New Deer Run Maple (Ray Gingerich) Ordered Today!

[mvh1969]

Today I ordered (1) of Rays Electric Hobby EZ-125 models, 3-4 week lead time upon receipt of Deposit!

[TRAILGUY]

how many taps do you have and what is it rated for?

[maple flats]

A Ray Gingerich 125 will do an honest 125 GPH if removing 75% of the water.

[maple flats]

Today I ordered (1) of Rays Electric Hobby EZ-125 models, 3-4 week lead time upon receipt of Deposit!
Congratulations, you won't be disappointed.
I just received a pair of back up membranes for one of his 250 GPH units. I will keep one on acid wash for several days if needed during the seson and will have the spares to get righ back into production. This past year at one point my membranes were in need of a good acid wash to restore them to original performance but I had too much sap coming in everyday to not be able to run the RO for2 or more days while I did an extended acid wash, now I'll just swap membranes after washing and adding the acid to let them soak and I'll only lose about 1 hour and be right back in business.
My 250 is now gas powered, but since I now am grid tied I have purchased the necessary motor and controls to change it to electric before the 2014 season.

[maple flats]

Today I ordered (1) of Rays Electric Hobby EZ-125 models, 3-4 week lead time upon receipt of Deposit!
Congratulations, you won't be disappointed.
I just received a pair of back up membranes for one of his 250 GPH units. I will keep one set on acid wash for several days if needed during the season and will have the spares to get right back into production. This past year at one point my membranes were in need of a good acid wash to restore them to original performance but I had too much sap coming in everyday to not be able to run the RO for2 or more days while I did an extended acid wash, now I'll just swap membranes after washing and adding the acid to let them soak and I'll only lose about 1 hour and be right back in business.
My 250 is now gas powered, but since I now am grid tied I have purchased the necessary motor and controls to change it to electric before the 2014 season.

[heus]

I was at Rays today. He is making 1000 gph units now with two 8" membranes.

[SWEETER CREATIONS]

Dave What's are the membranes in Rays ro ?
Are they nf270-4040 ? Did he have them in stock ?
Thanks Mike

[mapleack]

Congratulations, you won't be disappointed.
I just received a pair of back up membranes for one of his 250 GPH units. I will keep one on acid wash for several days if needed during the seson and will have the spares to get righ back into production. This past year at one point my membranes were in need of a good acid wash to restore them to original performance but I had too much sap coming in everyday to not be able to run the RO for2 or more days while I did an extended acid wash, now I'll just swap membranes after washing and adding the acid to let them soak and I'll only lose about 1 hour and be right back in business.
My 250 is now gas powered, but since I now am grid tied I have purchased the necessary motor and controls to change it to electric before the 2014 season.
Not to knock Rays RO's, I think they're a good affordable option, and Ray is nice guy, but I'm not switching membranes during the season. After three seasons and almost 70,000 gal of sap my membranes still flow 100%. I've never had to acid wash. I can start the day at 280 gph+ and after 6 or 8 hours concentrating I'm still at 240gph+. There's no replacement for good recirculation.

[maple flats]

Dave What's are the membranes in Rays ro ?
Are they nf270-4040 ? Did he have them in stock ?
Thanks Mike
Yes they are and they were in stock.
In regards to having to acid wash, I was supposed to do one at the end of the previous season and the manual says to let it set for up to 4 weeks, then do a soap wash and a cold permeate rinse. I think my issue was that I only let the acid set 24 hours and then soap washed and cold rinsed, then added preservative. As such I only did the in season acid wash and not the end of season one. As such my season this year started with less water being removed at the same pressure as last year. I then re concentrated to get it done. I think it was all operator error at the end of last year. It happened because I was careless, I didn't believe the season was over so quick and as such did not treat it like I should have at season's end. This year I let the acid wash set for 3.5 weeks and then did a filal soap wash, then a permeate rinse and finally I added preservative. This is what the instructions said to do last year but failed to. When my membranes were not to original performance it was passing no sugar, but rather than doing 250 gph it was doing about 375 gph but was still removing 190-200 gph of permeate. As such it was removing more water but was not giving me the 8% concentrate I wanted. A second pass did get me to between 10-12% concentrate.
And for the price difference I'll stick with Ray's units!

[PACMAN]

How much would one of Rays ROs cost to do 500 taps on vacuum?

