RO Rookie question about start up and calibration

[82cabby]

Hi gang-

So I built a small RO unit that is portable (kinda). Now I need to test it, fix all the leaks that are bound to spring up and adjust the pump pressure. My question is if I take it inside and test it with distilled water, once I get it running properly...then what?? Can I drain it and let it sit (inside) until the season gets rolling? Or do I have to do something special before letting it sit for as much as a couple weeks?

Also, if anyone has any constructive ideas or suggestions I would really appreciate hearing them.

Thanks!

Here are a couple photos:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/dkutina/Maple%20Evaporator/IMG_3161_zpsb6kdhatl.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dkutina/media/Maple%20Evaporator/IMG_3161_zpsb6kdhatl.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v282/dkutina/Maple%20Evaporator/IMG_3160_zpsdwskww7j.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dkutina/media/Maple%20Evaporator/IMG_3160_zpsdwskww7j.jpg.html)

[mellondome]

Once membranes are wet! Do not let them get dry. You will have to readjust your pump pressure depending on sap temp and sugar levels. So don't get all set with tap water... sap will run completely different.

[brookledge]

Another thing to monitor is the temperature. I see you have two lights in there. You obviously don't want it to freeze but you don't want it to hot either. That is not good for your membranes. You could get a plug in thermostat that would be available from a greenhouse supply
keith

[maple flats]

Those lights look rather large, What wattage are they. For my RO I have a concrete floored room that is about 125 Cu. Ft., the floor is not insulated, but the walls and cieling have 3" high R foam insulation while the door is just a 1/2" plywood. I heat that with 3x100 watt incandescent bulbs on a low temp line voltage t-stat and it has never frozen. The bulbs cycle on and off as needed and hold the temp at about 40-42 degrees. Even with zero outside, they still cycle and do not need to run all the time.

[82cabby]

Another thing to monitor is the temperature. I see you have two lights in there. You obviously don't want it to freeze but you don't want it to hot either. That is not good for your membranes. You could get a plug in thermostat that would be available from a greenhouse supply
keith

Thanks for the replies! The lights are on a temp sensor which is right next to the gauges. I can set it anywhere from 30 degrees on up. I used two lightbulbs so that if one burns out the unit won't freeze. I can definitely put in smaller bulbs though..

[82cabby]

Once membranes are wet! Do not let them get dry. You will have to readjust your pump pressure depending on sap temp and sugar levels. So don't get all set with tap water... sap will run completely different.

Did not know that about the membranes. Once I test it I will just keep it full of water till I need it. Storing over the summer must be a challenge.

[SDdave]

Did not know that about the membranes. Once I test it I will just keep it full of water till I need it. Storing over the summer must be a challenge.

I keep mine in a 5 gallon bucket full of distilled water. They do float so I had to zip tie them to a stainless steel BBQ utensil that I've never used to help sink it. I try to replace the distilled water every month or so. Not sure if this is the correct way of doing it or not.

SDdave

[82cabby]

Ok, we had a warm spell this week and I had a chance to run the RO unit with real sap today.

Best. Thing. Ever.

I've got 1.25% sap going in. I typically have very low sugar content so this is no surprise. 5.5% coming out. Eyeballing it I would say it is taking out 2/3 of the water from the sap. I haven't timed it yet to get a "gallons of water removed per hour" number yet but I would guess it is in the neighborhood of 10 gph. That is better than my evaporator!

I am operating it 150 psi with 4 150 gpd membranes.

Thanks to the mapletrader!! This site is a wealth of information.