What to expect from RO bucket

[Birdland Sugarbush]

Just ordered an RO bucket to go with my new StarCat evaporator from Smoky Lake.

i have an unheated sugar shack (no door, and a few missing panes of glass). What can I expect from my RO as the temps fluctuate? I have not control over the temperature aside from when I am boiling.

FYI, I have a few 50 gal barrels that I keep in the shack. I plan to use one as the feed an one as processed sap.

Thanks,
Chris

[ecolbeck]

Not sure exactly what you’re asking but I would avoid operating the RO in below freezing temperatures. I use my RO bucket exclusively in an unheated shack and it works great. I use it concurrently to boiling and bring it in with me each night once it’s rinsed.

[Birdland Sugarbush]

Thanks - I was wondering what the throughput was at temps below 40º (what they quote on the website). Your info helps.

[TheNamelessPoet]

SLOW. Mine definitely slowed down when I was using it outside below 30 degrees. I thought it was only because it was the 2nd pass, but the next time I did it in my garage (probably 40-45ish) and it at least SEAMED to go faster.

To be fair, i have not timed it... I should try doing that.

[Birdland Sugarbush]

Thanks Poet

[DMF]

I have heat tape on the pipes coming from my stainless steel re-purposed milk tanks out behind the sugar shack to the inside of it. We have out grown our bucket RO but we are still using it for now. I bought the kit version and mounted everything to a board which I hang on the wall of my sugar shack. I often run my RO overnight when temps get well below freezing. I have the filter cannisters wrapped in aluminum foil, foil on the board behind the filter canisters, and foil wrapped cardboard "reflectors". I set up a twin 150 watt halogen work lamp pointing towards the RO. I hang heavy padded moving blankets behind the lamps and another foil wrapped light board as a "roof" over the little RO "closet" I've created. I've run my RO overnight like this is freezing temperature for 3+ years now.

[In da bush]

I have heat tape on the pipes coming from my stainless steel re-purposed milk tanks out behind the sugar shack to the inside of it. We have out grown our bucket RO but we are still using it for now. I bought the kit version and mounted everything to a board which I hang on the wall of my sugar shack. I often run my RO overnight when temps get well below freezing. I have the filter cannisters wrapped in aluminum foil, foil on the board behind the filter canisters, and foil wrapped cardboard "reflectors". I set up a twin 150 watt halogen work lamp pointing towards the RO. I hang heavy padded moving blankets behind the lamps and another foil wrapped light board as a "roof" over the little RO "closet" I've created. I've run my RO overnight like this is freezing temperature for 3+ years now.

I do a similar setup with a heat lamp below the RO and just tent a cheap canvas drop cloth over all of it, below freezing without issue. It doesn’t take much to keep it above freezing in an unheated space,Imho

[DRoseum]

Built mine in a cooler and use an inkbird temp controller with a silicone strip heater on an aluminum heat sink to keep it at 39F. Works amazing. Even in single digit Temps it holds the temp perfectly.

https://youtu.be/9_Eq_sq6Tp0

[In da bush]

Built mine in a cooler and use an inkbird temp controller with a silicone strip heater on an aluminum heat sink to keep it at 39F. Works amazing. Even in single digit Temps it holds the temp perfectly.

https://youtu.be/9_Eq_sq6Tp0

That’s a slick setup!! Is it a bear to break down and reassemble?

[Gord]

In regards to your original question of what to expect from your RO bucket ... The thing I wasn't prepared for, being a newbie to the whole RO thing, was the amount of permeate (water) and what to do with it. Have plenty of old towels around and plenty of buckets to put the water in. Buckets are obvious, but the amount of times you'll be transferring hoses from one thing to the next creates a pretty wet environment. I ended up purchasing a couple in line shut offs just to be able to control some of it.
Good luck! You'll be very happy with it.

[DRoseum]

That’s a slick setup!! Is it a bear to break down and reassemble?

Thank you! Was aiming for compact, portable and capable of staying outside the entire season without freezing. Its not hard to maintain at all. The wooden frame slides right out and everything can come out pretty easy from there.

However, cleaning and storing it right doesn't require full disassembly. I can change the pre-filter for each run and flush cycle easily and clean out the strainer easily between runs. Do that daily and a proper end of season cleaning and storage procedure and it can stay a together until the next season.