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Thread: New filter press, is there a difference?

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Bakersfield, VT
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    241

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    I have a Leader 7.5" , 10 plate, we can get 80 gallons thru, and I like being able to see thru it so we can tell when it is full or when we can keep going with it. We have pushed hot water thru it at night to rinse the sweet out and used it again the next night without breaking it down.
    54 Acres bought in Sept 2010, hope for a lot of fun
    Kabota 3400 w/ bucket
    couple Husky chainsaws and a couple of Stihl
    Big dream
    2011 = 106 on gravity tubing, 100 bucket
    2012 =700 vaccuum 100 gravity 80 bucket's
    30" x 12' Vortex with Leader Revolution Max Raised pans
    2013 = 1200 vac, 200 gravity, 5 buckets, buying from 300 buckets, 500 vac
    Springtech RO 600 Deluxe
    2015= 1800 all vac @ home, buying sap from 1200.
    2017= 2200 all on vac. no longer buying sap

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Harrisville, New Hampshire, United States
    Posts
    208

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    Russ, I have a 7" D &G, short. Maybe it's my papers, but I can;t get more than 10 gallons through it, early syrup, and late syrup is way less! Gets cold too fast between draws too A ;ot of times, I only have a quarter inch build up, and pushing 100 psi!
    Two years boiling on a Leader half pint
    2011 100 buckets,12 gallons made
    2013 120 on tubeing 20 buckets 27 gallons made
    2014 Leader King 2 x 6 Working on 400 + on tubeing
    goal: 70 gallons

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Barnet, VT
    Posts
    2,580

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    Quote Originally Posted by 68bird View Post
    Russ, I have a 7" D &G, short. Maybe it's my papers, but I can;t get more than 10 gallons through it, early syrup, and late syrup is way less! Gets cold too fast between draws too A ;ot of times, I only have a quarter inch build up, and pushing 100 psi!
    With only 1/4” on papers you are not using enough filteraid
    William
    950 taps
    3 X 12 Thor pans on a Brian Arch
    CDL 600 expandable

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Fulton, NY
    Posts
    1,374

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    Quote Originally Posted by wiam View Post
    With only 1/4” on papers you are not using enough filteraid
    Definitely agree. Need a lot more DE.
    Tim Whitens
    Willow Creek Farm
    Fulton, NY

    3000 on vacuum, 3hp 3ph Busch pump, 2567 Gast
    30X8 Leader oil-fired evap. w/ steamaway
    Airablo 1000 RO
    6 Alpacas

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Rock Creek, NC
    Posts
    5,807

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    Quote Originally Posted by 68bird View Post
    Russ, I have a 7" D &G, short. Maybe it's my papers, but I can;t get more than 10 gallons through it, early syrup, and late syrup is way less! Gets cold too fast between draws too A ;ot of times, I only have a quarter inch build up, and pushing 100 psi!
    Like the others have said, you're not using enough filter aide. You should be using enough to fill the space in the hollow plates. For my press that's 3 cups each.

    I don't filter mine between draw offs. I built a burner set up out of an old Weber gas grill and had Bill Mason build me a finisher pan to fit it. At the end of a boiling session I heat the syrup to near boiling and correct the density before I run it through the press. I get a more consistent product that way and the jugs get filled at a consistent temperature.
    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!

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Oneida NY
    Posts
    11,547

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    I also do mine in batches. When boiling I normally get 7-8 gal/hr drawn off by an auto draw, into a 24 gal draw off tank. I then pump it to a finisher just to hold it until I have a batch big enough to fill a barrel or 2, or a barrel and my bottler. I then bring it up to 205-210 F, density check to verify, adjust as needed and then I draw off into my mixing tank about 3-4 gal, mix in about 1.5-1.75 cups filter aid (FA, My filter is 7" with 5 sets of plates, adjust by the number you have), stir well using a big stirring whip (like a potato whip but bigger) and then pump it thru the filter press and back into the mixing tank. Once it is so clear it sparkles, I either send it to a SS barrel or the bottler or first a barrel and the rest to the bottler. As each mixed batch is emptied from the mix tank, I then draw 6-6.5 gal into the tank, add 1 cup FA, mix and pump it thru the filter, since the papers are already coated it does not need to flow back into the mix tank after that first batch. When I finish that, I draw again and keep repeating until a barrel is full, then I send the rest to the next barrel but only if I have enough to fill one, or to the bottler if I need more retail containers filled in that grade or I just leave it in my finisher until another batch is ready. Doing it this way, I get 5 batches thru the filter in just a few minutes, ( my barrels are 26.5 gal) then fill the bottler or if I don't need more retail in what grade it is, I just leave it in my finisher until another barrel worth is ready to be filled.
    When my filter gets to 40 PSI I open a bypass valve slightly to keep the pressure close to 40 but not over it. When my filter will not allow more syrup thru or it gets very slow (at 40 PSI max), I shut it off and break the press down, the hollow plates are then all completely full and I will have filtered about 30-50 gal on a 5 plate 7" press. If the press did not fill up and I have more syrup to finish and filter within about 60-90 minutes I filter thru what ia already in the filter, if it has been over that time, I break it down, empty the plates, clean everything, put in new papers and start a new batch.
    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.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Essex VT
    Posts
    402

