Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe
Filters and Filtration: Wine should be brilliant prior to filtration and racked off lees.
VINAMAT TYPE
In a mid price range is the Vinamat, which is a pressure filter with a hand pump. Fall Bright carries the Wines Inc. Pressure Filter (Vinamat alternative). The tank holds 7 liters. Wine is siphoned into the tank, a hand pump that screws on top of the tank provides the pressure that pushes the wine through a set of 2 pads in a rugged plastic housing into a receiving carboy. The tank needs to be refilled and re-pumped.
Vinamat type filter setup: of course, you would not filter directly into a wine bottle!
Instructions for using the “Vinamat” type filter system.
When you receive your filter, it will not have filter pads in place. The first order of business is to disassemble the filter head unit, sterilize all parts and insert the pads. Proceed as follows:
- Lift off the top plate of the filter head unit (housing), exposing the center ring and bottom plate. Rinse all parts including the pressure chamber and hoses with a sulfite solution. Follow with a water rinse.
- Take two filter pads and fit one into each of the top and bottom plates. The two sides of the filter
pad are not alike: one side is flat, with many small symmetrical indentations, while the other side is coarse and bumpy. The sides having the small indentations must be touching the
circular groove of the top and bottom pressure plates. The, sides, which are coarse and bumpy will thus rest against the center ring once the filter head is reassembled.
If the pads are inserted backwards, the filter will not work properly.
Reassemble the filter head unit in the following sequence: bottom pressure plate containing correctly inserted pad, center ring, and top pressure plate containing correctly inserted pad.- Apply washers and wing nuts. Tighten until they lightly touch the top pressure plate. Now,
tighten slowly, two at a time, by opposite pairs. Do NOT use pliers.
- To determine that the hoses are properly attached, the wine when filtered, should be forced from the
pressure chamber through the hose into the intermediate ring. From there it is filtered by pressure through the pads into the circular rings on both pressure plates, leaving the
plates through hoses which are subsequently connected by means of a “Y” tube and on into your container.
- You are now ready to start filtering. The filter should be placed in a sink or a pan while in
use as it occasionally leaks. To eliminate the chance of a paper taste it is recommended that before filtering wine, always pump two gallons of plain water through the system.
Tilt the pressure pump to insure that all water is removed.
- As the pads become moist, they will swell and leakage may occur between the two pressure
plates. Simply tighten the wing nuts again in opposite pairs, gently. Over tightening can cause plates to crack. Some
leakage is to be expected.
- Siphon or pour the wine to be filtered into the pressure chamber. Fill to the indicated
line. Screw the pump firmly onto pressure chamber. Vigorous pumping is not necessary. Just maintain enough pressure to keep the wine flowing. Note: The first cup
or so of wine coming through the filter will be diluted by water retained in the pads. This should be thrown away. Taste and check color to detect undiluted wine. Proceed
filtering into your container.
- If filtration has to be stopped for emergencies, unscrew the pump to release the pressure. The
flow will stop instantly.
- When the pressure chamber is empty, refill and proceed as above.
- If excessive wine leaks out between pressure plates, tighten wing nuts. If excessive leakage
continues, the filter pads are clogged and should be replaced by new ones. Another indication of clogged pads is when it is difficult to pump. If the pads are clogged and you
continue to exert pressure on the pump, cracking of the filter head may occur.
- If it seems that you are unable to build pressure in the chamber due to a malfunction of the pump, it
could be that the plunger is not making adequate contact with the inside of the pump. A few drops of vegetable oil placed on the pump plunger should solve this problem.
- If you should experience any problems not covered by these instructions, please confer with us prior to proceeding.
- Apply washers and wing nuts. Tighten until they lightly touch the top pressure plate. Now,
tighten slowly, two at a time, by opposite pairs. Do NOT use pliers.