Feedback on Ray Ringerich ROs

[Brokermike]

Now that the season is progressing how does everyone like his RO setup. Several local producers and I are goging to make a trip down this summer if the reviews are positive.

Anyone have any pictures?

Thanks

Mike

[heus]

I'd like to know also.

[twofer]

Same here.

Trying to get a head start on next year already and called yesterday to get pricing on a 300 gph unit from H2O Innovations.

[Walnut Hollow Farm]

I bought a 125 gallon/hr gas powered RO from Ray this past winter. I have a small operation (200 taps) and boil on a 2X6 so it took forever to process the sap. I needed to get more efficient. I heard good things about Ray Gingrich and his ROs from some guys at the Ohio Maple meetings. All I needed was a small RO with a single membrane. My experience with Ray has been very positive. He requires 1/2 the payment when an order is placed and the balance upon pickup. When I picked up my RO, Ray took time to explain everything and answer all of my questions. He provided a detailed hand written owners manual with very specific instructions on daily care, washing, acid washing, and storing when the season is over. I have followed his instructions exactly and Ray's RO works just like he said it would. I accidently broke the low pressure gauge housing shortly after I got it and didn't have the parts to fix it. I took it back to Ray and he fixed it free of charge. Ray is Amish so he does not have a telephone in his home but he has one in his shop. Leave a message. He promptly answers queries. Again, I am extremely pleased with my Deer Run Maple RO.


Dan
Walnut Hollow Farm
200 taps
2X6 Leader Evaportator
125 gal/hr Deer Run Maple RO

[Brokermike]

Anyone....cough...cough....Bueller?

[ALSMAPLE]

I'm running a 250 gallon/hr gas powered RO from Ray and am happy with it.I took 400 gallons of 1% yesterday and made 30 gallons around 14% in about 3-4 hours.It's a great value IMO.It'll double the content in one pass so it does what it's supposed to.A little slower than many on the market but way less money.I kind of wish I'd gotten the electric model though.

[Brokermike]

Any Pictures?

[firetech]

I bought the 375gph electric unit and was very pleased. I had 1200 taps and boil on a 30x10 50/50 split pans. We would run a 1000 gals of raw sap thru in 2.5 hrs. Our sap went from 2%-6% in the first pass recirulated until it was up to 11% before we shut the unit down after 4-5 hrs total run time. This would give me a 5-6 hr boil which is very do able. We would fire up the evaporator as soon as there was 50 gals of 6% concentrate and start from there. A few things that I have done already is added an in line strainer ahead of the pump. Next year I'm adding heating elements to the wash tank so I can heat the water faster than the bucket heater that I used this year. Next I'm going to put a 3way valve on the concentrate discharge so that I can wash a little more easier. I would also like to add draw off point to check concentrate % without gettting in to a tank all the time. It was noisier than I thought it would be and next year it will not be in the same room as the evaporator. I can't hear the TV. I wish it was a couple of inches narrower to get thru all my door ways some are 32 inches. Next year we will add 1000 more taps and another canister to the unit to make it a 500gph. I got what I paid for and I'm not disapointed. I'll get some pics up this week end either here or SBI.

[firetech]

twofer come on over and look at the unit exit 105 off I69 2 mile north

[WMF]

Heres a recent pic of one.5671

[ALSMAPLE]

567256735674
Here's some photos of the 250 gas RO
There's a couple aspects of the design that could be improved but it works really well,especially for the price.

[PARKER MAPLE]

im looking into an ro for next year as well, anybody no what there going for or have a phone number for him??

[firetech]

I have posted pics over on SBI the RO section under my thread Ordered my new RO. pics of a gas 250 and my electric 375 sorry for the inconvience about bouncing web sites but my comp is so slowwww.

[sirsapsalot]

Its not your computer that's sloooooow its the site.

[Walnut Hollow Farm]

Ray's Number is (440) 422-3047. He mails information and prices upon request.