[maple flats]

A 125 will handle 500 taps but you are close to the practical max. If you will grow, consider a 250 now. Option 2 is that a 125 can be made into a 250 later by just adding the second membrane, everything else is the same on those 2. 2 yrs ago a 125 was $2500 and a 250 was $500 more. Then add the high and low pressure safety switches for $2700 and $3200 for the 125 and the 250. I don't know how the prices may have changed in 2 yrs. Just give Ray a call @ 440-422-3047, he has a phone in his shop but none in his house. He will be glad to answer that question. If he does not answer, leave a message, he does return calls.

[Sunny Knoll Farm]

I'm wondering what pressure pump ( model ) and motor ( rpm,hp ) are being used on the 125 units?

[heus]

Not sure but I do believe that the 125 and 250 units have the same pump and motor. The 250 just has an extra membrane.

[MapleMark753]

Just got our 125 from Ray on Friday. So far so good, its hard having it just sit there for now. For those who would like, I've tried to include a link to photobucket to see it from different angles.

http://s1298.photobucket.com/user/MapleMark753/library/
Or, if it doesn't link, just copy and paste it.

take care, Mark

[MapleMark753]

As a few others have suggested and said, the 125 and the 250 are exactly the same machine, with the 250 having the additional membrane and plumbing for it. Ray showed me a 250 at his place when I picked mine up and it is as he said. There is space on the 125 to add the second membrane so not much need be done for an upgrade mechanically. The electric 125 is $2795.00 as of now, and the lead time is pretty much what you want too. I ordered, paid my deposit, asked for a next week specific day and date to pick it up, and Ray came through. Our unit faced a "acid test" of a few hundred mile drive in the back of a pick up to our place, and I have to say, the build quality is very good. Nothing loose, connections all still solid. The unit rolls on three castors. Living in the country quite some distance from any factory service was a concern, but online suppliers and local businesses have pretty much got replacement parts if needed. We will see, but looking forward to way less boiling! take care, Mark

[lastwoodsman]

Just got mine it was 2195.00 no castors which I would definitely get as I am putting them on to move it about.
Sadsam and I both got the 125 hobby model.
Woodsman

[Moshers Maples]

Does he ship or are these pick up only?

[maple flats]

He will ship or pick up. I drove out to get mine and thought the trip worth it, but you can also get it shipped in. Because of the size and weight it would need to be truck freight.

[Moshers Maples]

I have decided on the 125 expandable unit Ray builds, it is probably overkill for my 150 tap operation but if I grow it can also, makes sense to me. Besides a heated space and tanks what else should I be thinking about? Any features or options I should have him install?

[sirsapsalot]

I have decided on the 125 expandable unit Ray builds, it is probably overkill for my 150 tap operation but if I grow it can also, makes sense to me. Besides a heated space and tanks what else should I be thinking about? Any features or options I should have him install?

Does he make a smaller unit? I have 45 taps and would like to save some time with a RO.

[Father & Son]

Mosher,
High and low pressure shut offs. I think they all come with them but ask.

Jim

[Father & Son]

sirsapsalot,
Ray makes a hobby model, but I'm not sure what it is rated at.

Jim

[Moshers Maples]

He has a 75 gph unit for $1495. Call him 440-422-3047. Very friendly and willing to talk.

[MapleMark753]

Our electric 125 had both the high and low pressure shut off, so didn't have to ask. When I got there to pick ours up, it was obvious that Ray had made and sold many of these, as he made a demo run of the machine, and explained everything. I stopped him to ask about this and that, and he answered fully and plainly, and then picked right up with the orientation again. If you're getting an electric, be aware that its 220 not 110, and pulls just over 9 amps. And, its fairly quiet too. The only thing I would like to have on/in it is a heater/warmer for the wash tank. I've had one issue (minor) with the low pressure shut off, but I called Ray and he walked me through adjusting it (the switch not the adjusting knob) properly and it worked fine after that.
I too had heard that he made a smaller one than the 125, but when I picked mine up he said something to the effect that not many wanted them that small and at that time he had stopped making them. A phone call to him would clear that up. If he doesn't pick up or answer, he does call back.
take care
Mark

[schellmaple]

Just ordered my Deer Run Maple 125 EZ expandable today. I hope I have enough sap to feed it when things get started. I only have 150 tabs right now and approx. 500 in the future. I did a lot of explaining to the wife to get the ok for this project so I hope the season works out OK. Well if not I have a lot crow to eat.

