A poll for those that DON’T use RO

[Scm]

..........

[berkshires]

No electricity at the sugar bush.

[motowbrowne]

Cost. The units are expensive, running power to the shack would be expensive, putting in an insulated room would be expensive, plumbing is expensive.

In addition to cost, I don't enjoy plumbing and I like hearing the roar of a boiling evaporator. On my scale I could run an RO and a 2x6 or a bigger rig. The bigger rig just makes more sense to me. Plus, I like cutting wood.

I think the reason most guys do it or don't isn't because of flavor or tradition or anything like that, I think it's about numbers. You get much over 1000 taps and you're talking about a lot of fuel and a lot of time cooking. Or an RO.

[GraniteStateJoe]

After using it this year small scale I would say the cleaning and maintenance aspect could keep people away. I am still trying to understand the cleaning process now that the season has ended and I need to do a soap wash and there is so many options and so little info on how to do it with the homemade set ups. That is just my two cents.

[McKenney Maples]

We enjoying boiling, don’t really have enough taps to require long boils so reducing boiling time isn’t a top priority.

[nasion]

Not enough taps, no centralized storage, cost, and lack of electricity keep me out of the RO game!

[billyinvt]

Obtaining and splitting wood is time consuming, but it's free for me right now
I can't persuade the other adult in my house to free up $3,000 for the one I'd like to buy
I'm not ready to build one on my own....but I'm very close.

[Obidiah]

Haven't reached the place where I would need one yet.

[mike z]

No electric.

[Sugarmaker]

My tap count is not out running, my current evaporator. 650 gravity taps and a 3 x 10 evaporator. Able to boil at a rate of 120-130 gal per hour. Also still like to cut and burn wood to make syrup. Do have a home built steamaway that helps improve the sugar content.
Had many days where I brought in less than 300 gallons of sap, not hardly enough to start a R.O.?? Longest boil was 6 hours on raw sap.
Regards,
Chris

[skixcvt]

Mainly a lack of an insulated heated space to put one. I wouldn’t mind cutting, splitting, stacking and burning half the wood we cut, split, stack and burn now.

[Tigermaple]

Everything previously mentioned. Plus I really like the flavor of non RO'ed syrup. The longer the cook the more complex the taste. I don't care for studies explaining what I taste, I just know what I like. If this was purely a business decision, than a RO makes perfect sense.

[tcross]

i put down flavor, but in reality I just don't want one. I'd rather buy a little bigger rig and at my potential tap count (5-600), that makes sense. I enjoy cutting wood in the spring and fall as well and I have plenty on my land. I work all day and can only do maple when I get home at 5, so starting an ro to wait for my sap to be ready then boil and do the clean up/cool down thing just doesn't make sense to me. many around me and a lot of my customers do not want R.O'd syrup. they say they can tell the difference and that's enough for me. They also say they like the slight smoky flavor or wood fired syrup... on the other hand, many people don't care either way. I appreciate science and the contributions of it, but sometimes it just doesn't work out. I don't bash people who use R.O's as I see the need for them. I also don't bash people who use oil. if I was a large produce, I'd more than likely do both. I don't view either as a negative. do what works for you or what makes you feel good!

[red dorakeen]

Don't expect to ever have enough taps to need an RO system.