Taking the RO leap

[Deano686]

I have an opportunity to add an RO to my setup this season, and am open to any and all suggestions. My current tap count for this year will be around 800, and hopes for 1500 over the next couple seasons. I'm boiling on a 2x6 evap, flat pan, with preheater and hood. Will upgrade to a flu pan next season. I'm very RO illiterate. Haven't researched much as I thought this was going to be a step taken much later. Thanks for any input.

[Schiefe4]

You boil on a 2x6 flat pan with 800 taps?! :o

[Deano686]

I'm continuously expanding. I built our new arch last year, and funds only allowed a flat pan. Our season wasn't the best last year, and I was easily able to keep up. I added taps this season to prepare for another slow season. If we had a decent season, I have other producers willing to buy any excess sap. With some unexpected funds available recently, I'd really like to add an RO.

[red maples]

Even with an RO you might wanna cut back on the amount of taps with a flat pan.

Anyway, I got my first RO last year H2O 300gph. Price 7,750 but I got a grant for 6,300 (still have the taxes on that) but its a huge help its really a year long process but that will help with what you have. I really love it so easy to use. High temp shut off switch for cleaning, low pressure shut switch for when your outta PErm from cleaning or outta sap from pumping it out.

There is nothing like taking 500 gallons of sap and turning it into 100 gallons of concentrate. boil for 1.5 to 2 hrs and your done. Its incredible. My wife was shocked that she actually saw me during maple season. from the past few years of boiling for 7-11 hrs a day and using maybe 12-15 cords of wood(2x6 drop flue with 350 taps) to using just over 2 cords of wood making 90 gallons of syrup on(500 taps). This year I wanna knock it back even more and concentrate higher.

If you can afford it I would with something used around the 300 gallon an hr mark for this year and once you get up to the 1500 the 300gph will work but a 600 gph would be what you want. that would be the most efficient for that many taps, both on electricity and time concentrating.

Hope that helps.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

Are you on Gravity for your 800 taps? you may want to add a vac if you haven't already. Add that with the RO and you will make 200 gal +/-. Even if it is a smaller pump, it will pay for itself this year. Of course you may not be able to process it all on the flat pan. Of course, you can sell concentrate pretty easy.

Ben

[adk1]

I have an opportunity to add an RO to my setup this season, and am open to any and all suggestions. My current tap count for this year will be around 800, and hopes for 1500 over the next couple seasons. I'm boiling on a 2x6 evap, flat pan, with preheater and hood. Will upgrade to a flu pan next season. I'm very RO illiterate. Haven't researched much as I thought this was going to be a step taken much later. Thanks for any input.

I have a leader 2x6 with flue pan and have 225 taps or so. I cant imagine having 800 taps and trying to boil on a 2x6 flat pan. that is insane!

[unc23win]

I agree with Brad something used this year and new for next year or year after. You could look into the grant as well although the application process is a little different it is still available for 2016.

[Russell Lampron]

This will be my 11th season with my RO. I have 800 taps and a 2x6 raised flue evaporator. I don't know how much you can spend but recommend that you get at least a 300gph RO and preferably a 600. My 150gph RO is just too small.

[maple flats]

The last 2 years I ran 1200-1250 taps on a Ray Gingerich 250. It worked well. I also bought sap from others with a total of about 300 taps. A 250 is fine, but if you plan to get any bigger, got with a larger unit, up to a 600. I had hoped to change to a 500 this year, but I'm still using the 250 and I have about 1300 taps (vacuum) this year [and will still buy sap from 300-400 more taps (gravity)] Once you boil concentrate you will never want to boil 2% sap again. I boil anywhere from 8% up to about 15% max.