An R.O. that will grow with me??

[11-Nick]

Every year I want to grow and advance with something. I don't have an RO. I've looked several times at the small hobby sized RO that is popular with a lot of folks on here (https://sites.google.com/site/mattatuckmadnessmaplesyrup/home/homemade-reverse-osmosis-system). But... how practical is that RO over time? As you grow from 75 taps to 150 to 250 to 500 and on and on... is that RO able to be modified in a practical way to grow with me? Or is it only going to get me through a year or two until I outgrow it... and then it sets in my basement taking up space because I can't get anywhere near my moneys worth back if I sold it???
Understand that as I ask this question, I know absolutely nothing about RO. I don't know what the limiting factors are on the output of a set up. I have no idea what would need upgraded to increase production.

[wiam]

The ro in the link seems very slow. I like to boil my sap the same day it runs. There are many on here that have built an ro for way less than a manufactured machine using a 4" membrane. You could oversize your pumps and add a second membrane later to get to 500. Also I would not put permeate down my house septic.

[MISugarDaddy]

If you are looking to buy an expandable unit, you might want to check with Ray Gingerich of Deer Run Maple in Ohio. He builds units that you can add additional towers on as your need dictates.
Gary

[11-Nick]

To each their own...
All the RO's that are built like the one in the link I provided are fine, and certainly better than the one I own (which is none!).
As much as I hate to sound like an adult, I'm trying to make better choices. I'm going into my third year tapping trees. I have limited myself with some of the things I've done in the last two years. Now I'm painted into a corner. I don't care to buy something, and then outgrow it quickly and be left with an investment that I can't get anything out of.

The systems that were built with 4" membranes... if there are any step-by-steps on here for a system like that, can anyone give a link?
Many thanks!

[asknupp]

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?20142-Homemade-RO-suggestion

Read this it should help. Havent bit the bullet yet but found this helpful. A lot of people chimed in on this thread.

[Tweegs]

Pumps and membranes are the expensive parts.
In your shoes, I would size the supply pump, high pressure pump and HP pump motor for 2 or 3 membranes. Start with 1 membrane and as you grow you can add additional membranes without the need to upsize anything else.

I’m running a Procon Series 4 pump @ 330 gph and 200 psi with a 1 HP motor. It handles 2 4x40 membranes in series with ease. It will likely handle 3 membranes. I would, however, like to have a 1.5 HP motor on it to push the pressure up to 250 psi. I don’t know how it compares to others, but this rig, the way I run it, will produce 90~100 gph of permeate with cold sap.

Procon makes a Series 6 pump that can produce up to 660 gph, but they have a hefty price tag.

Spec sheets for the procon pumps here:
http://www.proconpumps.com/pages/Product-Specs.html?specsheet=Series%205%20Pump

[madmapler]

Another thing you could do is buy a used RO that suits you for the near future then step up when the time comes. I'm on my 3rd RO in 4 years but I also grew fast(1000 taps to 5000). The one I have now is where I will probably stay for a while. A used machine is a lot cheaper and won't depreciate as much if at all depending on how you buy it. It's worked good for me. Building your own is good too but I didn't have the time.