[rchase]

567256735674
Here's some photos of the 250 gas RO
There's a couple aspects of the design that could be improved but it works really well,especially for the price.

what is the price?

[concord maple]

Anyone using one of Ray's 75 or 125 gph units this season? Any feedback as far as % increase with one pass, one or two membranes, gas or electric? Thinking of possibly getting one for next season.

[lastwoodsman]

Just sent my down payment to Ray for the new updated 125 GPH model that has been revamped from the 75 gph model.

Ray is excellent to talk to on the phone. Not in a rush and really explains things. Seems like a great guy.

Getting ready for next year--

Woodsman

[concord maple]

Just sent my down payment to Ray for the new updated 125 GPH model that has been revamped from the 75 gph model.

Ray is excellent to talk to on the phone. Not in a rush and really explains things. Seems like a great guy.

Getting ready for next year--


Woodsman

What is Ray's price on the 125 gph unit if you don't mind me asking? Also, what % increase is he getting with one pass through with I assume one membrane?

[lastwoodsman]

Current price is 2195.00 I asked what my 3% sap ( he was more surprised we get 3% sap in this area) would go to and he said one pass 6-7% and if I slow it down he felt up to 9 or 10 if I remember correctly.

With the tax write off of the time as well as fuel savings I feel it is a bargain. 6-7000 grand for a CDL is not my idea of a hobby ro.

Rays unit is now 220volt with a stainless steel wash tank. His frames are being sent out and powder coated. He has added pressure release valves as well.

I have never used an ro so this is all new to me. I did not want to putz around and try to build one and I am sure the prices will continue to come down as more people build them for the industry. The tax write off is plenty for me.

Woodsman

[maple flats]

I remove 75% in water with one pass on my 250. I get just very slightly over 1.5 gpm concentrate and 4.5 gpm permeate (IE, 2% sap becomes 8% concentrate). My hourly totals range from 240-260 gph combined, first pass. Then iIF I recirculate I let off on the pressure a little and get about half and half, concentrate and permeate. When I do that it is drawing from one end of my head tank and returning to the other end. Thus the sugar % keeps climbing. I usually go to between 10% and 14% sugar.
I like Ray's unit. As said above, his manual is hand written, but I put it on my computer and printed a copy, placed each page in a page protector and then put them in a 3 ring binder. I even made up a table of contents with page numbers to find things faster even though the manual only ended up at 9 pages. I was going to buy a 500 from Ray before next year but I decided to go 1 more year before getting the bigger unit. Last year the RO matched my evaporator rate so I just got to 30 gal concentrate and then fired up the evaporator. This year my new pans were faster, so I did it in either of 2 ways. Sometimes I only went to about 7% concentrate and boiled, or more often I started the RO sooner, got up to 200 gal concentrate and the started re concentrating while I boiled at the same time. I did that most often. I rigged it with valves so I could switch from raw sap to re concentrate by just opening one valve and closing another or back again, all while the RO was running

[lastwoodsman]

Is the feed to the ro gravity feed? I would like to see a photo of your setup. It sounds like I will have to put my 250 gallon bulk tank up to the height of my headtank.
Thanks for the information, it is always good to hear from someone who is using one.

Woodsman

[Father & Son]

I used a cage tank for a feed tank and it sat right beside the RO. The feed pump inlet is close to a foot off the ground and it will suck the tank dry. I wouldn't try to pull the sap up too high but sitting side by side it worked fine.

Jim

[wiam]

I think most will pull sap up. It seems best to me if the pump could be flooded to start. If level in tank is above pump to start you should be fine

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

Hey all, havent posted in a while but been lurking around... Lastwoodsman, you said the 125gph is $2195 right now? Is that for gas or electric power? If you dont mind me asking, which are you getting?

[lastwoodsman]

I decided to go with the electric even though it is a 220 motor. I currently run my submersible well pump and 6 gallon electric water heater with 220 on my 6500 onan generator.

I want the ro inside the sugar shack as it does not freeze in there when the season is going and I am boiling. I hope to mount it on the back wall as the unit is not very large.

