Filtering with Perlite

[beermkr]

Okay,

I am running a 3 sqM Velo with horizontal plates. The following is a typicla loadout for me:

Precoat with .25kg of celulose
Precoat with 1.2kg of 27m Perlite
Dose with 3.5kg of 27m Perlite.

We run at about 10gpm and have nice clear beer but the question has to do with the bell pressures. The book says I should hit 5 bar (72psi) at the completion of the run (22bbls average). Lately I barely hit 10 psi if I am lucky.

Am I using too much precoat? Does the bell pressure make a big difference? Should I just be happy that my beer is clear and leave it alone?

Any insight would be great!

Mike

[beertje46]

Not sure what book you're referring to but 5 bar is way to high and should not be your goal. Your quantities look good for a 3 meter filter. 10 psi is low but if the beer is clear...

Are you precoating with beer or water? Are you preloading your bell with 1 bar pressure during precoat? With your filter you should be able to filter 22 bbl. in 45 minutes or less and end up no higher than 2.5 bar.

A quick search turned up:

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=809029

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=9437&highlight=perlite
http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=9729&highlight=perlite

The first being the search on Perlite, the other two are threads from the search.

[beermkr]

Yeah, I found those searches too but were not related tom the issue of pressure that I am having. I guess I may be over thinking the issue and should just go with the clear beer viewpoint. I think I can reduce my dosing load since I end up with a half full dosing tank at the end of the run.

Precoat with sanitized water and no no pressure in the bell. That is a good idea as it will keep the degassing of the beer down in the beginning of the run.

Mike