Originally Posted by
amasonry
so this year made 28 gallons( normal year 40-50). I use cone filters and a 19x30 gas finisher. that being said I am lugging and dumping 5 gallons of syrup around a lot . not fun! was looking for some kind of filter canner, but to many kinds to pick from. water or not? electric or gas? flat filter or cone? to many options. I have never used any of them. I'm looking to refine this system. any thoughts on what works best or what do u guys all do?
I use a 16"×16" gas bottler,filter tank system with steam pan.I use felt flat filters, you can buy them in 36" squares, and you can buy prefilters in 36" squares, cut them in 4 equal pieces roughly 18" square.
When I first start filtering for the day I start by putting a felt on the filter tray that has been boiling in pot of water, I shake it out and place it in the filter rack, then I put 3-4 pre filters on top of the felt. Then I immediately pour 2-3 gallons of syrup through the filter filling the filter cavity to the top of the filters. Then I put the lid on the canner to keep the heat in the filters, wait about 5 minutes and return to the filter tank, remove the lid and generally all the syrup has gone through. If it's later in the season you may have to pull off the top pre filters and alow it to drip off before discarding to a pail to wash later. If I have more syrup to filter I repeat, if not I put the lid on and go about my business.
When I get ready to filter again I turn on the propane burner and use the hot syrup below the filters to warm them up if you will, you get alot of condensation even heating the syrup to just 185.
I can usually get at least 10 gallons through one felt, sometimes at the end of the season you might only get five gallons through but that is some really muddy stuff.
If I use up all my initial pre filters I just add more hot damp ones before I go to filter again. You want to have 4-5 times as many prefilters as felt filters on hand.
Any brand filter tank can be used in this manner, I happen to have a Smokey lake one ,but they all work and they all do the same thing.
Last edited by n8hutch; 05-09-2017 at 09:08 AM.
Nate Hutchins
Nate & Kate's Maple
2022 1000 taps?
3x10 Intensofire
20x36 sugarhouse
CDL 600gph RO
A wife and 2 kids.