what do you all do for rinse on lapierre 600?

[tuckermtn]

First run with new-to-us 600 turbo lapierre machine last night and when I went to do the rinse cycle (had around 750-ish of permeate) the rinse cycle is not at all like what I used to do my 500gph Memtek. So wondering what folks are doing for a normal rinse cycle (i.e. no soap) on Lapierre 600? do you use the wash tank and bring tank water up to temp with machine recirc and feed pumps only, or do you use heating element in wash tank to heat up and add a little fresh permeate in to the mix (Amber Gold's suggestion)? or some sort of other combination?

on my memtek last year I would rinse with just permeate with all three pumps running. Would take a long time to run through the entire tank, but it was effective. I never once did a soap or acid wash last year on a new XLE membrane and it tested at 95% before they did the washing at CDL this fall (110% after washing). So last night I was able to coax the machine to run the rinse cycle with all three pumps running and ran through all the permeate.

I have the same XLE in the Lapierre this year, FYI.

thanks -

Eric

[upsmapleman]

I do it a couple of different ways. I have about 1000 gallon permeate tank. Most of the time I set it to wash and walk out the door. Warm water rinse will clean the best so every couple of time I fill the rinse tank getting it going and walk out the door. When it gets warm it shuts off. The next morning I run the rest of the permeate tank thru. I soap mine about every 500 gallon of syrup. Again put the soap in get it going let it run till it shuts off then rinse with a tank of permeate. If you have big days and want a quick rinse I use the rinse tank mix hot water from steam away to make water warm to start and let it run awhile rinse some from permeate and go back to roing. I've had mine about 10 years and still have the original membrane. Sent it in this year and still was over 95%. I have never done anything but run the wash cycle but figure you can never wash them to much thus the big permeate tank.

[tuckermtn]

I do it a couple of different ways. I have about 1000 gallon permeate tank. Most of the time I set it to wash and walk out the door. Warm water rinse will clean the best so every couple of time I fill the rinse tank getting it going and walk out the door. When it gets warm it shuts off. The next morning I run the rest of the permeate tank thru....I have never done anything but run the wash cycle but figure you can never wash them to much thus the big permeate tank.

so by saying you set it to wash, you run on the proscribed Lapierre wash cycle with the wash tank re-circulation without using the high pressure pump?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

so by saying you set it to wash, you run on the proscribed Lapierre wash cycle with the wash tank re-circulation without using the high pressure pump?

Eric,
I just hook to the permeate tank, start a "wash" without using the wash tank and let it pump the entire amount of permeate through. No hi pressure pump. Give Jerry a call. I'm sure he will give you some suggestions.
Doug

[maplwrks]

You wash a Lapierre in the wash mode w/ only the feed pump running all the time. I like to rinse mine w/ hot water and drain the wash tank. I then put the soap to it and start the wash and let it go to high temp. In the morning, I send all of the permeate back through for a rinse. All of the above comments will work fine--we all do it basically the same.

[Maplewalnut]

I do the same as maplwrks. Smaller scale but a wash is a wash. Full disclosure...I am a disciple of Jerry and have not strayed from his wash every day guidance. LOL

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I do the same as maplwrks. Smaller scale but a wash is a wash. Full disclosure...I am a disciple of Jerry and have not strayed from his wash every day guidance. LOL

Agreed! I do quick rinses about every 4 hrs during the day and a full wash every night.

[Russell Lampron]

so by saying you set it to wash, you run on the proscribed Lapierre wash cycle with the wash tank re-circulation without using the high pressure pump?


You wash a Lapierre in the wash mode w/ only the feed pump running all the time. I like to rinse mine w/ hot water and drain the wash tank. I then put the soap to it and start the wash and let it go to high temp. In the morning, I send all of the permeate back through for a rinse. All of the above comments will work fine--we all do it basically the same.


Agreed! I do quick rinses about every 4 hrs during the day and a full wash every night.

My RO is the same as yours only on a smaller scale. The wash and rinse cycles are without the high pressure pump running. I do basically the same as Doug sending about 100 to 150 gallons of permeate through it every 4 hours and do like Mike does when I finish for the night except that I don't do the hot water rinse first.

[Brian Ryther]

same as doug. The hot water pre or post wash really brings the performance to top condition.

[Homestead Maple]

I have a Lapierre operating manual for my Turbo 600 and I would be happy to send you a copy if you would like Eric. You said the RO is new to you so I assume you may have bought it used and didn't get a manual with it.

[Scarinza's Sugarhouse]

Hey Eric,

Lapierre has the manual for your machine on line (Turbo) as well as a video for washing the Turbo New Generation.

http://www.sugaringequipment.elapierre.com/default_en.asp?no=114 http://www.sugaringequipment.elapierre.com/default_en.asp?no=113

In gist, they recommend at the end of the day you do a short rinse to drain of 3-4 minutes per membrane with permeate, then rearrange your valves to circulate permeate through the wash tank, fill the wash tank 3/4 full, start your feed pump and walk away for a couple of hours until the unit shuts off automatically when it reaches the high temp limit. Then you rearrange your valves once again to drain and do another short rinse and your done. Some folks run the high pressure pump also during the long rinse cycle to bring the temp up quicker. I tried that a couple of times and decided it made better sense to buy the heater for the wash tank rather than wear out my high pressure pump prematurely.

On some long concentrate days, it's probably good to do just a quick short rinse to drain every 4-6 hours if you have a big run.

It was suggested to me by Lapierre to keep good daily records of how the unit was concentrating, and when the membrane lost about 10-15% efficiency, then to do a soap wash and rinse. That process is outlined in the manual also. For a good soap wash and rinse it is suggested to have a minimum of 600 gallons of permeate if you have a 600 gph machine.

Hope this helps. I saw you were boiling the other day. We're frozen solid up here.

Good luck!

[tuckermtn]

thanks everyone for the feedback on what you do. I do have a manual, and I did read it (a first for me - yep I'm a guy) but it seemed so different than what did with my old RO that I wanted ask what other folks are doing.

for the wash tank heater element - is there a good thermostatically controlled one available "aftermarket" or does it make sense to get one from LApierre?

thanks -

John S. - good to see you posting on the Trader after all this time. Things are locked up tight down here as well. with any luck you will still be boiling when I am up your way for logger classes in April. need to finally stop in after driving by all these times...

[Amber Gold]

I bought a 110V water heater element and thermostat at Lowes. I took a few large hose clamps, connected them together, and strapped the thermostat to the tank that way. Worked fine and was cheap.