Let me start by saying I am new to the process of making chocolate. I just upgraded my equipment to include a Sylph winnower. My first run with it did not go well, and I am hoping for some help troubleshooting why. My problem was that even with both adjustment valves fully closed it only pulled about half of the chaff away from the nibs. From an original test batch of 100 g, I got back a combined weight of 90. I used Nicaragua Trinitario beans, if that matters. And yes, I made sure the bucket lid was securely and fully on. Any ideas what I might have been dong wrong? Or how to increase the suction?
Let me start by saying I am new to the process of making chocolate. I just upgraded my equipment to include a Sylph winnower. My first run with it did not go well, and I am hoping for some help troubleshooting why. My problem was that even with both adjustment valves fully closed it only pulled about half of the chaff away from the nibs. From an original test batch of 100 g, I got back a combined weight of 90. I used Nicaragua Trinitario beans, if that matters. And yes, I made sure the bucket lid was securely and fully on. Any ideas what I might have been dong wrong? Or how to increase the suction?
I had the same trouble and there were two sources: 1. The lid on the sylph was not all the way on. It pushes down REALLY HARD. 2. I started using a large wet/dry vac and actually overpowered the system which made it act in really odd ways, such as not separating the chaff at all.
You are shooting for a return weight of about 80. It took me about an hour of playing with each adjustment valve before I found the correct setting. It truly is a hit and miss type of thing.
If you've got both valves fully closed and you're only removing half the husk, your vacuum is probably not strong enough. But, as Chip mentions, one that is too powerful would also be a problem.
revisiting this, curious how powerful is too powerful? I have a 3hp, 7.5amp shop-vac with a 1" hose. I'm waiting for my sylph winnower and curious whether I should get a different vacuum. Thanks for any input!
Ben: Please create a discussion in one of the forums instead of posting in the shoutbox. No one ever replies to the shoutbox.
Dec 17, 2018 10:33:41 GMT -5