+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 29

Thread: New filter press, is there a difference?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Barrington, NH
    Posts
    2,762

    Default New filter press, is there a difference?

    I'm looking to get a new filter press for next season. Upgrading from an old cast iron full bank.

    I'd like to filter 50'ish gallons of syrup without breaking it down. Is there much of a difference in the presses between the different companies? They all look about the same to me other than stand and pump configuration.

    Thanks and I'll be poking around at the open houses in a couple of weeks.
    Josh

    2009 - 370 on vac. & 16 buckets
    2010 - 377 on vac.
    2011 - 590 on vac.
    2012 - 620 on high vac., 170 buckets, 110 on gravity tubing
    2013 - 830 mine + 800-1000 others
    2014 - 870 mine + 800-1000 others
    2017 - 920 mine + 500-700 others
    2018 - 902 mine + 500-700 others
    2019 - 902 mine + 700 others
    2020 - 902 mine + ???? others
    Atlas Copco Pump
    2.5'x8' 802maple Special with Dallaire pans
    H2O Innovation 600gph RO
    Spring Harvest Website

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    River Falls, WI
    Posts
    831

    Default

    One dealer mentioned the thickness of the plates as one difference between manufacturers. Thicker plates means more capacity. Out of curiosity, I'm considering a new press myself and I'd like to filter a similar amount at a time. Are you looking at 7" full banks, or 10" presses?
    -Ryan


    Went off the deep end. Might be in over my head...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Albion PA
    Posts
    5,099

    Default

    My guess is that to do 50 gallons at one time you might need a 10 inch plate or a SIRO 24 inch? Not sure a 7 or 7 1/2 long bank plate press will consistently do 50 gallons? I would guess they can do about half of that. Of course your mileage may vary. Is your old press a 10 inch? I like my SIRO (12 inch) a lot.
    Regards,
    Chris
    Casbohm Maple and Honey
    625 roadside taps + Neighbors bring some sap too!
    3x10 King, WRU, AOF and AUF
    12" SIRO Filter Press.
    2015 Ford F250 PSD sap hauler
    One Golden named Maggie, Norwegian Forest Cat named Lucy
    Too many Cub Cadets
    Ford Jubilee and several Allis WD's, and IH tractors
    1932 Ford AAB ton and a half, dump truck

    www.mapleandhoney.com

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Landaff,NH
    Posts
    104

    Default

    i have a full bank 7" smokey lake and have been more than happy with it this year. have got into the high 40's before breaking it down, but that was because i was done for the night and done filtering not because it was plugged up. Through my experience i would have to say that it would def make 50-60+ gals consistently if not more. Its hard to say as this year i dont have too many trees. For the future i plan on having another full bank 7 inch that way can filter over 100+ gals without breaking down and could be cleaning one while using the other. Not sure why i dont just go to a 10" but i like the idea of the whole press being ss i guess.
    Last edited by Chasefamily; 04-12-2019 at 01:42 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Barrington, NH
    Posts
    2,762

    Default

    I was thinking 7" full bank, but hadn't considered a 10" press thinking it'd be too big.

    I can get about 40 gal through my CI press before breaking it down...obviously depends on if it's early/late season syrup. I have a lot of plates...

    And, I want an air pump. It's what I have now, and I like it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    River Falls, WI
    Posts
    831

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Amber Gold View Post
    I was thinking 7" full bank, but hadn't considered a 10" press thinking it'd be too big.

    I can get about 40 gal through my CI press before breaking it down...obviously depends on if it's early/late season syrup. I have a lot of plates...

    And, I want an air pump. It's what I have now, and I like it.
    That's what the 3 of the dealers I talked to recommended, the full 7" that is. One guy suggested a short bank 10", which was priced pretty similarly. I don't know exactly how a full 7 and a short 10 compare for capacity. The guy recommending the 10 was suggesting the D&G said they sell them, H2O and maybe Wes Fab and that everyone who gets the D&g really likes them.
    -Ryan


    Went off the deep end. Might be in over my head...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Chatham NH
    Posts
    1,309

    Default

    I think that you could do 50 gallons through a 7.5 inch leader clear press, I have put 25 through my 5 plate press a few times this year and it still had room to spare, I don't exactly use the DE sparingly either.

    Whatever you buy I would recommend an air powered pump.
    Nate Hutchins
    Nate & Kate's Maple
    2022 1000 taps?
    3x10 Intensofire
    20x36 sugarhouse
    CDL 600gph RO
    A wife and 2 kids.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    I also think a full 7" would work. I even got thru 30 gal on my final batch this year and I have 5 sets of plates on it. I don't know which, but I've seen some with thicker hollow plates, they would give you more capacity. Mine is a Lapierre and I think the hollow plates are about 1" thick. One thing is certain, an aluminum press will heat up much faster than the cast iron one you now have, I would think an SS would heat faster too, but not as fast as an aluminum.
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

    Default

    Following! I'm thinking of upgrading presses too. I like the Leader clear press and saw a D&G press a couple of years ago that had much thicker plates than my Wes Fab. The syrup was a lot dirtier than usual here this season and my short bank press wasn't doing it for me.
    Russ

    "Red Roof Maples" Where the term "boiling soda" was first introduced to the maple world!

    1930 Ford Model AA Doodlebug tractor
    A couple of Honda 4 wheelers
    Four chainsaws and no chickens!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

    Default

    My syrup changed a lot thru the season this year, more than usual. I went about 6 boils before I had to even clean the front pan, after that I needed to every day or 2. Then on March 30 I had to shut down mid boil to clean the front and back pan, after having cleaned both pans before the boil about 3 hrs earlier. After that I had to clean them every 3-5 hrs.
    This was the first year I've had to shut down mid boil to clean in less than 6 hrs boiling. Most of my boils are under 6 hrs, in fact most are only 3-4 hrs.
    For those first 6 boils I used a method I had last been able to use 8-10 years ago. There was lots of sugarsand but it stayed in suspension near the bottom (I don't have a bubbler). I just used a pump, sucked it up thru the pump and then back to the pan. On the outlet I used a cone pre-filter which caught most of the niter, then I just fired up and resumed boiling concentrate. I have only used that method 2 or maybe 3 seasons since 2003. I do it only when the niter is not building up on the bottom and just remains loose (like silt).
    Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
    Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
    Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
    After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts