the silicon gasket. Not required. I use a sheet of Orlan now between the pots which acts as the final stage in the filter and seals between the pots. I use 2 complete sets of 5 peel away filters. Always have a spare clean and ready. The bottom one is Orlan and is cut in a circle because it does not get removed. The next 5 are the peel away shape. Like a frying pan with the handle. For those I use synthetic felt from Fabricland. I suppose I could use the pre filters for that but the synfelt works well and is cheap and easy to clean.
I reuse my filters all season long. I wash them by back flushing them in warm water with the spray thingy in the sink. I then do a quick wash with no soap in the washing machine between each use. Do not dry. I could probably pack them away and use them the following year but I made a fresh set for this year. Maybe I could have kept a set and seen if there was any difference in clarity. Realistically, the filters cost about 5 dollars a set so not cost prohibitive.
I have used with DE slurry and without. Not really any difference.
I get sheets of Orlan from CDL. Felt from a fabric store.
Just my observations. Mileage (kilometerage?) may vary.
I am a disciple of your first build, it works great, fast and crystal clear syrup. I still use the silicone baking sheet as the gasket and they use a series of CDL felt and prefilters in the top pot. Last year I never had to remove any of them during the filtering process as all the syrup was easily sucked down. This year for the first time after my last boil I had a ton of nitre and they did get a little plugged and I used a tool to pull off the prefilters.Quote:
Originally Posted by 4Walls
One thing I do, is when I have filtered all of my syrup, I have a 5 gallon bucket of clean water that I throw all of the filters in and let them soak, while I am immediately switching to bottling while the syrup is still hot. Later I take them out of the water, Some of the nitre is removed or dissolved and then I wash them in the sink with the sprayer thingy or sometimes outside use the hose sprayer which is more powerful.
I will have to look into the synthetic felt material at fabricland. Is that pretty simple that you ask for it and there is only one kind to buy?
Yes. Synthetic felt is common. Comes in lots of colours. I get white/not dyed.
Had a member complain to me that he built a vacuum filter and his syrup still had sugar sands. We discussed everything to figure it out. Turns out it was the process not the build. He built and filtered exactly as described. Used Orlan x3 and pre filter papers. Worked great. We got it figured out.
Problem was, once the syrup was filtered he put it on the stove to bottle. He brought it up to the boil and then bottled. It's recommended to bottle above 180. I suggest 200f. Enough heat inertia to kill anything in the bottle and not spoil. If the syrup comes up to the boil, or goes .1F above your finished product temp, then more sands will precipitate out of the syrup in the filter pot. The will cause sands in the syrup.
There is science behind it. Has to do with mineral super saturation points. Just know, do not bring finished and filtered syrup back up to the boil before bottling. Get up to 200f and yer good..
200F is TOO Hot. Anything over 192F causes niter to start coming out of the syrup and a need to refilter.Quote:
Originally Posted by 4Walls
200f is too hot? Good to know. I have been fed bad information from an old-timer and will adjust. Thank you.
I suppose it's a balance between getting it hot enough to sterilize the bottles but not too hot to cause more sands. Any suggestions? I pre heat my new bottles over steam from the evaporator before filling.
I built it. I love it.
This feels like when I built my first RO, or added a blower to my evaporator....it’s not just a step up from cone filters, it’s next level.
Thanks 4Walls!
In my opinion, 200F is not too hot, but the 200F should come before the reheat for bottling.
I often filter at 205-210F, then I bring it back up to 185-187, but never over 190. Reheating to over 200F creates more niter, even 195 can create more niter (sugar sand). Once you filter, do not heat it back into the sugar sand zone (any temperature 195 or above.
While on initial filtering I heat to 205-210F, if it gets packed in a SS barrel and seals properly, I then only heat it to 175 max and filter again, then I heat it to the 185-187F and bottle. I hold it in that range using my water jacketed bottler.
I have never had a niter problem heating to 200 degrees. It all depends on your syrup and when during the season it is made.