RO On craigslist

[Valley View Sugarhouse]

here is a 125gal/hr RO on VT Craigslist

http://burlington.craigslist.org/grd/884876036.html

[Amber Gold]

I bought some buckets from the guy this past summer and he mentioned he would be selling his RO if he found a larger one. I guess he did. I'm pretty sure he has a 2.5x8 oil fired and the RO will not quite keep up with the evaporator doubling the sugar content (I'm guessing it does about 50 gph). If I remember correctly he bought it about 2-3 years ago and had the membrane cleaned/tested before last season and it was over 90%. Also it's a low pressure system and is either on or off. There are no variable settings to adjust sugar content.

I was interested in it, but with the costs of setting up my woods on tubing and hopefully putting vacuum in I don't think I could swing that as well.

[tuckermtn]

is there anyone else on the trader here that has used or is using the small brothers/ Sap Brothers RO from about 20 yrs ago?

the one I looked at yesterday (not to buy, just to check out) had like 4 stainless membrane housings (4" membranes?) set up in series (stainless piping from top of one membrane to bottom of next one)...original membranes from 17 yrs ago. but looking at one possibly to buy has the same mechanicals, etc. but has only one membrane canister...membrane was new supposedly 4 yrs ago. supposedly the 4 membrane one produces only slightly more gph than the single (newer) membrane unit. question is would there be a siginifcant impovement in the newer membrane to allow it to produce nearly as much as the older 4 membrane unit?

also- would I be able to add a membrane in the future to the single membrane unit without changing pumps, etc...are the canisters and membranes still available?

thanks for any input...

[caseyssugarshack93]

Is that 50gph One on bascoms used list ?
the Hero 50gph R/o that are way to expenice i got a 250gph less than what they want for a new 50 But that Hero 50 is 3 or 4 years old and does 50gph

just wondering if that the one you talkin about ambergold..

nate

[tuckermtn]

can't speak for amber gold, but the one I was refering to was listed on Craigslist in burlington..

[Amber Gold]

The one I'm talking about is on Vermont's Craigslist out of Derby, VT and is listed for $1600.

[caseyssugarshack93]

Oh oh i know the one your talking about i looked at it a few days ago be a nice r/o

sounds like a good deal.

nate

[Asian Long Horned Beetle]

i have a sap brothers R/O i baught it from bascomes about 5 years ago for $1,200. it had the 6 4" original membrains in it and it did about 250 gph and would take 2% sap to 5% so it would take over 60% of the water out. i didnt realy know anything about R/O so i thaught i would try this old cheep one but from bruce. i baught 6 new membrans from a place in lowell mass, the guy had to make new plastic ends to fit the older housings. i baught low pressure fillmteck membrans and i run it at 150 to 175psi. i was hoping i would get more gph as well as higher sugar concentrate with the new membrans i was getting 12% concentrate when the raw sap was around 3% but its kinda slow still maybe 300 gph if i turn the concentrate valve down a little. i had around 1500 taps and made 400 gallons and for $1200 plus $2000 for the 6 new membrans i would say this old R/O was a good deal for me. i hope i can get another 10 years out of the new membrans but i dont know why i the new R/O will do 150 gph with one 4" membran? and i can only get around 300 gph with 6?????? it has a recycle and concentrate valve and a 3hp high pressure pump and a 3/4 hp feed pump.

[Russell Lampron]

ALHB,

The 150gph RO gets that much with one 4" membrane because it is run at close to 500 psi. At the low pressure that you are running the membranes will last a lot longer than the one in mine will. I have a 150gph RO with a 3hp pump and one 4" membrane. I punish mine so that the output will keep up with the evaporation rate of my evaporator. I am going in to my 5th season with it and it is still producing. I have never had it professionally cleaned either. If I make it through this season I will probably buy a new one for the 2010 season.

[tuckermtn]

ALHB-

do your membrane canisters look anything like the one in these pictures?

IF so, would you mind telling me where you got the new membranes? The person at Maplepro today mentioned that he could not get more membranes...

you mentioned $2000 for new 6 new membranes- $330+/- each?

thanks for the post and info...

[Asian Long Horned Beetle]

It is the same exact machine that I have. I don't know why you don't have six membrane housings, though. From the picture I did notice some differences in the membrane. My membrane has a gasket with two bolts that clamp a metal collar to it on each end. I could not tell from the picture where your inlet and outlet lines are located. I have one on the top and one on the bottom for the concentrate permeate lines and a feed line that comes in straight from the bottom. I bought my membranes from a place in Lowell, MA. You can access their website via www.rosystems.com. I spoke to a man named George; you can get the telephone # off the website and ask for him. He had me send in an old membrane with a housing and he had to make some changes and add some parts to make it work. I also asked about running four membranes instead of using six and George said that the machine needs to use all six. You can probably buy new housings if necessary. It looks from the picture there might be a piece missing that holds the end cap on each end, because mine has stainless steel ends and it just looks different. The membranes were about $200 a piece. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me any more questions.

[Jonathan Temple]

Can I ask what Filmtec membranes did you put in your R/O ?? I have a Filmtec XLE-4040 I have not used yet and am wondering how well they do? The NF90-4040 is another one that is used for Maple sap? and would like to compare?

i have a sap brothers R/O i baught it from bascomes about 5 years ago for $1,200. it had the 6 4" original membrains in it and it did about 250 gph and would take 2% sap to 5% so it would take over 60% of the water out. i didnt realy know anything about R/O so i thaught i would try this old cheep one but from bruce. i baught 6 new membrans from a place in lowell mass, the guy had to make new plastic ends to fit the older housings. i baught low pressure fillmteck membrans and i run it at 150 to 175psi. i was hoping i would get more gph as well as higher sugar concentrate with the new membrans i was getting 12% concentrate when the raw sap was around 3% but its kinda slow still maybe 300 gph if i turn the concentrate valve down a little. i had around 1500 taps and made 400 gallons and for $1200 plus $2000 for the 6 new membrans i would say this old R/O was a good deal for me. i hope i can get another 10 years out of the new membrans but i dont know why i the new R/O will do 150 gph with one 4" membran? and i can only get around 300 gph with 6?????? it has a recycle and concentrate valve and a 3hp high pressure pump and a 3/4 hp feed pump.