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Snowmad
04-10-2019, 12:48 PM
I can't find a category for my question so I'll just put it here:

I've added a lot of food grade tubing/hose in my sugar house this year to move sap and concentrate around. I have a 3/4" milk hose coming in from my bulk tank to the RO, and a smaller line returning to the bulk tank for re circulation of the concentrate. I also have a manifold and more line that I use to divert sap to the feed tank for the evaporator. All of this line is somewhat permanently installed and I don't want to take it all apart (hose clamps, strapping, etc.). I have flushed all the lines with permeate now that the season is over for me. I drained what I could, but there are low spots and areas that still have the permeate in them. Should I leave that in? Should I rinse it out with more water? Should I blow it out with air? Is there was way I should "wash" the milk hoses? I also have several feet of PVC that I pump sap though to my bulk tank. Will flushing that with water be sufficient?

Thanks for any suggestions!

maple flats
04-10-2019, 08:19 PM
First, i should all be designed so every inch can be cleaned and then drained Low spots harboring any liquid for months is a recipe for problems.
For cleaning, most can be cleaned using permeate, one that had concentrate should be flushed using an approved sanitizer, then rinsed with permeate and then drained.

sapman
04-10-2019, 08:41 PM
My plumbing is such that I can feed hot water through everything after the RO, which I do every night. So far so good, but I realize not all sugarhouses can accomodate water heaters and be fed by a well.

Snowmad
04-11-2019, 08:01 AM
First, i should all be designed so every inch can be cleaned and then drained Low spots harboring any liquid for months is a recipe for problems.
For cleaning, most can be cleaned using permeate, one that had concentrate should be flushed using an approved sanitizer, then rinsed with permeate and then drained.

Would pumping sodium bimetasulfate used in the RO as preservative work?

maple flats
04-11-2019, 08:07 AM
You would be better off running either chlorine or RO soap (mild solution) then rinse with permeate or well water.