hard pluming ro into shack

[amasonry]

Hey guys how are you running the pluming for your ro through the sugar house. this is my first ro. I understand the ro-ing process and processing pluming. but what to connect for rinsing with permeate. also are you cleaning/rinsing all tanks, lines, preheater, and well pump with permeate? is it as simple as connecting the permeate tank back to feeder pump on the ro? I have power/water and one well pump. what am I missing?

[Haynes Forest Products]

What I have learned from plumbing my RO

Place the RO in a comfortable place with room to get to all sides

Controls out plumbing to the wall with the tanks outside.

Place all tanks with the drains above the pump intakes.

Have shut off valves on the tank and one on the inside

Fill all tanks from the top ports of the tank

Have both the sap and permeate tank supplies come into the sap shack and then T together so youi can switch between the two while running so you can go from concentrating to rinsing with out shutting down the unit.

RO permeate goes out to the tank and is stored for future use.

If you want to wash with permeate use a separate pump Ted into the line into the shack and befor the valve to the sap intake.

All tanks on the outside should have a separate valve for draining/cleaning

If your using more that one tank for sap or permeate and even concentrate they should have separate drains and be valved so you can draw from then separately.

You want the ability to run the RO and clean NOT in use tanks or dump spoiled sap from one while collecting in the others.

You can NEVER have enough unions, valves. drains or transfer hoses with Cam-loc's

If you have power get yourself a 110 volt base board heater and install it about a foot off the ground right behind the unit on the wall.

DON"T be cheap

Always leave valves in the 45 degree position when you winterize your shack.

Don't under size anything it will bite you in the butt later.

[maple flats]

How big is the RO you ordered? Likely a 250 or smaller, unless you are adding lots of taps.
I have a 250 and even when I had 1320 taps, I still had capacity to take sap (on shares) from others and process it to syrup. I have nothing hard plumbed to the sugarhouse in regards to the RO. I have 3 bulk sap storage tanks that tie together into one hose which then feeds the RO. The connection for that is a SS cam loc fitting. Each tank has a valve. Also tied to that line where I connect for the RO to draw sap, I also have 2 other lines it can draw from, the permeate tank or the concentrate tank (to recirculate). Each of those lines also has a valve. When in use I can pull sap, permeate or concentrate into the RO feed pump and all of the valves are positioned so I can close one as I open a different one, all with the RO running. On the out lines from the RO I have 1 line that sends permeate to the permeate tank and one concentrate line that sends concentrate to the head tank. The line for sending permeate to the permeate tank is connected using a potable water hose, the concentrate hose has a cam loc fitting at the RO and at the head tank.
My line from the 3 sap tanks is insulated and has a heat tape inside the insulation. That only gets plugged in if the line freezes and the heat tape thaws it in about 15-20 minutes. The only times it has frozen is overnight on real cold nights, never during a boil.
My RO is on wheels and I roll it out of my heated room to use it and back into the room after cleaning it at the end of a boil. That room has an in wall propane vented heater as well as an electric back up heater. Both are on thermostats, the propane is set at 42 F and the electric is set at 38 F. Each is more than enough to keep the room above freezing.
Personally, I do not want my RO hard plumbed to the sugarhouse, but I well understand that most larger operations are.

[Mark-NH]

I use 1" blue main line for most of my Plumbing lines. Do a direct connect to flexible suction hose and then cam lock when I need some room for maneuverability

[Windy Acres]

Haynes is 100% correct, spend a little money on valves and unions, and put some time into it, and your RO process will be nice and smooth--1889718898

[Haynes Forest Products]

Thanks Windy I should have mentioned the slide/gate style valves they are easy to install take up very little room and are easy to use from a standing position. PVC ball valves are hard to twist in tight places and even if you grease them they will get sticky. When I'm in the heat of the battle and the unit needs cleaning I get pissed if a chair is in my way so easy easy easy is the name of the game.

[Tweegs]

What Haynes says…
I would add that I have a valve between the low pressure pump and the RO to divert concentrate/permeate up to the head tank.
This way I can use the LP pump to fill the head tank as needed.
2 birds, one stone.

Valves are on every tank and I have valves to route both concentrate and permeate back to the wash tank.
Another valve sends concentrate either to the holding tank or directly to the head tank depending upon whether I’m batch processing or fired up and running the evaporator.

My valves are all motorized and electronically controlled because I’m the forgetful sort.
The downside to having so many valves is that the process becomes complex.
Opening or closing a particular valve at the wrong time can have a host of undesirable effects.
Everything from blowing lines to inadvertently mixing concentrate with permeate or raw sap (or sending the whole shootin’ match down the drain).
The electronics keep everything sorted out by first setting all valves to a known state, then adjusting them for the intended operation.

The same thing can be done with much cheaper manual valves. Name or number each valve and create, then rigorously/religiously follow a check list.

Having things automated keeps the wife happy since she is the one running the evaporator most of the time while I still work the day job.

Happy wife, happy life.

[amasonry]

maple flats
well I bought a 250 waterloo small it is older , but previous owner had new tonka pump installed. it was cheaper than I could build a small ro. as for taps some day I will max out at about 400.so I spent the summer installing power/water ,and an ro room. i think I read u did the same

Haynes
as u can read in my signature my shack Is small. so keep things neat is key. went with an radiator oil heater.

tweegs good idea

thanks for the well thought out answers.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Cozy is good. Now is that 8x8 inside the 12x16 ? I think moving it around in the same room you use it in makes no sense because its still part of the landscape. Oil radiators are angreat way to heat a place I have one in my outside laundry at the cabin and it keeps things from freezing I'm a big fan.

[pls009]

Haynes is 100% correct, spend a little money on valves and unions, and put some time into it, and your RO process will be nice and smooth--1889718898

Thanks for those pictures Windy! I’m trying to set up the same ro as yours. If you get time. Could you post a pic of your top valves coming out of permeate and concentrate outlets too? Also, when I install the blue pressure hose on the membrane housing, the hose kinks, yours doesn’t. I’m thinking mine is too short. Thanks for the pics.

[Windy Acres]

Yes sir, I'll post a few pictures of the whole setup when I get home later today

[amasonry]

Haynes
the 12x16 is for the evaporator. kitchen is off the side and ro room in the corner of the two. that was one of my wood sheds. my ro room ended up being 4x7 after 5" of insulation.

[Windy Acres]

18902189031890418905 sorry the RO room is s bit messy, and its not totally hooked up right now, but you'll get the idea18906

[Windy Acres]

Amasonry, it sounds like you've got things going in the right direction, you'll love having that ro room!

[pls009]

18902189031890418905 sorry the RO room is s bit messy, and its not totally hooked up right now, but you'll get the idea18906

Thanks for taking the time to post these pics! It really helps