H2o innovations concentrator models

[500592]

I am looking getting a h2o innovations 200 gph ro. Anybody have one of the concentrator models? The main ? I have is can it go from 2% to 8% on one pass and high of a concentration can I go with it. Thanks a bunch.

[500592]

Also would a spring tech micro elite go to 8% on a single pass. Thanks again.

[TheMapleMoose]

We have a springtech micro elite 160, they call it a 240 now, ours will do 240 which is probably why they changed it. We can go to from 2-8% one pass but the flow rate is down under 1/2 gpm. We made out better running it two pass. It will do 2-5% and keep around 2-3 gpm and then 8-10% second pass at .9gpm. Our evaporator needs 1gpm so that's why we ran 2 pass but it will do 8 one pass. (
Our limited time in the sugar house has pushed us towards upgrading to the 600 deluxe but the 160 is a great machine. Easy to operate, always hit our benchmark after cleaning and only had to soap wash every other day or so. Just did a wash without soap on the other days. You don't have to send the membrane out for cleaning and leaders service post sale has been great. Ours has the pvd1. We've had it two years and have been very pleased with it

[500592]

Wow I checked spring tech prices and wow expensive gonna probably get an h2o innovations.

[TheMapleMoose]

We priced the h2o before we bought a springtech. A few of the reasons we bought the springtech were it came with a wash tank already plumbed up and the h2o didn't. It had all the 3way valves already plumed so we can switch from concentrate to rinse to wash just by changing the valves. And with the springtech we don't have to send our membranes to the factory for a yearly cleaning.
Now, I'm not sure how the h2o comes set up, and I'm definitely not saying they are inferior to the springtech because I've never run one and noone in our area has one. The springtech was just a better fit for us. This may not be the case now but by the time we added all the things to the h2o that the springtech came standard with it made the prices a lot closer. But again, it is really your preference

[Thad Blaisdell]

for the money I guess I would just build one........ they are not that complicated.

[500592]

When looking at a used ro how long are the membranes good for in the solution say it was used last year but not this year would it they still be good.

[maple flats]

Take a look at Ray Gingerich RO's, very good prices and he offers either gas or electric models. My 250 GPH RO was $3200 two years ago.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Anyone on Trader running the concentrator models? They are more of a hobby type that take out about 50% of the water each pass is my understanding. Just curious what the reviews on them are.

[red maples]

Like I said in the PM. I love it. I have the 300gph Concentrator it cost me $7800. I didn't plumb in the wash tank (5 gallon bucket) but I will do so this year. just used the quick disconnects Cam lock connectors that it came with.

It will double the concentration with each pass although I recirc so it goes back into the same tank. I highly recommend it. Its easy to use has Hi temp shut off(104*F) and low pressure shut off. When rinsing or passing through sap once it runs out it shuts down. so machine won't run dry. just plumb according to your needs.

I have taken sap to 14% with it this season no problem with no passed sugar (boiled down the Perm to check not even a coating on the bottom). I only did that once I usually take it to 12%. I have never timed it exactly because I recirc but with raw sap it will get pretty close to 300 gallons an hr. it drops down on time after that because of the concentration.

you don't have to send the membranes out to be cleaned all companies recommend that because they charge an arm and a leg for it. just do a double Soapy wash at the end rinse as normal and store it in SMBS or the leader equivalent preservative. I made PVC storage containers for mine and I have them in the basement. so they don't freeze.

I have never used an RO machine before and I just found it VERY easy!!! although this wasn;t the best year to compare with but I am up to about 600 taps for this season and I made 90 gallons of syrup on 2.75 full cords(128 cu/ft) of the driest lightest pine you could possibly have. It would have been even less but I boiled raw sap for our openhouse weekend. (about 10 hrs probably used close to a cord just for that)

In any case price combined by ease of use and a good well labeled pluming job I highly recommend the H2O 300gph concentrator.

[David in MI]

I have a 300 concentrator as well and have found it extremely easy to use and the manufacturer support has been exceptional. My experience was very similar to red maples post above. Although...... the wheels definitely need to be upgraded.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

You guys rinsing after every 3 hours as the manual says or running it longer?

[maple flats]

I think I only rinsed once during a session in the 3 seasons I've had my RO. That time I set it to recirculate and lost track of time. When I got to it, I calculated how much water had been removed, based on the sap % when I started, and the volume in the tank, compared to what was left after, I figured I had gone to somewhere between 17-18% sugar. The RO definately needed a good rinse.
I now (while I clean the front pan or have other things to do) routinely go to anywhere from 8% up to about 14% and have run for as many as 7 hrs with no rinse. However, my RO will not go that high in a single pass, thus I start with 2% or whatever I have, and concentrate until my head tank has about 100-120 gal concentrate. Then I close the sap valve and open the concentrate recirculate valve and RO until I get to about 35-40 gal in the head tank. Then I change the valves back and bring in more fresh sap and that concentrate adds to the head tank. As I get that to about 100 gal concentrate I switch the valves again. By then I have the front pan ready to go, and I either draw in more sap or recirculate as needed to maintain about 40-50 gal level in the head tank. At times in this mix I have as much as 14, maybe 15% concentration. By changing back and forth I find the RO does not get fouled too much, as the concentration ratio needs to be lowered, I then change to fresh sap and that seems to clear the RO plenty enough.

[David in MI]

I wash every three hours, per manufacturer's guideline. It doesn't take too long and I figure it will help the membranes last a bit longer. At the end of the night I try to flush with 275 gallons of permeate.