Need Ideas for Putting Holes in a Perfectly Good Sugarhouse

[SeanD]

I've made the jump to an RO and I need some ideas for running hoses in and out of the sugarhouse in a way that is functional and also doesn't look bad.

The RO room/cabinet is in the sugarhouse with me and the tanks will be outside. I have a variety of locations on the wall where raw sap will come in, concentrate and permeate go out, etc. I want to be able to keep the weather and critters out.

Right now I'm considering using a drier vent. Is there something else out there that is better suited for this before I reinvent the wheel?

Sean

[BAP]

When I had a big operation, I set up my R/O with PVC lines going threw the wall. I used a hole saw to make holes just big enough to slip the pipe threw then put a quick coupler on the pipe to attach a hose onto it so it could be easily drained well to prevent freezing.

[heus]

I use 1.5" schedule 40 pvc for feed lines and 1" gray mainline through the wall for all other lines. Like BAP I used a hole saw for a tight fit. All are situated so they can be drained outside to prevent freezing.

[SeanD]

Did you guys leave everything in place during the year or did you disassemble the lines in the off season?

[maple flats]

My lines are using 1.5" SPIRALITE 170 FOOD HANDLING HOSE between tanks and to just outside the sugarhouse.They are all in an insulated foam pipe jacket with an electric heat tape. The tape has never needed to be used, but if the lines freeze I could plug it in. Then I reduce it to 1" and run a spiralite line to the RO, connecting it with SS cam loc fittings. My concentrate has a clear braided milk hose that connects to my head tank and for permeate I just use a white potable hose that runs to my permeate tank. Each of these are not permanently connected to the RO. When I set up to RO the sap, I have a trap door in the sugarhouse wall. I open that and run the 3 pipes thru, (1" sap supply, 3/4" concentrate and 5/8" permeate). Also on the outside I have 2 other lines that tie to the 1" in line for sap. Each just has a 1" blue mainline tubing on it. One comes from the permeate tank and the other from the head tank and each has a 1" ball valve to control which is feeding the RO thru the RO feed line. Each of those last 2 lines also have another valve at the tank they come from so I can drain those lines.
In use, once connected, I have 3 ball valves, all within inches of each other, I can without even shutting off the RO, switch from raw sap to concentrate or permeate, then I need to adjust the pressure on the RO as soon as I get the new source flow to the RO.
For the SS camloc fittings I got them from Pro Flo Dynamics. In SS they have a full range of sizes and the prices seem OK.
When I disconnect the RO lines, I just close the trap door. That door is just 6" x9".
These sizes are for a 250 RO, larger will likely need larger sizes, especially the permeate. I suspect a 5/8 might be OK for a 500, but that would be max and then it might need to be fairly short, like 25' or less so that back pressure doesn't affect the RO's performance.
My 3 sap tanks (a 545 gal, a 415 gal and a 200 gal) are all connected so I can draw from any of the 3 by opening that valve to supply the 1.5" insulated hose. I also have an overflow hose on the head tank that returns to the 415 gal sap tank, just in case I don't notice when the head tank is full.

[Dennis H.]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I used our finished 2nd floor of our garage for the kitchen and RO room.
I needed to run lines to and from the RO. My 1st thought was to make a panel that would fit in a window when it was open. Easy to remove at the end of the season but pipes would have to go up then back down, not a good solution.
So I decided to just make some holes thru the wall so all the lines can drain and no need to worry about the feed pump on the RO priming.
If you get the right hole saws for the OD of the pipe you plan on using the finished pipe and hole will look nice.
The outside of my garage is siding so if I ever decide to remove the lines I just need to replace one piece of siding and cut a small piece of plywood and glue and screw form the inside to hide the openings.