I would think the vacuum should run the full time the filtering is happening. If it has a little leak in the weld, report it to CDL, if they don't offer a better idea, seal it for now with silicone caulk. Then after the season, arrange to get the weld repaired.
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.
3rd batch today and there was some improvement. I put it through 3 pre-filters off the evaporator and finished it inside. Then I used more DE and was able to get 4 quarts through but the 5th quart stayed on top of the clogged filter. I nested a pre-filter inside the ring so I could remove it but I pulled it out when it was submerged and some of the niter went back in.
The actual permeable surface area of this filter is about 5 1/2" diameter, so about 24 sq inches.
For comparison, assuming the 12" CDL vacuum filter has a similar grate, it would have about 57 sq inches.
A 12" x 12" Smoky Lake flat filter would have 144 sq inches.
IMG_7934.jpg
Next time I'll use even more DE and 2 removable pre-filters.
2021: 28 taps. 18"x36" flat pan and dual natural gas burners.
2020: 31 taps. 3 full size steam table pans on a custom 6x water heater natural gas burner setup.
2019: 31 taps on silvers. Back porch gas cook top with 2 full size steam table pans. An amazing 14.9 gallons in my backyard!
2018: 22 taps on 9 silvers. Propane turkey fryer and full size steam table pan on electric stove. I made 4.25 gallons in my backyard!
What are you using for a vacuum source? I assume that you are running it until all the syrup has run through?
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around
I am using the same Shop Vac he uses in the video. It's 1.5 gallons and 2.0 hp. I let it run while I see the syrup level going down but after it clogs I'll let it run a little bit and then turn it off. So it probably runs for 30-45 seconds at a time. The shop vac is sucking condensation from within the tank, so I don't want to let it run too long.
2021: 28 taps. 18"x36" flat pan and dual natural gas burners.
2020: 31 taps. 3 full size steam table pans on a custom 6x water heater natural gas burner setup.
2019: 31 taps on silvers. Back porch gas cook top with 2 full size steam table pans. An amazing 14.9 gallons in my backyard!
2018: 22 taps on 9 silvers. Propane turkey fryer and full size steam table pan on electric stove. I made 4.25 gallons in my backyard!
You need to keep vacuum going the whole time to make it work well. If you have a wet/dry shop vac, moisture will not hurt it. I am not sure what video you are referring to. I run my shop vacuum until the syrup is all through using 3/4-1 cup filter aid per gallon.
Sugaring for 45+ years
New Sugarhouse 14'x32'
New to Me Algier 2'x8' wood fired evaporator
2022 added a used RB25 RO Bucket
250 mostly Sugar Maples, 15% Soft Maples. Currently,(110on 3/16" and 125 on Shurflo 4008 vacuum, 15 gravity), (16,000 before being disabled)
1947 Farmall H and Wagon with gathering tank
2012 Kubota with forks to move wood around
Thank you for the feedback. Here is the video. it's a demo of the 9" vacuum filter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91034cvALwo
2021: 28 taps. 18"x36" flat pan and dual natural gas burners.
2020: 31 taps. 3 full size steam table pans on a custom 6x water heater natural gas burner setup.
2019: 31 taps on silvers. Back porch gas cook top with 2 full size steam table pans. An amazing 14.9 gallons in my backyard!
2018: 22 taps on 9 silvers. Propane turkey fryer and full size steam table pan on electric stove. I made 4.25 gallons in my backyard!
To quote "Tim The Tool Man" ...."MORE POWER ARRRRRR"
125-150 taps
Smokey Lakes Full pint Hybrid pan
Modified half pint arch
Air over fire
All 3/16 tubing
Southern Ohio
When myprefilter clogged with syrup still inside the ring I just scraped the predicted off to one side with a pancake flipper. Might try just putting the syrup into a prefilter bag on top of the flat filter this year. Make it easy to remove.
2006 - 12 taps on open fire
2011 - 50 taps new 2 x 4 flat pan + warmer
2012 - 65 taps new 16 x 16 sugar shack
2013- 75 taps and no more, well maybe 85 now
2016-97 taps
1 Lab and my wife's Springer
Still had trouble with my 4th batch. I'll figure it out eventually. I'm curious if I'm the only with the new 9" vacuum filter that is having trouble.
less than 2 quarts went through before it clogged. This was the process I tried:
-near syrup was filtered off the evaporator at 218* through 3 cone prefilters
-boiling water dumped into the filters to wet them and preheat the unit
-syrup was finished on the stovetop
-1/2 cup DE added to roughly 5 quarts of syrup
-hot water drained
-shop vac turned on
-210* syrup poured into the top of the unit with a removable prefilter
-30 seconds later the filter was clogged, so I carefully removed the top prefilter with lots of gunk
-a little more syrup passed through the filter
-used a spatula to gently push the gunk around
-a tiny bit more syrup passed through the filter
-turned shop vac off
-filled a glass bottle (can't fill with the shop vac on because the suction holds the syrup in)
I also have niter?? getting through. I used a brand new synthetic filter and 3+1 used prefilters. Next time I'll use a brand new set of filters. I read that the DE might be stuck in the used filters and that is what I see in the syrup, not niter.
IMG_7969.jpg
It's really just the top prefilter that holds the niter. When I remove it, the filter underneath looks full of syrup, not niter.
Last edited by jdircksen; 02-12-2020 at 10:11 AM.
2021: 28 taps. 18"x36" flat pan and dual natural gas burners.
2020: 31 taps. 3 full size steam table pans on a custom 6x water heater natural gas burner setup.
2019: 31 taps on silvers. Back porch gas cook top with 2 full size steam table pans. An amazing 14.9 gallons in my backyard!
2018: 22 taps on 9 silvers. Propane turkey fryer and full size steam table pan on electric stove. I made 4.25 gallons in my backyard!
You may not be getting a good seal. I know that my home built unit does the same thing UNLESS I have a good seal then the syrup goes through really quick.
backyard hobbyist
Mason 2x3 w/AUF
2020 - added small vacuum and gravity 5/16 tubing and sap sacks
N 42* 18' 31."
W 79* 34' 15."
https://www.saptapapps.com/map/31868...-aab748a6394e/
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