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    Looking at your number of taps, I would go with a 10", 5 hollow (2" thick) plate press. A 7 hollow plate (2" thick) 7" press has 504 cubic inches of DE capacity. The 5 hollow plate (2" thick) 10" press would have 810 cubic inches of DE capacity. The 10" press might be a little big, but there is nothing that I hate any more than the press plugging with 10 more gallons of syrup to filter. I have a D&G 5 hollow plate press (2" thick) and have done 115 gallons without plugging. My syrup per boil averaged 59.5 gallons this season with no problem putting all the syrup through the press without having to change the press. If I only put 30 gallons or less through the press during one boil, I can save the papers and DE and reheat the press with hot water for the next boil. If I have put more than 30 gallons through the press in one boil, I clean it at the end of the boil.

    Joe
    2004- 470 taps on gravity and buckets
    2006- 590 taps on gravity and buckets 300 gph RO
    2009- 845 taps on vacuum no buckets, 600 gph RO
    2010- 925 taps on vacuum new 2 stage vacuum pump
    2014- 3045 taps on vacuum, new 1200 gph RO
    2015- 3104 taps on vacuum
    2017- 3213 taps on vacuum
    3' x 10' oil fired evaporator with steamaway

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Barrington, NH
    Posts
    2,762

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    Thanks Joe. Back on topic.

    That is some good info that is good to have as well and glad to see the comparison. Are 2" thick plates standard between companies? I'm guessing my old CI press has 1" plates, so a full 7" or short 10" would be a significant upgrade in DE volume.

    Is the only difference between the companies what you're getting for an air pump, and how they build the stand? I'm guessing there's only so many ways to build the plates themselves.

    I agree, there's nothing worse than having to break the press down to get the last draw-off through the press.

    I hadn't thought of reusing the press the next night. I just assumed it had to be broken down after each use.

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Verona, NY
    Posts
    411

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    leader 7 1/2 inch is awesome, a 10 plate could get you through 50 gallons and then some. using a 15 plate now, i can get 120-150 gallons through in good syrup, and 75-100 in end of season. best part is that its virtually impossible to blow papers on them with the design of the waffle plates. ive been very impressed with it, and its great for tours also.
    7000 taps on vacuum, just trying to get a little better every year.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Lake County Ohio
    Posts
    1,628

    Default Leader clear press

    Add me as another in favor of the 7½" Leader Clear press.

    Do to the small amounts I filter (3-6 gal at a time) I also have mine blocked down to 3 plates using 3/4" I.D./ 1½" O.D. HDPE tubes as spacers.

    I'll never go back to a press where I can't see the inside. The pump supplied by Leader is a pneumatic made by Wilden.

    Good luck in your search.

    FILTER PRESS 2015.jpg
    John Allin

    14x18 Hemlock Timber Frame Sugar House 2009
    Leader 2x6 w/Patriot Raised Flue Pan 2009
    Leader Steam Hood 2014 - Clear Filter Press 2015
    Leader Revolution Pan and SS Pre-Heater 2016
    CDL Hobby RO & Air Tech L25 Hi Vac Pump 2019
    06' Gator HPX to collect wood & sap
    14' Ski-Doo Tundra for winter work in the woods
    Great Family 3 grown kids+spouses and 7 grand kids who like the woods
    7th Gen Born in Canada - Raised in Chardon Ohio - Maple Capital of the World..<grin>.

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