How often do you soap wash the membrane?

[tgormley358]

It’s my third year with RO, using a single membrane rig made by Dave Paul which removes 50gph water. I rinse / flush almost every boil, but at most I’ve washed twice during season. A local friend soap washes every boil. I’ve heard you need to wash when performance of the RO declines. I haven’t been measuring the concentrate so I don’t have any idea whether concentration is degrading. How often do you all wash, and what’s your method for frequency? Thanks.

[tgormley358]

Sorry I haven’t updated my system summary at the bottom in a while. It’s my 6th year sugaring, with a 2x5, 150 taps, 130 on 5/16 gravity. Made 30 gallons last year.

[christopherh]

I’ll soap wash when efficiency declines by 15%. Typically after every time I use the RO I’ll flush and perform a warm water wash then flush again. So far this season I concentrated 5 times then had to soap wash. Next soap wash may be after 3 times concentrating I’m guessing.

[VTnewguy]

We wash everytime we concentrate.

[Sunday Rock Maple]

Same, pretty much every time.

[wnybassman]

About the same size machine. I'll wash every time I process 150 or more gallons, and just do the warm water recirc and flush if less. I run permeate into a cage tank and always take note of level when I started ROing to make sure I am near that 50gph mark.

[tgormley358]

Sorry I haven’t updated my system summary at the bottom in a while. It’s my 6th year sugaring, with a 2x5, 150 taps, 130 on 5/16 gravity. Made 30 gallons last year.