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Help!!! Canner Weight Just Spins, Steams and Hisses - What am I doing wrong?


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Hi Everybody

 

Last summer I moved to my new location. Before when I canned, I always had to use 15 lbs of pressure. Now in my new home, I use 10 lbs of pressure. I do remember that when I first started canning, I was told that canning at a high elevation (old location) was different from canning at a lower elevation (new location).

 

Here in my new location, the weight just spins, steams and hisses constantly (without stopping the whole time). Until last night, this did not bother me because as I said above, I was told that canning at different elevations was different. Then last night on another board, I read, “the weight jiggles and lets off steam only a few times a minute, not constantly.”

 

Now I’m super worried. I’ve done quite a bit of canning meat since I’ve been here. The weight spins, steams and hisses constantly, not just jiggles and lets off steam only a few times a minute. Almost everything has sealed, and I’ve eaten some of my food with no ill effects. I’m concerned about the safety of my food. Is it OK? Should I be doing something different?

 

YYY

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The first part about whether it is supposed to jiggle constantly or a few times a minute...not all canners are the same. Most are supposed to jiggle constantly but some are only supposed to jiggle a few times per minute. My canner (Mirro) is an occasional jiggler. Check the info about your canner and see how often it is supposed to let off steam.

 

The other part of your question I'll let Violet answer but it sounds like you have your heat too high.

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Hi Everybody,

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

I just got in. I've been so worried that I didn't even take my coat off before checking for responses.

 

Even though Violet has not responded yet, can one of you tell me if the food is safe to eat even if the temperature was too high?

 

I'm willing to deal with overcooked meat (from too high of a temperature), but the thought of losing all that meat has me dragging.

 

Thanks,

 

YYY

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I am not an expert but I agree, the heat is too high and so the pressure is too high and the weight is getting it out as fast as possible.

 

Apparently the heat was too high in my canner tonight, and the pressure was too high too. :canning: Instead of the weight spinning and hissing, the safety valve blew! Nothing like the sound of an 'explosion' to get your attention!!! The ceiling was dripping water all over me, It was a bit of a mess to clean up. :faint3: None of the jars broke though. And, it tookd some major searching to locate that little critter (the safety valve). :runcirclsmiley2:

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That is the function of the over pressure plug. So, what brand of canner do you have, Midnightmom ? Glad you were not hurt.

 

I also need to know what brand/ kind of canner you have, YYY. Depends upon what brand how often the weight jiggles. Presto will jiggle the whole time. Mirro and All American should be so many times per minute. That is why I like Presto. No doubt how many times it is jiggling.

 

If it is overprocessed, it won't hurt the safety of the food.

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That is the function of the over pressure plug. So, what brand of canner do you have, Midnightmom ? Glad you were not hurt.

 

I also need to know what brand/ kind of canner you have, YYY. Depends upon what brand how often the weight jiggles. Presto will jiggle the whole time. Mirro and All American should be so many times per minute. That is why I like Presto. No doubt how many times it is jiggling.

 

If it is overprocessed, it won't hurt the safety of the food.

It's a "Presto Preservation 100 Pressure Canner and Cooker." Weighted, not guaged.

DSC00489-1.jpg

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Midnightmom, sorry you blew your safety valve. Things like that can really be discouraging. A good reminder to me to go ahead and buy an extra one to have on hand.

 

Be glad it was 'only' water that spewed. My sister-in-law wanted to surprise her mother by making supper. She put beef and noodles in her big pressure cooker and the noodles swelled up and foamed and clogged the vent pipe. The safety valve blew and noodles went ALL over the kitchen. Walls, floor, ceiling, cabinets...everywhere. It was a surprise! She laughs about it today but at the time all she could do was cry.

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Hi again Everybody,

 

First, Violet, thank you for saying my food is OK to eat. I know you are only stating the truth, but I still feel so relieved.

 

When I decided to move here, I saved every dime to have the money to build up my pantry again, as fast as possible. I had also decided to put all that money into meat because the prices were going up so fast, and I felt I could get every thing else at on-sale prices and at a slower pace (I'm pretty satisfied with how that's progressing). The thought of losing all that money made me C-R-A-Z-Y.

 

I should have paid more attention to the heat and the big difference in the spinning, hissing and jiggling. Before this my Mirro 22 quart would do a lot of hissing but the jiggling and spinning would be a lot less.

 

I don't know if I need new ones or not, but I will feel better if I order and use a new weight and gasket.

 

Thanks all y'all. I feel so much better.

