DE discussion
I bought a new Smoky Lake 6-plate press recently. I see discussion on DE quantity per plate all over the place. Typically filtering 5-10 gallon batch per session.
One says 3-1/4 cups per plate...........others say 2/3 cup for 1st gallon, the 1/3 cup per gallon thereafter.
Any help from Smoky Lake pressers out there?
Thanks, Bill
2017 - 3 taps hanging buckets.
2018 - 32 taps on 5 gal. buckets.
2019 - New Mason 2x4 XL. 80 taps
2020 - Barn / Sugarhouse finished. 125 taps. NextGen 1x40 RO
2021 - 157 taps, 100 on 3/16 tubing w/two Shurflo set-ups, the rest on buckets
2022 - 225 taps. 175 on 3/16 tubing, rest on buckets.
2023 - 300 taps. 261 on tubing, 39 on 5 gal. buckets. Four Shurflo 12V set-ups.
2024 - 340 taps. New SL 2x4 hybrid pan. Added second 1x40 membrane to RO
Didn't you receive instructions for use with the press? I would follow those to begin with.
2004 - 2012 2x3 flat pan 25 to 60 taps
2012 2x3 new divided pan w/draw off 55 taps
2018 - didn't boil surgery - bought new evaporator
2019 new SML 2x4 raised flue high output evap. 65 taps
made 17 gal. syrup
2020 - only put out 53 taps - made 16.25 ga.l syrup
2021 - Didn't work out
2022 - 25 taps on bags / 8 taps on 3/16's line - late start
I'm not familiar with how large the hollow plates are on a Smoky Lake filter press, but one reason you see numbers all over the place is because different presses have widely varied capacities in the hollow plates. Most older ones had about 1" thick hollow plates, many newer ones have gone with more capacity, some 1.25". some even as thick as 2", others somewhere in between.
As you follow any directions you need to know the size of the filter press and the number of plates. The thickness will only affect how many gallons you can filter and along with that how much DE it will take before the filter is filled and requires cleaning.
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.
I have a similar SL press. It works great, except for the time I put the end plate on upside down. If you go to the SL website, there is a video linked (one of us Mapletraders, Flower City Maples - by the way) where he demonstrates how to load up the press. SL does have their own instructional vids too. This technique works well, but I will have to watch again because it's been a year you know. Clearest syrup I've ever made.
Last edited by Ghs57; 02-28-2021 at 01:37 PM.
Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014
175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph
We have same filter press Ghs57 is correct on watching end plate orientation. The press takes 9 cups to fill plates we start with 3 cups in 1.5 gallons of hot syrup (200+ degrees) to prime press then mix in 5 to 5.5 cups into rest of syrup then filter ,we can do about 15-20 gallons at one time.
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