Filter press as a syrup pan cleaner?

[dcast99]

At the end of the day you are suppose to run sweet thru the press to clean the syrup out of it. Could I use it as a Syrup pan cleaner? After we finished bottling for the day and while the evap is cooling down, can I use the intake hose as a "shop vac" and clean the pan? I'm think the draw off section should go into a pot and then the rest could be put right back into the pan. At the end the pot would be added back into the syrup pan in the section we plan to draw off of the next boil. Would this work and be practical?

[NhShaun]

Sounds like a great way to keep your syrup pan and sweet super clean. In theory it would allow your filters to get more syrup through them before clogging up the next time you press, and you'd be getting that extra syrup from the press diluted back into your sweet. Curious about the filtering effects of the possibly lower temp/density sweet versus the higher density syrup. This will be my first season with a filter press so i just may have to try it and report back just for kicks.

[ecp]

We usually run the sweets through it at the end of the night when we change pans so the next boil can go longer. At any rate (cleaning sweets or syrup) run hot water through the press to get all the sugar out of it. We keep the water that is run through and dump it back in the sap tank. You'll be very surprised how much syrup you throw away if you just break a press open and wash it down every time (about a barrel of syrup a year). The more hot (as hot as possible) water the better as it will take all the sticky off of everything and making breaking it down much much more plesent.

[dcast99]

My first year with a press too. Between that and the new RO I will have a lot of learning ahead of me

[DrTimPerkins]

My first year with a press too. Between that and the new RO I will have a lot of learning ahead of me

Using a filter press can be somewhat intimidating at first. A couple of our videos and a pamphlet might help. Very frequently the issue of poor filtering with a press is not enough DE or incorrect DE or not being hot enough. Good to recirculate the syrup being filtered from the press back into the tank for a while until it runs clear, then put into a barrel or container.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNqv...faQQkRi-tC0ut9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUYtobgcvZE&t=2s

https://mapleresearch.org/pub/filterpressop/

[dcast99]

The press seems to be the easier of the new equipment to run. Plan to heat the syrup in a ss turkey fryer to 200 f. Will mix in 2/3 cup of DE for the first gal, then 1/3 for each additional gal of syrup. Will recirculate back into the pot until clear. With the Leader clear press I should be able to see that the plates are full of DE. The RO (Micro 1) on the other hand will be a little harder to learn.
DR Tim, what do you think about my thoughts on using the extra capacity of the press to clean the syrup pan?

[johnallin]

The press seems to be the easier of the new equipment to run.... With the Leader clear press I should be able to see that the plates are full of DE.....

You definatley will be able to see cake build-up...that's one of the best features of a clear press.
Ask Fred he'll tell you...

[Amber Gold]

Every night, I run my syrup pan through the press, and you'll be surprised how much cleaner your pan stays and how much more syrup you can get through your pan before it needs to be cleaned. It's well worth the 15 min it takes every night.

[NhShaun]

It's well worth the 15 min it takes every night.

Interested in trying this. I'm assuming you wait till the front pan cools enough to draw off through the press? It must flow through the press a lot easier than finished syrup even at the cooler temp.

[Amber Gold]

I start filtering not long after I shut down. Usually, I'll take care of whatever syrup I made for the night, get the RO on a wash/rinse cycle, etc. and then start filtering. My arch takes a long time to cool down, so the syrup stays plenty hot for a while.

A few times during the season, I'll filter the flue pan, but more to make me feel better than anything else. Not sure if it does much. The big bennie is in the syrup pan. Huge difference in niter build-up.