springtech 600 question

[KReinisch]

This is my first year with my springtech 600 RO. It is a real pain to get the feed pump to prime. The sap and permeate tank are elevated and at ground level with RO. Does anyone else have this issue?

[DrTimPerkins]

Put a small bleed valve just before the RO to drain all the air from the system. The feed pump won't move air and there's no place for it to go.

[KReinisch]

Dr. Perkins.. there is a bleed valve on the feed pump right before it goes into RO. It just seems like it takes forever and the machine kicks off 3-4 times before I get a prime. I dont want to hurt the unit.

[BAP]

Is your feed tank higher than the RO? That helps

[Maplewalnut]

What is the size of your sap feed pipe? I run 1 1/2 inch necked down to 1 inch just before feed pump. The larger volume of liquid helps remove air prior to pump hence an easier prime

[KReinisch]

The RO class for 1.5 inch feed

[KReinisch]

Its level with the RO.

[DrTimPerkins]

It just seems like it takes forever and the machine kicks off 3-4 times before I get a prime. I dont want to hurt the unit.

We had a ST 500, then a ST 1000E for quite some time.Tough if you don't have a lot of head pressure. They worked well, but I recall it being a PITA at first and it took some screwing around until we finally got it dialed in just right. I'll check with Brian (the UVM PMRC sugaring operations manager and RO whisperer) and see if he has any hints. It may involve some swearing, kicking, incantations, and the sacrifice of a small animal. :D

[KReinisch]

Thank you and I have already done plenty of cursing.

[doocat]

Then I guess your up to the sactifice part��

[DrTimPerkins]

Then I guess your up to the sactifice part��

Squirrels are the preferred sacrifice for anything related to sugaring.

[huskyxp]

I have a cdl 600 and have the same problem. I also put a bleeder valve before the feed pump and doesn't seem to make much difference. Somedays the high pressure pump will stay on the first time I push the button and other times it will take a half dozen times to get it to stay on, very frustrating to say the least. Often times I will let the feed pump run for a few minutes before turning on the high pressure pump or open or close the concentrate or pressure valves seems to help as well.

[GeneralStark]

The only time I have had much issue is with ice in the tank or feed line (1.5"), or if the feed pump pre-filter screen was clogged,or if there is not much sap in the tank. I do have a Y plumbed in prior to the RO to a drain so that I can bleed any air out of the line prior to starting the ro. The bleeder on the feed pump pre-filter is also very useful but being able to let the feed-line run wide open to the drain briefly really seems to help. Air lock seems pretty easy to do with these machines.

I actually ran my ro fo r2 seasons with a 1/4" feed line and with the tank outlets lower than the ro feed and it worked fine as long as the tanks were mostly full when starting the ro.

When you say the ro and tanks are level. How do you mean? Are the outlets level with the ro input? How long of a run of pipe and how many bends?

[doocat]

Yeah squirrels........:)

Sorry about hijacking the thread just bored

[KReinisch]

The sap tank is level with the ro. There is about 6 feet of pipe with one elbow. I dont thing flow is an issue.

[meadster02]

Check your pressure switch it could be sticking.

[Potters3]

I had, Ran and swore at one for 4 seasons. Always had issues with the start up, Finally found put in bleeder (I did a 1/2" tee and ball valve) Bleed a 5 gallon pail worth of sap thru the bleeder before trying start up. Once pump starts push the air bleed on the filter housing in until you get squirted. Should be good to go, also would not pull prime and go with dirty filters. It could be running great, turn it off and couldn't get it going again. Like when switching from concentrate to rinse.

It was finicky, but once I figured it out really did love the work it did. Only switch to a Lapierre because we needed a bigger machine.

[kirkhedding]

I’ve had two different RO’s now and both of them gave me the same problem, air in the line between the sap or permate tank and the RO. I finally figured out that on both of my RO’s I had a built in wash tank, so I put a couple of gallons of sap or water in the wash tank and then used the 3 way valve (right before the feed pump) partially opened to the sap tank and partially opened to the wash tank. This allowed the air in the line to go out the wash tank and fill back up with sap or water. Works pretty well me.

[maple flats]

Mine is only a 250 but I had similar issues until I added a 1 HP electric booster SS pump ahead of the RO. It is self priming, as long as I fill the housing. To start now, I start that SS pump and watch the first pressure gauge (at the pre-filter). When that reads 50PSI or more I then turn on the RO. Problems gone. Once running I sometimes shut off that extra feed pump, sometimes I leave it running. My feed line from my sap tanks is 1.5" and it reduces to 1" about 2' before the extra feed pump. From there it is 1".

[blissville maples]

Have run 600 elite for years......I usually open petcock on Top of strainer unit until I don't hear any air bubbles. But sometimes it does kick off a few times and I believe this is from small air bubbles caught in the feed line that don't get drawn out from gravity bleeding alone but when you fire pump up it sucks those in and trips since it likely create more suction than bleeding alone, my thoughts anyways.

Sometimes I will turn the unit back off before the pressure pump kicks and re bleed, then turn it back on.

They are pretty rugged machine, and certainly they kick off before that air bubble reaches the pump. I've worried for years but try to remind myself these are not you run of the mill pumps, they are heavy duty and built to last. Although I still do hate to see the feed pressure gauge fall down before going back up!!

[DrTimPerkins]

I'll check with Brian (the UVM PMRC sugaring operations manager and RO whisperer) and see if he has any hints. It may involve some swearing, kicking, incantations, and the sacrifice of a small animal. :D

I chatted with Brian. He confirmed the difficulty of this procedure, and the swearing and kicking part as well. In short, he said to bleed every bit of air out of the feed line before you start the feed pump. Leave the small bleeder valve (petcock) on the strainer assembly open until sap starts to come out (with a bucket under to catch any escaping sap), push the feed pump button, and only close the bleed valve once it seems to catch hold.