Filters Again

[redbeard]

so filters have grabbed my attention, read spend homebrew $$ on ...

after reading here & grumpys forums, the basic xstream/cuno water filters look the go with a 5micron re-usable pleated polyester / polypropalene filter or the cheap less re-usable spun filter. (bunnings $68 + $12/$33 - will check out plumbers coop tmw)

so how do current users purge air / oxygen from filter before pushing beer thru it ?
or u dont ?

do u store filter (combo) in fridge wet or dry ?

is this a procedure that requires a march pump ??

 

[Thunderlips]

Redbeard, regarding purging oxygen, my filter housing has a purge button on the top that just needs to be pressed.
It's basically the same kind of setup as this one...
http://www.filterstore.com/kit.htm
As for the filters, I've only used 1 micron so far and from the results I don't think 5 micron would be much chop.
I have a cheaper (supposedly 1 use) .5 micron filter here as well which I'll probably try with my next brew. I'm curious to see if it effects the taste in any way. If not then I may buy a washable re-usable pleated version.

 

[normell]

Hi Thunderlips& Redbeard
I've tried the 5 micron, not much difference.
Gunna try the .5 micron today, but going to reverse the flow thru the filter, thinking that this way will give MORE filter surface area to trap whatever without clogging, and will be easier to clean.
I store mine damp, in the freezer, then thaw, and poke some one-shot thro it.
Will post results later
Normell

 

[Ross]

Norm,

If you freeze your used damp filter, you might as well chuck it away - Freezing it, ruptures the membrane making it useless...

The spun cartridges you are using start at a much higher micron size at the outside, decreasing in size as they filter towards the centre. Reversing it will make it less efficient, not more...

Redbeard,

5 micron is next to useless for cleaning your beer - 1.0 is acceptable - 0.5 is best (but genrally quite a bit more expensive). Make sure the micron size is "absolute" otherwise the filtration you're getting is less.

My supplier only had opaque cannisters with the bleed valve, whereas I wanted a clear casing. therefore I have put a simple bleed valve in the tube on the output side...

++++

I'm currently using a 1 micron pleated, but this dosen't polish the beer near as well as the Ferrari 1 micron paper filter does...
Therefore trialing the spun 1 micron "absolute" filter this evening, to see how it compares. My local supplier will let me have these a $6 each if they work, therefore making them a dispoable proposition, as they CAN'T be cleaned successfully.

Final conclusions not confirmed yet, but I believe they will end up confirming the 0.5 micron pleated PET washable filter as the best homebrew option. :chug:

 

[Darren]

Ross, How much beer are you getting through a filter?
1uM should be plenty small enough to get out the yeast. Must be "chill haze" you are dealing with.
0.5 uM is almost sterile filtered (0.2 is sterile)

 

[Ross]

Darren,

The pleated filters have a surface area of approx 6sq feet, therefore they filter quickly & easily even when very cloudy

http://groups.msn.com/BeerFilter/pictures

The ferrari filters own brand filters will only polish 2 beers (I filter 2 beers at once 2 x 20L) if the beer is pretty clear to begin with. I used to get a third parties filter pads that were great, but my local HBS has run out & won't reveal the supplier. Hence my move to PET filters.

I have taste tested side by side & there is no loss of colour or taste that I can detect...

 

[Thunderlips]

Ross, How much beer are you getting through a filter?
1uM should be plenty small enough to get out the yeast. Must be "chill haze" you are dealing with.
0.5 uM is almost sterile filtered (0.2 is sterile)

[post="46799"][/post]​

I'll agree with that. I've filtered beer through a 1 micron filter into a plastic jerry which was then placed into a fridge for a week or so. I didn't do this for any particular reason other than wanting to try the filter but not having a spare keg to place the filtered beer. When I finally did get an empty keg and transfered it there was no yeast sludge at all on the bottom of the jerry. So the 1 micron filter did remove it all. I still have a slight cloudiness though which I think, like you, is chill haze. It'll be interesting to see if the .5 micron filter makes any difference. I think it will.

 

[Ross]

Thunderlips,

I got that slight haze from a kit beer though that was dry hopping - it's slowly clearing in the keg - so it's either very fine yeast particals or something off the hops - got similar haze when i've dry hopped in the keg before now - bottled a couple & reprimed to check for active yeast...

 

[Ross]

Tested the 1 micron "nominal" spun filter today (as I can get these for $6 each) & put it up against the 1 micron "absolute" PET pleated...

http://groups.msn.com//BeerFilter/beerfilter.msnw

The results speak for themselves... P.S. sorry about the fingerprints...

Note: When you are buying filters they are all "nominal" unless otherwise specified. A 1 micron "nominal" could easily be 2 or 3 micron & as you can see it makes a huge diffrence...

Cost $24 & supposedly good for 50 kegs...

 

[redbeard]

Ross, in the last pic, showing the overall filtering (keg , jerry & filter), have u shoved some stainless tubing into the out disconnect then into the jerry ?

thanks

 

[Ross]

Redbeard - no its a spare outlet post from a keg - allows me to have a disconnect each end of the filter....