# Mirro pressure canner jiggler



## offGridNorthern

I am thinking that the "jiggler" on the Mirro doesn't actually jiggle. It just hisses. Last year I over-processed everything trying to keep the jiggler moving. I can hear the water boiling in side and the little red tube is up and there is hissing around the "jiggler" but it doesn't move. 

Anyone else have experience with the Mirro Pressure Canner?


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## jmtinmi

No problems here and I used several. Maybe the weight needs to be cleaned. I don't think they wear out.


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## judylou

Mirro weights are set to rattle 3-4 times per minute when at 0.5 lbs. above pressure. EX: rattle at 10.5 when using the 10 lb. weight.

They will rattle side to side - sort of a clackety-clackety sound - continuously when the pressure is above 11.5 lbs. Steam will be released at the same time.

If your weight is not moving at all then either 1) your steam exhaust vent is partially blocked (check for lime build-up) or 2) you did not first exhaust all of the air out of the canner before putting on the weight (10 mins. at a full head of steam before putting on the weight), or 3) you are not up to pressure.

When in doubt it is better to let the weight rattle continuously. It is not over-processing and the weight will keep the pressure at 11.5 lbs which is only 1 lb. over the recommendation.

Hope this helps.


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## coalroadcabin

I don't know how old your Mirro is but my (very old) Mirro instructions say that if you get constant hiss with no jiggle it is most likely because you have the heat turned up too high under the canner - I have the round one piece weight and on very high heat my weight just hisses away like it's riding on a cushion of steam. It never bounces around to make the jiggle. My instructions say to start the canner on medium high to avoid this. 

Since my canner has no instructions for exhausting except to say that when the lid lock comes down the air in the canner is exhausted. I start my canner on high - when the cone of steam comes out of the vent I start timing 10 minutes. After 10 minutes I put the weight on and turn the heat down to medium high - wait for the first jiggles and then set the timer for the correct process time - I adjust the heat down 2 notches to keep the weight jiggling right instead of just hissing or constantly jiggling. (I marked the spot on my stove knob where I get the correct number of jiggles at 10 lbs pressure) 

Last night I was up late canning tomatoes and tried to shortcut bringing the canner up to pressure by leaving it on high so the jiggle would start sooner.....big mistake. It never jiggled, just hissed and when I finally turned the heat down enough to get a jiggle, I must have lowered the pressure too fast...........I woke up this morning and checked seals - 4 had failed to seal because of product caught between the rim and the lid. :nono: Stupid me, I had to process tomatoes before I could go to work this morning - didn't save myself any time at all!


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## offGridNorthern

judylou said:


> Mirro weights are set to rattle 3-4 times per minute when at 0.5 lbs. above pressure. EX: rattle at 10.5 when using the 10 lb. weight.
> 
> They will rattle side to side - sort of a clackety-clackety sound - continuously when the pressure is above 11.5 lbs. Steam will be released at the same time.
> Hope this helps.


OK... well this is what mine does but I was expecting that it would rattle continously. In fact, I think that's what the instructions say! Either I'm not very bright or the instructions that came with this Mirro are poor!

Thanks for everyone's help. Back to my crab apples ......


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## jakerobinson

OK,
i just bought a brand new Mirro 16qt pressure canner...

following the directions it says _the first time you use your canner..._
1. you should pour 2 qts of hot water and one tablespoon of vinegar into canner.

2. Close cover adn place control on vent tube at 10 lbs pressure [i interpret that you put the weight on before it ever gets hot...

3. Heat n high heat unti control jiggles... [it never jiggled... steam eventually started escaping all four 'holes' of the weight... weight never moved from verticle position and never jiggled or clacked... got a bit nervous so i turned the heat off..

4.Turn down heat so that control rocks gently 

5. remove from heat and let the canner cool until pressure is fully down....

this is the first time i've ever used it... i am assuming these steps are to 'break it in' with the vinegar and all... but the weight doesn't just sit on the top... I had to give it a bit of a push onto the stem... so, anyone have any ideas...

I plan to call Mirro tomorrow but thought maybe OffGridNorthern's problem is that it never worked correctly out of the box.. mine sounds like its doing the same as hers...


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## Chixarecute

I've had a similar issue - and sometimes it is because the weight isn't seated on the vent tube. Maybe because the "cone of steam" wasn't hot enough, and moisture build up keeps the weight from seating? I've pushed it down, and shortly thereafter jiggling commences.


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## jakerobinson

okay, they should probably add this to the manual or at least the FAQ...

If you've never used a pressure cooker and especially this one in particular you may not know that when you push down on the weight to put it on that it had "two" positions.. if you don't know you will push it down and "think" you've put it on... no, you haven't... you need to push a bit harder and it will move further down and actually be "seated" on the stem...

now i know.. works fine


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## SueMc

The only time my weight didn't rock while canning was when the lid gasket needed replacing.....canner couldn't get up to pressure.


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## timhar47

Does anyone have, or familiar with the Presto Unit - no jiggler at all - just a weight - one has to constantly adjust the heat, and let off steam to keep the 10 pounds pressure

Thanks - Tim


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