[spud]

[QUOTE=schellmaple;231253]Just ordered my Deer Run Maple 125 EZ expandable today. I hope I have enough sap to feed it when things get started. I only have 150 tabs right now and approx. 500 in the future. I did a lot of explaining to the wife to get the ok for this project so I hope the season works out OK. Well if not I have a lot crow to eat.[/QUOT

Congrats on your new 125 EZ RO. If your wife let you spend that much money right before Christmas there's a reason. You better come through real big my friend. If your Christmas gift to your wife does not match the dollar amount you spent on your RO your in big trouble. Here's some of the comments you most likely will hear.

1) You love that **** sugaring more then you love me.
2) So pleasing yourself is more important then pleasing me?
3) Well why don't you just live in your sugarhouse.
4) You're not sleeping in this bed.
5) Don't touch me you heartless jerk
6) Back in 1983 on July 9th at 4:29 pm you told me I was the most important thing in your life. (What Happened).
7) I never should have married you because your a cheap son of a %#*#@
8) The only thing that will win my heart back over is 500 pairs of shoes.

I'm sure there's more but I hope you get the idea. You have been set up and now it's time to come through big or you could find yourself belly up in your sap tank this spring. :confused:

Spud

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

Wow Spud I take it you live in the sugar house with all those quotes coming to you that quick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[spud]

Wow Spud I take it you live in the sugar house with all those quotes coming to you that quick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

My wife and I have been married for 20 years. We sit and laugh at each other because we know each other so well. We both know how to get what we want in our own creative way. We have different way's of going about it but the end results are the same. Right now my wife wants me to gut the master bathroom but I keep telling her it is going to cost $5000 (even though it will only cost $2000. If I can get her to believe it will cost five grand then I have a much better chance of getting the new 4 wheeler in the spring.:D The new RO schellmaple is getting is great and I am just having some fun with him.

Spud

[maple flats]

Just ordered my Deer Run Maple 125 EZ expandable today. I hope I have enough sap to feed it when things get started. I only have 150 tabs right now and approx. 500 in the future. I did a lot of explaining to the wife to get the ok for this project so I hope the season works out OK. Well if not I have a lot crow to eat.
Once you boil concentrate you won't ever want to boil unconcentrated sap. My wife had some reservations when I bought my 250 from Ray. Last year during the season she was talking with a visitor while we were boiling. I heard her tell them it was the "best investment we had made", I assumed she meant "after our marriage license".
Get ready to spend more time in the woods since you will have short boils. The season before we got our Deer Run EZ250, I had to sell some sap I couldn't keep up with. When we had the RO we started buying sap and never got behind. Last year I bought (They get half the syrup it makes) sap from 5 different producers.

[TRAILGUY]

I am thinking about a gas power 250 ro may run it only as a 125 gph till I go to vac. anyone have one big tank and just ro right at the tank in a tank on tractor? no good power at suger shack or heat could do a steam away but leaning to ro

[morningstarfarm]

Yup you can ro right off the tractor into a tank...just remember...you are concentrating the bacteria as well as the sugar...that can drastically affect your quality and storage time...

[schellmaple]

I am thinking about a gas power 250 ro may run it only as a 125 gph till I go to vac. anyone have one big tank and just ro right at the tank in a tank on tractor? no good power at suger shack or heat could do a steam away but leaning to ro

Just remember to have a storage tank for the premate also so you can flush the RO at the end of the day. I just picked up my Deer Run Maple 125 expandable on Saturday. Very nice craftsmanship and Ray was very good at explaining the workings of the RO.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

After a few years of these in use by trader members, how are these units holding up and performing compared to the commercial units by the large manufactures?

[jmayerl]

I got a 125 this year and it does everything I expected it to. Runs almost 120 of cold sap through per hour. The manual was a bit lacking and it took some head scratching to get it going the first time. Ray has called me back in a timely fashion the 2 times I called with problems. My pump seal developed a small oil leak(few drops per hour) and since it was the weekend and most likely our last run he said just run it(as long as it doesn't get worse) and we'll fix it next week. I would recommend them and will be buying a larger model this summer.

[markct]

Has he updated them to a nsf approved pump yet? The early models i saw had a pressure washer pump and that wont fly when we become more regulated in the future.

[jmayerl]

Mine is a piston pump, I'm afraid I don't see the NSF sticker on it and would have to look up the specs. I do know it made from all NSF approved materials. Sorry I don't have time to look it up right now as I am making a batch of maple candy with my SS spoon and pot that does not have a NSF sticker on it.:o
PS my inspector was very intrigued by it as it was the first she had seen so compact. She approved its use.

[adk1]

I think the 250 would be suitable for my size operation. I will be looking into them soon