Need advice? Picked up a Buon Vino Super Jet Filter and tried it and failed....

[craig1bc]

Looking for some advice. I picked up the Buon Vino Super Jet Filter and I tried it to make filter maple syrup and it was a complete failure. I used filter aid 1/2 cup and 3 filters and ran it through the press 3 times and after the syrup has sat for a week I have alot of niter sand.

Anyone use this setup?

1. How many plates do you use?
2. How many filters did you use?
3. How much filter aid?
4. How many times did you run it through the press?

Any other advice you can give me.

Thanks,

Craig

[Pdiamond]

I have the maple guys jet filter press which seems to be identical. I had no problems filtering this year and this was my first time using a filter press. Did you filter your syrup at 190 degrees? I used 2/3 cup of DE for each 1.5 gallons and it ran good, i used 4 filter papers until the last batch when I used all the plates just to try them all out.

[Polaris1]

Like Pdiamond said did you filter at 190 degrees? I had the same press as you. I bought additional plates from Maple Guys to get to 7 plates I believe. I also ran my filtered syrup back to holding tank in the beginning until the syrup cleared up. Usually took maybe less than a min or so. I did 4-5 gal batches and used 1.5 cups of DE. Beginning of season I could run up to 13-14 gallons thru before having to change papers. Watch your pressure gauge. U'll be fine then gauge will spike an blow pump to press line off. Use caution as you know hot syrup.

[craig1bc]

Yes syrup was close to 190' did you run more than one time? I have alot of niter. It looks like I did not get much filtering done we are ready to go back to the cone filter.

[maple flats]

To use it properly you must do it correctly. First the syrup must be 190 or even better 200F. Next you must mix in the filter aid in the right amount. The first gallon needs 2/3 cup, every additional gal needs another 1/3 cup. Then, after mixing you start the filter. First step in running it is to coat the papers with filter aid. You do that by drawing the syrup from your mixing pot or tank, running it thru the filter and back to the same pot. Let it run until the syrup flow back to the tank sparkles (super clear). Then and only then you shut down, move your discharge hose to a clean collection pot and run the syrup thru the filter. If you have more to filter, mix in the filter aid, about 1/4 cup per gallon. Mix and run it thru, this time since the filter cake is already coating the papers you can run this and even more batches thru and into the collection pot, without sending it back to the mixing pot first. That extra step is only needed on the first batch to coat the papers.
If the filter gets filled up, you will need to change the papers and coat the new papers by running back into the mix tank. In time you will find just how much syrup you can filter on one change of the papers. That amount does change thru the season, early season you can filter more on a set of papers then in mid to late season you usually get more niter and you then get fewer gallons filtered on a set of papers. Every batch you run thru must be at or above 190, not just the first.

[Polaris1]

I ran it thru 1 pass after you get the papers and plates coated. I thought it worked very well. I canned some in glass jars and no sand or anything.

[Super Sapper]

I would guess that something is not put together correct. Too little filter aid and your pressure should spike before it is full of filter aid. Too much filter aid and it will take less syrup to fill it and need new papers. You shouldn't need to run it through more than once.

Another possibility could be in reheating for bottling. How do you reheat to bottle? If with a direct flame to your bottler you could be creating niter there.

[Polaris1]

What kind of filters are you using? The filters from Buon Vino? They have 3 different grade filters. I wouldn't dare to guess which 1's would work for maple syrup. They are a thicker harder filter than a normal press paper. I bought filters from Maple Guys. I'm not sure if they still sell them. Someone here said they backed off on sales.

[Pdiamond]

The Maple Guys are still selling the filter papers. They are $16.00 for a pkg of 42 filter papers.

[Pdiamond]

This was my first year with a filter press and I wonder why I didn't get one sooner. It has tabs on it so you can line up the plates and filter papers as you put it together. I filtered 16.25 gallons this year, and it is the clearest syrup I have ever bottled. I won't go back to the flat filters except when it comes off the evaporator into my holding tank.