Having another gas engine to maintain when I am already maintaining two generators did not appeal to me. Then I would have to move the ro inside every afternoon.
I will just burn the gas in the generator instead.

My generator sets in the tool shed about 80 feet from the sugar house and when it is running I can't hear it in the sugar shack. The water heater I have on a 100 foot, number 10 ga extension cord you can pick up on ebay for around 80.00
When it is night and I just need lights and less power I run my generac 3500 gas generator. I can run that most of the night on three gallons of gas. Then I have lights, microwave. Feels like I am in downtown Minneapolis back in the woods. I have no problem with power needs.

I do want to start fooling around with solar panels next as I feel that technology has come a long way.

Woodsman

[maple flats]

[QUOTE=lastwoodsman;224777
I do want to start fooling around with solar panels next as I feel that technology has come a long way.

Woodsman[/QUOTE]
That's how I started. I first saw a 150 watt panel on Ebay and bought it. I liked it so I bought a second. I now have 6.32KW grid tied/net metered solar with battery back up on 1480 watts worth of array. This portion was all I had until last summer when I added 4840 watts and went grid tied. Solar sure has come a long way and the costs have dropped.
Back to the RO, Ray make good units and charges a fair price. My Gingerich RO gets the performance Ray said I would get.

[Dennis H.]

Holy crap! $2100 for the 125. That is a good price.
I am in the works designing and build my own RO. I may have to give Ray a call. I know a few people here have told me to do just that but I continued on with the design of my own.

As for the feed pump and height of sap tank. As long as the liquid level is above the feed pump you should be ok. Just crack the priming cap on top till sap fills the pump and then fire it up.
I actually have one of those pumps as a sap pump, I use it to empty my sap tank at the cabin trees and then pump the sap up to my sap tank here at the sugarhouse. Great little pump.

[lastwoodsman]

Dennis
I have been following your thread and I didn't want to jump in but I agreed with Haynes as you did. Here is Ray a maple guy who does this for a living and I am not that mechanically inclined. The price is fair and I will not have to worry about it working during the maple season as I would if I built it.
I am pumped to get it and install it this summer.
Woodsman
0

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

How long of a wait is it usually from ordering until you can pick up?

[heus]

Clark I just ordered a 375 RO from Ray about 3 weeks ago. It is scheduled for August delivery. I would not wait until fall to order.

[lastwoodsman]

There are 4 of us ordering them for pickup in late June.

Woodsman

[maple flats]

In late April 2011 I ordered my 250. It was ready early September.

[ldick]

Where can I find information (pictures, specs, price, etc.) on Gingerich ROs?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

His phone number is 440-422-3047

[Dennis H.]

Give him a call. he will answer any questions that you may have and he will send you some info that has prices and pics.
I called him earlier this week and I am waiting for it to come in the mail.

[maple flats]

Is the feed to the ro gravity feed? I would like to see a photo of your setup. It sounds like I will have to put my 250 gallon bulk tank up to the height of my headtank.
Thanks for the information, it is always good to hear from someone who is using one.

Woodsman
My sap tanks (2) are on the ground and very slightly down hill from where I ran my RO. It will self prime, as long as the pump housing is filled with sap. I am building an addition this summer and converting my gas RO to electric. The RO will then set in a room in the addition and draw sap from the tanks near by, from there into the head tank. Then open one valve and close another and I'll be re concentrating from the head tank and back into it. I did that this season, after moving hoses every time I wanted to go from raw sap to concentrate as a source for the RO inlet. This year I added a tee in the suction line, and ran another suction line. Now it only requires changing 2 valves and it can be done with the RO running.

[justin]

Hey guys got a question for you guys out there I got a ray Gineridge 250 electric our old membranes were passing 1% sugar through the membranes through the permeate replace the membrane still getting 1% any thoughts out there? Thanks Justin

[heus]

I'm new to the ro world but it sounds like a seal was not lubed correctly and is not in place.