Using the counterweight as a weight isn't recommended. And since you only need 11 lbs. at your altitude for a dial gauge you wouldn't want to use 15 lb. unless necessary. Best solution is to get the gauge tested befor using or get the weights before using.

If it were me I'd do an informal test of my gauge by doing a trial run using only water in the canner. Run the pressure up until the counterweight rocks steadily and note what your gauge reads then adjust your reading on the gauge accordingly while doing the corn. ie: if it is low by 2 lbs. add 2.5 lbs to the 11 lbs. needed on the gauge while doing the corn.

A trial run or 2 first is always recommended so you can do both at the same time. Plus be sure to read the How to Use A Pressure Canner guide at NCHFP.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Use a Pressure Canner

Don't the instructions for the Presto actually tell you do run the test like digdirt suggested to check the gauge before first use?

Thanks so much for the very helpful information! I took the pressure gauge to my local extension office this morning and it tested at about a pound under. The lady at the office was wonderful! She had lots of great advice for a novice canner and even told me about several upcoming canning classes. I did a test run with water just to be sure I understood the workings of my canner. Now I'm patiently waiting for our first batch of whole kernel corn to process. Thank you so much!

Now try a test tun using a couple of jars of water with food coloring in them. That is the best way to learn how to control your heat source and how to prevent the chronic problem of siphoning.

If the water in the canner is stained with the coloring when done then siphoning happened and more practice is needed.

Dave

That's actual what I did during my first test run (with blue food coloring) and all went well. No color in the canner water. The corn went really really well. My only question/concern was about the depresurization time. My canner (filled with 20 pints of whole kernel corn) took about 45 minutes to depresurize (I waited until the gauge read 0 and the safety lock popped back down). I then removed the weighted regulator, cooled another 10 minutes, then removed the lid. Is it normal to take so long for the canner to depressurize? Thanks!

Yes....normal I think for that size canner. It takes my 22 Qt vintage Mirro (which may be heavier in weight) minimum 45 minutes to drop to 0, usually a few minutes longer.

Congratulations on your corn! It sounds like you did your homework and it paid off....You and your canner are now broken in ;)

That's actual what I did during my first test run (with blue food coloring) and all went well. No color in the canner water. The corn went really really well. My only question/concern was about the depresurization time. My canner (filled with 20 pints of whole kernel corn) took about 45 minutes to depresurize (I waited until the gauge read 0 and the safety lock popped back down). I then removed the weighted regulator, cooled another 10 minutes, then removed the lid. Is it normal to take so long for the canner to depressurize? Thanks!

Depressurizing time is affected by several facotra and especially is affected by the amount of water and the number of the jars in the canner. Smaller loads depressurize faster (like 20-30 min), larger loads take longer (even up to an hour. Its possible you had more water than was needed in the canner but better too much than too little.

Dave

My canners depressurize a lot faster when it's 60 out instead of 85. I have noticed room tempurater to be what affects cool down times more than anything else (like removing unit from burner, or how full the canner was)

My 21qt AA canner takes about 35-50 mns, and the 16 qt presto usually 30-45. The pop up/down button on the Presto is my favorite feature of both canners.

BTW - you take the lid off when pressure hits zero, then wait 10 mn before removing the jars.

Thanks again for the wealth of knowledge! The forum is so helpful! Our second batch (20 pints of creamed corn) went MUCH smoother. This time we removed the canner from the stove element and it seemed to cool quicker...maybe 20-30 minutes. I followed the instructions at the NCHFP website for cooling: " 9. After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent pipe or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face. 10. Using a jar lifter, remove the jars one at a time, being careful not to tilt the jars. Carefully place them directly onto a towel or cake cooling rack, leaving at least one inch of space between the jars during cooling. Avoid placing the jars on a cold surface or in a cold draft." Maybe I missed waiting another 10 minutes between removing the canner lid then removing the jars?

We had quite a canning day yesterday! We canned 20 pints of creamed corn, 5 quarts and 7 pints of peaches, and 4 half pints of peach butter (had to do something with those extra two pounds of peaches!). The height of the 23 qt presto made for easier HWB quart canning versus my granite ware HWB canner.

I have two more questions...

1-when we canned our peaches, we followed the recipe in the ball blue book for peaches canned in syrup. We went with the hot pack method in heavy syrup (50/50 ration of sugar to water). Now that everything is processed, the peach slices have floated to the top of the jar. I know it'll taste the same but it doesn't look as pretty lol. Any recommendations?

2-when using the presto to pressure can, I've waited until the safety button pops up to start timing the ten minutes of continuous steam coming from the vent pipe. Typically there is a funnel shaped flow of continuous steam before the safety button pops up, but I guess I just want to be sure I'm expelling all the air. Is there any harm in doing it this way?

Thank you everyone for your expertise! I'm so excited to be canning!

Okay, I got my peach issue resolved. Just a gentle shake of each jar seemed to level the peaches out in the syrup. All is well there!

On my last batch I processed (more corn...ahhh!) I paid more attention to the steam coming from the vent pipe and started timing once it was a steady funnel shaped stream. That happened about three minutes before the safety latch popped up. I think that is how I should do it in the future.

So this last batch didn't go as well. I apparently have some issues with siphoning. I processed 10 pints of whole kernel corn. I followed the BBB again. It seemed like I had to adjust the temperature a lot more this go around than with the previous batches (filled with 20 pints). I'm assuming that's what caused the siphoning. I left one inch of headspace as the recipe called for. The liquid in the jars is roughly 1.5-2 inches down in the jars now. The only other thing I can think that happened is maybe the corn absorbed more of the liquid this time. The corn was husked for about 4 days before cut off the cob and canned.

Is it sill safe to eat since the siphoning occured? Thanks!

Safe? Yes. 4 days is a long time to hold corn as it dries out and turns tough quickly so it does absorb more liquid and yes, adjusting the temp causes siphoning. It's better to let the pressure be a little too high than to adjust the temp so much.

started timing once it was a steady funnel shaped stream. That happened about three minutes before the safety latch popped up

Best to start timing after the latch pops up and there is a funnel of steam. If there isn't enough pressure inside to pop up the lid latch yet then there is still lots of air in the canner.

Dave