Questions and comments re the Harris filter

[hedgerow]

can i just ask a quick question on the type of pads you can obtain and there differances, can you still get hold of the thin paper type ones as well as the thicker pads

[Duffbeer]

Yes you can, but they aint cheap @ 6.50 for 25, I have only found them of use to filter out large particles such as tartaric crystals, they will not give that sparkle like normal filtering.

[hedgerow]

thanks duffbeer. i used to make a massive amount of wine several years ago but after an illness twice i have only just started to get back into it, some things change and some things stay the same, its a bit confusing at times

[Leon]

Brilliant Tutorial, I bought a job lot of equipment when I first wanted to get into the hobby and there was a filter in it, never used it or even thought about it until I read this tutorial. Now I can't wait to get it going, but I do have some questions...naturally. First off is Harris a type of filter or a brand? Mine says Brewmaker. Here it is disassembled:
31122011777.jpg

My question is about the part in the bottom left of the picture. If the filter is bottom right, what is that other piece, and does it need changing like a filte? It's not plastic, but doesn't seem to be too porous.

Also, can I just get a bit picture happy and ask if this is the right way of setting it up?

31122011778.jpg

31122011780.jpg

31122011781.jpg

Thank you kindly.

[lockwood1956]

Hi Leon,

I've not come across one of those so im afraid Im unable to help. Have googled it and cant find any references to it.
Someone is sure to have one and will have the answer I hope

regards
bob

[Rich]

Not seen one before like that either. But..

I'd say that the two hole bung would go in the top of the filter, with the pipe with tap going straight up, using this pipe as the air release from the filter body as the syphon gets going. Then turning the tap off when the filter body is full, leaving the only place for the wine to go is through the filter paper with the head of pressure from the wine above.

When I used a gravity filter I found it best (quicker?) to have quite a height difference between the vessels

[Leon]

The two holed bung doesn't fit in the filter, only the one holed bung which is smaller and fits perfectly. The two holed bung fits in demi johns though, the jug in my photos is taking the role of a demi john, which led me to assume this was the set up. I had the pipe with the tap earmarked as the air release, I just don't understand why it is so long, nor the other pipe from demi john to filter so short.

[Original Mac]

Brilliant Tutorial, I bought a job lot of equipment when I first wanted to get into the hobby and there was a filter in it, never used it or even thought about it until I read this tutorial. Now I can't wait to get it going, but I do have some questions...naturally. First off is Harris a type of filter or a brand? Mine says Brewmaker. Here it is disassembled:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]2826[/ATTACH]

My question is about the part in the bottom left of the picture. If the filter is bottom right, what is that other piece, and does it need changing like a filte? It's not plastic, but doesn't seem to be too porous.

Also, can I just get a bit picture happy and ask if this is the right way of setting it up?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2827[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2828[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2829[/ATTACH]

Thank you kindly.

Leon. that is indeedy a Brewmaker filter and it will do a good job for you. Assembly wise it goes, take float and place in top section. Put filter pad in so that when assembled it will be fluffy side up. Align the arrow on the screw to the mark on the side of filter top body and screw together. Connect top and bottom sections and place fillter over an empty demijohn. Your syphon tube is connected to the small bung. Now you have to put the j tube in a bucket (or demijohn) of water. Now for the fiddly bit. Suck on the end of the small bung to start the syphon and point the end into the filter body. You have to judge when the filter body is full of water then quickly put bung into hole. The gallon of water will quickly go through the filter and remove any filter particles. Discard the water and rinse the demijohn. Remove the bottom section (over a sink) and tip the remaining water out of the top part. Check the screw for tightness. You should find that you are able to nip it up as the now softened filter has a little give. Reassemble, put the j tube in your wine and start the syphoning again. You will be amazed at how much more you concentrate when it is your beloved wine going into the filter but it is vital you exclude as much air as possible before fitting the small bung. Now as good as this filter is there are a couple of downsides. First of all you cannot leave it unattended. Mine had a nasty tendancy to leak if the demijohn had a narrow neck, it somehow managed to bleed wine up the demi neck (strange but true) so I generally used the wider necked plastic water bottles as the receiving vessel. Second if your wine is not thoroughly degassed expect to restart the syphon several times. This will make a mess. Thirdly and perhaps more importantly they have not been manufactured for years. I had to get a Harris filter as my local HBS can no longer get the filter pads. Good luck with it.

edit, I think the two hole bung (mine did not have one) goes in the demi holding the wine to be filtered. If you blow into the short tube that would force the wine up the tube to the filter. I think this would make it tricky when filling the filter with wine initially.

[Leon]

Thank you very much, Mr Mac, I will take what you have said to my filter. I am a bit concerned that the filter I have purchased are not the right ones, they look very similar to the one in the picture, which was in the filter when I aquired it. Oh well, what the hell....

[Original Mac]

If the filter pads you have bought are bigger you could use an original as a template and carefully cut it out. If they are smaller then they are useless in the Brewmaker filter as you have to have a snug fit to ensure proper filtration.

[Cellar_Rat]

Blatant advert follows. Does anyone want a 20cm plate filter.

[Leon]

The pads fit perfectly, more by luck than design I feel. Having followed your advice I have been filtering away, and it works a treat, thank you again for your help. Want see me in action?

Photo030.jpg

Photo035.jpg

The second one is the filtered wine, the one showing signs of slurpage.

[Original Mac]

Good job!. Glad it worked out.

[woody1962]

Thinking of investing in a filter; can the pads be re-used?

[Original Mac]

You can filter several consecutive gallons of wine if you are polishing the wine but the more you remove (and consequently block the filter pad) the less effective it becomes. I have used one pad to polish ten gallons of wine, similarly had one blocked after just two. The secret is to get your wine as clear as possible first using finings if necessary, then filter. Do not under any circumstances try to save the pad for future use, use it then bin it.