RO room layout and setup

[pamaple]

I have to build a room in my sugar camp to store my RO machine. My building is 30x40 and I only have a 3x10 evaporator now so I have lots of room. How big should I make it? Any tips on what to do or not do? And what are you using to keep the room warm enough. Thanks in advance for the help!

[Sunday Rock Maple]

We have three feet between the machine and the wall on the sides and the back and about 6 feet on the front. It works well as you have room to move and work on stuff. Before this we had a room about half that size and things were too cramped. We heat with an electric "milkhouse" style heater.

[yards1520]

what happens if the power goes out? Do you have a backup heater for your RO room? I am trying to decide how to heat my RO room as well. Elec heater would be much easier/cheaper, but I wonder if I should have a propane heater incase of power loss during the night or while at work...

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Good question, no back up source (other than two electric heaters with one set slightly lower than the other in case the first one fails) but we do have a generator and for any prolonged outage that is where it would go.

[wiam]

what happens if the power goes out? Do you have a backup heater for your RO room? I am trying to decide how to heat my RO room as well. Elec heater would be much easier/cheaper, but I wonder if I should have a propane heater incase of power loss during the night or while at work...

If it is well insulated it should be able to sustain temperature for short periods of no-power.

Mine is built into a bank back filled with dirt on 3 sides very well insulated. I have no heat source other than ground heat. Last night was close to 20 below and it is 38 in there this afternoon.

[gmcooper]

As for RO room I would allow plenty of room around the RO to give you access to everything including the parts you think you will never have to get to. I made mine too small (it works but a pain). I would recommend insulating it well. This will save on heatiing cost as well as give you a little more safety if the power does go out on you.
Mark

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I use 2 electric heaters. They are plugged in to different circuits so if one breaker flips, the other will keep heating. I also have a kerosene heater available if there is a prolonged power outage. I only heat during the season so usually don't need to heat too much.

[sugaringman85]

My RO room has my raw sap tank, permeate tank, hot water heater, pressure tank and a sink in it. It is insulsated by electric heat in the season. During the winter i built a super insulated box that we put the ro in. We went from heating the whole room which is 16x16 and over a $100 a month during the winter to heating just a 4x4 box around the RO for only $20 bucks a month. My opinion make the RO room big enough for future expansion and other things that need heat during the season and then drain anything you can so they don't freeze and put the ro in its own little box during the winter to save cash