 

YYY

 

 

 

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Glad you are relieved, YYY. Just clean out the vent pipe really well with a pipe cleaner or run a piece of string through it and floss it out. You should not need a new one. Unless it leaks water from the gasket, you won't need a new gasket, either.

 

Midnightmom, do the same to your canner. Can't hurt at all to clean it. Normally they don't blow that overpressure plug since they are self venting. You must have either had the heat too high or the plug was just old anyway. They must be soft and pliable. If the plug was too firm that could cause it.

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Glad you are relieved, YYY. Just clean out the vent pipe really well with a pipe cleaner or run a piece of string through it and floss it out. You should not need a new one. Unless it leaks water from the gasket, you won't need a new gasket, either.

 

Midnightmom, do the same to your canner. Can't hurt at all to clean it. Normally they don't blow that overpressure plug since they are self venting. You must have either had the heat too high or the plug was just old anyway. They must be soft and pliable. If the plug was too firm that could cause it.

It was a brand new plug. Just replaced the old one about 3 wks ago. I thought I would 'test' it again, so I put the lid back on, turned the heat on (LOWER this time), added the weight, and waited for it to start boiling and venting. Well, it boiled...............but the weight didn't jiggle...................the plug blew again! That confirms for me that I have to replace that little bugger!!! :canning:

It's a good thing that I only had 5 pints of pork in the canner, but now I guess I'll be eating pork for a while. I also have about 2 lbs of gr.beef that I have ready to jar. Guess I will have to eat it too, or freeze it until I can use the canner again. :Blushing:

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  • 4 years later...

I'm having a similar problem but I know it's not to much heat because it does rock when I turn it up to 15lbs but won't rock when I have it at 10lbs. My canner is a presto with a weight and a gauge. Is there something wrong with my canner? I can't remember if it did the same thing last year. This is only my third year of canning.

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I had that problem with the new weight that came with my Presto 23 Qt.  It's a one piece weight and it did the same thing.  Spinning and sputtering.  I took the old 3 piece weight from the 16 Qt. and it works fine, using that.  I don't know what weight you have but I hope that helps.

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its not seating properly.  either check to make sure there is no debris on the vent tube, or that there is not a chip or scratch on the weight that would prevent getting a good seal.  if all else fails try a different weight, they are cheap enough....

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Chipped edge, dirty tube, weight our of balance (seriously!  Casting fault.), dirty weight.  I think you see where this is going.  The low pressure not working while jiggling at higher is the clue.  Also, if you have a black rubbery safety plug, could be it also, as it is leaking until moisture/pressure is great enough to seal it.   

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  • 4 years later...

I am wondering about the jiggling steam and making noise constantly but barely moving occasionally. I have a used Master's and cannot locate a manual. It has two 5 lb weighs which is ok for my location. I thought I read some just "hiss" but can't find it. I used to have pres to cooker and you adjusted the rocking for it. Anyone have experience with this type?

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Cynthia.  Welcome to Mrs S.  Sorry it has taken so long to get a reply to you.  I don’t have a Master’s but have two of the weighted type canners. I have always adjusted the heat under mine so that the weights rock slightly and give off a rhythmic sound that let me know the pressure was holding correctly. Your brand may be different but you could aim for that.  It’s important that home canned foods be processed at a safe pressure. 
 

I hope this info is not too late to help you. :canning:

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On 10/4/2021 at 12:55 PM, Cynthia jasch said:

I am wondering about the jiggling steam and making noise constantly but barely moving occasionally. I have a used Master's and cannot locate a manual. It has two 5 lb weighs which is ok for my location. I thought I read some just "hiss" but can't find it. I used to have pres to cooker and you adjusted the rocking for it. Anyone have experience with this type?

 

:hi:  Are you processing on a gas stove or an electric one?  

 

Mine is electric and I have to have it at the highest setting to get it to come to a boil and vent steam. Once the 10 mins is over I put the "jiggler" on and wait for it to start "dancing" before I make any temperature adjustments. Since it is an electric stove I allow at least 5 mins between adjustments to allow the lower temp to have an effect on the pressure. You can step it down as many times as you need as long as you allow time for the temp inside the pot to equalize. I find that can eventually drop the number on the stove dial from 10 all the way down to 5 - BUT is has to be incremental because if you drop it too fast and the jiggler stops rocking you have to restart the full time for processing once you get it back up to pressure. The biggest problem with that is that you may run your canner dry - and if that happens you may have ruined your canner as well as losing your food!  :canning:

 

Hope this helps. :wub:

  • Like 1
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