Testing Sugar in RO

[SeanD]

My RO set up is a closed system - as I'm sure everyone else's is. Sap comes in from a tank outside and the permeate and concentrate go back outside to other tanks. Is there a way to get samples at the RO or is going back and forth to the tanks what others do?

Thanks,
Sean

[BAP]

I don't know about the Deer Run RO's, but all the ones I have run in the past had a little petcock valve in the discharge lines for taking samples from. They had them in both concentrate and permeate lines.

[maple flats]

All you need to do is add a little ball valve in the discharge line. If you use the set up Ray uses, you have a 3/4" concentrate hose to go to the concentrate tank. In that use a DSD band screw clamp mainline saddle (a hose clamp with a fitting hole in it and the fitting comes with it) and put a valve on the line off it. Will take about 3 minutes if you have the parts. Then you will need a hydrometer or other tester that can read the concentration it is at. Most standard sap hydrometers don't go high enough, especially if you make a second pass or run it on re-circulation.

[adk1]

Yeah that's my issue u need to get a better unit other than a sap hydro. It's also important to have because u want to check the permeate side to make sure that there is no sugar being past thru

[SeanD]

Yes, I have two 1/2" ID lines coming off for permeate and concentrate. Thanks for those parts. I'll look those up. That should be a simple fix. I have a refractometer for sap, but I can't remember its high end. I've never needed to worry about that before! That's a nice problem to have.

Sean

[PerryFamily]

My old 600 RO had no way to test either. Mine was plumbed with with 3/4" poly pipe ( waterline / mainline) after the flow meter to the tank. I simply cut a T in the line with a ball valve and street 90. Worked good

[Sugarbush Ridge]

Yes, I have two 1/2" ID lines coming off for permeate and concentrate. Thanks for those parts. I'll look those up. That should be a simple fix. I have a refractometer for sap, but I can't remember its high end. I've never needed to worry about that before! That's a nice problem to have.

Sean

Sean,,,,, with my Deer Run I cut in a "T" in both 1/2" lines and dropped down 8" or so and just put on 1/4 turn valves. Works good for me

[Russell Lampron]

My Lapierre RO has a test spigot for the concentrate in the flow meter. I added a test port in the permeate line, similar to what others have done, to test that. I use a refractometer to check the sugar content.