# All American Canner



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

OK. All you folks that have the AA, I have a question.

I went to an estate sale today and found an old one. Got it for $20. It's the smaller one; a 15-1/2qt and says No.7 on the bottom. On one side of the lid is the pressure gauge. On the other side is what looks like a relief valve and the top part of it pivots. It can be pointed straight up and looks like a small cone, or it can lay horizontally and seems to not do anything in that position. 
Is that what it is and how does it work?


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Mine had that to UJ. I ordered the nipple an weight from AA an replaced mine. I believe it were the pressure control on the older models. Newer ones don't come with it.

I don't member what it cost, but weren't much ta replace it. Just wasn't comfortable with it myself.

Rite nice find there my friend!


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## memrymaker (Dec 12, 2012)

OldCootHillbilly said:


> Mine had that to UJ. I ordered the nipple an weight from AA an replaced mine. I believe it were the pressure control on the older models. Newer ones don't come with it.
> 
> I don't member what it cost, but weren't much ta replace it. Just wasn't comfortable with it myself.
> 
> Rite nice find there my friend!


Awesome deal.  As you've probably already seen per research online, here is a picture of my last year's model 921 valve.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

What it looks like to me is a pressure regulator. Horizontal position it would relief at whatever setting is desired. Perhaps by using the knurled portion at the top you could turn it to the desired relief on the gauge? Build up pressure until the gauge reaches 10# (or whatever the desired setting is), then turn the knob until a slight hissing is heard. Tighten it back up, maybe a quarter turn or something and it will relief pressure like a weight? I'm willing to bet that if you take it apart there is a spring and a rubber gasket in there to accomplish this.

The fully vertical position would release all pressure in it slowly, so you could open it. Again, turning the knurled portion would release pressure faster or slower. I do not know when pressure canning came about but pressure cooking did not matter if you let the pressure off faster than a normal cool down. Imagine having 8 screaming children going MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY WHEN IS DINNER????? My mom used to put the canner under a running tap to cool it down. It seems a pressure relief would be better as you are not cooling down the contents also. You can get the butter and flour going while it hisses away so as soon as it stops you can take the roast and veggies out and make gravy.

Just my thoughts though! Good find!!!!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

I bought a 930 last year and it has the same valve, that is where the weight sits. I believe UJ's uses a different system, no weights.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Woody said:


> I bought a 930 last year and it has the same valve, that is where the weight sits. I believe UJ's uses a different system, no weights.


The current version, and I'm by no means an expert on when they've adapted their manufacturing processes!... but the current version is NOT weight of the "thing" sitting on the pressure relief vent. If you look at the "weight" marked 5 10 and 15, you'll see that the diameters and depth are OBVIOUSLY differently,so it's not really the weight of the "thing" because that is constant no matter what setting you use, its the downward pressure based on that venting angle and seating depth that helps maintain a constant pressure inside the cannery.

Nice find! UJ! I wish I could get one like that too! 

ETA: I haven't done it yet, but apparently you can take your lid to the "county extension office" and I have NFI what that is other than people soaking up my money and then a pension!!!! >.< but they will "test" the pressure gauge for you. I have no idea if that incurs a fee.

I'm gonna look up mine (local office) and think about bringing my lid there. I have a spare in case something is off and I need to ship it back to AA for an inspection/replacement.

ETAA:

if yours didnt incude the little disc dealy things that keep the jar bottoms from physically touching the bottom surface of the canner, you can make your own by taking a few jar "bands" and just zip tying them together in a starfish pattern or whatever works to just elevate the jars off the hot surface.

There are warnings about "running it dry" meaning that you didnt put in enough water, or for whatever reason let it cook under pressure so long that it runs dry.

I've NEVER run mine dry and I actually did once accidentally leave it at full heat for the 75 minutes on pints canning and it was not empty!!! but it was damn near, I think there was less than an inch of water left over, and normally I have all the water left over.

by full heat I mean:

turn oven top to 4 while I'm prepping food. = pplz talk about oven heating jars... meh.. really??? it's gonna pressure cook at 240+ so... why??? just dont make rapid temp changes in your CLEAN jars and you'll be fine. let the water warm up a tiny bit, but also leave all your food out as you prep it.

that's how I've been doing it for a couple years now, and I cook and eat my canned food all the time, and I'm still here. either I'm "speshul" and normal gastronomic concerns don't apply to me, or it's just following the basic principle of the thing and close enough = close enough.

back to oven tops!:

I have a glass top stove, your results may vary. I can ALL THE TIME with mine on the glass surface. So far so good. hundreds of loads... it's not a problem. then again, you may crack yours the very first time you put that much weight on your glass range??? I'm just saying it hasn't been a problem for me... YET!

If I break this thing I have to buy my landlord a new oven... okay, I'll jump off that bridge when I get there. So far so good 

Again, congrats and nice find, now start canning food!


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I have an old Burpee that had the spring loaded pressure relief valve. Years of heat had weakened the spring. I replaced that valve with a weight system that I purchased at Lehman's. While I was at it I replaced the pressure gage as well.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

UJ, I thin these was the numbers I used: #68 Pressure Regulator Weight #Z000122 $18.00, #69 Vent Pipe for Pressure Regulator Weight #Z000130 $8.00. Hope that heps ya.


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

I have the same caner, this is what you are looking for.


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