vacuum filtering

[needmoremaples]

Time to post how my vacuum filtering build went this year. I copied others ideas seen last year and also did my own adaptations. I started using a vacuum pump and storage tank w/hose but it always ran out short of what i needed (might have needed a bigger storage tank but didnt care for the vac pump in the house) so i scrapped that plan. I had also seen another video using a vac cleaner so i also tried that and it seemed to work the best.

vacuum filter 2.jpgvacuum filter.jpg

Material list for what i used-

4 gallon stainless pot with handles

6hp shop vac. (im too powerful so smaller would be better but i made mine work)

3/4 threaded bulkhead fitting (i think bigger would be better if you have more height on a bigger pot)

flat orlon filter material (i get 4 pieces out of a 36x36 sheet which is already half the price of a cone filter)

bunch of heavy duty paper binder clips.

2-3/4 stainless nipples (pvc might work fine but heat and thin walls made me want stainless)

threaded ball valve. (i got a pvc one which seemed thick enough and you dont need them more than hand tight)

adapted shop vac to the ball valve with thread by glue pvc bushing and reducing fernco. suction keeps the larger end on so i dont even use that clamp. i like to check after every use to see if any syrup made it into the hose. )

i normally prefilter everything as often as possible. i get it to near syrup and let it settle. reheat and get to finish syrup on the stove and prefilter again above the vac filter. I originally tried to attach the top pot to the bottom pot sandwiching the filter in between but it didnt work to great. thats why i have the pot with a hole in it. i still use it tho for this purpose tho its not really attached to the filter.

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as the syrup starts to fill up the top 1/2" of the filter i kick on the vac. i have no idea what kind of vac im pulling but i know the 6hp is too much (sucks the filter out of the clips and sometimes syrup into the hose). i throttle the ball valve and also drilled holes in the vac hose end before it goes into the fernco. after all this i only ever get syrup in the hose if my pot is full of syrup and it overflows into the hose!

next i do reheat to 185 in the vac pot and dump into the final filter/bottling pot. this is just a normal stainless coffee pot and cone filter which rarely ever plugs up. some nitre is formed in the reheat tho. i might try setting it in a bigger pot of water to reheat next time to not make nitre.

also i added a foot switch to kill the vac and start it when i want it to without using any hands.

I hope my thread is interesting and helps you guys out! Lmk if you have an easier way or any ideas/questions.