Which RO to Buy?

[jdj]

Just wondering if any of you guys with RO experience could help me decide which RO is the best on the market based on quality and price (ie CDL, Springtech, Lappiere etc). The size RO I am interested in is a 500-600 gph. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Russell Lampron]

Lapierre and CDL make nice user friendly RO machines. The Springtech, D&G and Airablo are basically the same machine with a different name on it and tend to be more expensive. I have had my Lapierre since 2004 and wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

[jdj]

Thanks for the info Russ. I don't know anything about RO's and there are so many brands on the market that it is a bit confusing on which one to buy. All I know is I desperately need one. I'm spending too many hours in the sugarhouse now!! I just hope I will be able to figure out how to operate and maintain one effectively.

[powerdub]

I don't know if this is still true but when I was at the place where Lapierre built his RO's he told us that all his machines were built so that the parts were interchangable. If Russ with his '04 machine needed a valve and the new machine was different, the new valve would fit the old machine with no modification. I know a couple of guys that have adapted thier machines with Lapierre parts because they seem to work better. Lapierre will be my next one.

[802maple]

CDL or Lapierre are good , I lean toward the Lapierre very hard though. Powerdub is pretty much correct on the part issue, if by chance you might need to change one.

[Homestead Maple]

I really like my Lapierre but the help I got from the USA distributor was really lacking when I first got the RO. No one was willing to talk to me about it. The receptionist told me to back up to the loading dock and someone would help load it. They loaded it, then walked off saying they didn't get involved with them. The rep. was nowhere to be found in the building. They didn't answer phone calls or emails when I had questions and when I got through to them on the phone, the conversation lasted about 20 seconds. Russ Lampron was the best help I got.

[jdj]

Homestead,
I sure hope I don't buy from a dealer that does business like your dealer did. I see that you have a steamaway, is the steamaway still effective while boiling 8-10% concentrate?

Thanks to everyone for the help. Looks like Lapierre is getting most of the votes here. I was leaning towards springtech for the simple fact that I have done alot of business with Leader Evaporator but I am now thinking Lappiere.

[Russell Lampron]

Homestead is talking about the US distributor not a particular dealer. I haven't had any trouble talking with them myself and they have been quick with the parts when I needed something.

When I was pricing RO's the comparable Springtech was $2200 more than The Lapierre that I bought and that was with a 10% discount! As far as operating a Springtech goes I haven't had the chance yet but I have operated the CDL and it is a nice machine.

Check with the Maple Guys www.mapleguys.com they sell both Lapierre and CDL and can give you some prices.

[maplwrks]

Give Dave Mayotte in Fletcher Vt. a call. He provides superior service and has forgotten more stuff about a Lapierre RO than the US Distributor can remember. Dave was the only dealer in VT for the longest time--way before the US warehouse was established. I would lean real hard towards a Lapierre, they will process more sap per hour than a CDL. The recirculation is superior also.

[Jim Brown]

We would buy another Lapierre in a minute. We called the US office in Vermont and they could not have been more help!. They have called back the last two years and asked if there were any problems. Very user friendly and with Russ Lamprons help(who owns one just like mine) they are GREAT. Also we have a Steamaway on top of our 2x6 and run 8% sap to the steamaway. We tested the sap in the float box going to the rig and it tested 11%. so the steamaway was doing it's job well.
buy a Lappierre

Our two cents!
Jim

[Homestead Maple]

jdj,
the Steamaway is effective for sure. A buddy of mine has a 500 - 600gph RO and a 4x10 Leader that is oil fired and a couple times this year he has told me he was making around 12 gallons of syrup an hour concentrating his sap to 8%. I have a 3x8 King, oil fired, with the Steamaway. A 600gph RO concentrating to 8%, and I make 12 -14 gals. an hour.

[Jeff E]

SUPER HAPPY with the CDL 600 RO, and it is expandable if need be in the future to process around 1100 GPH.

Again---SUPER HAPPY, did I mention I was happy with the CDL?

[Jim Brown]

Our little 2x6 and steamaway with the sap con to 8% would do around 4 gallon per hour. Not bad for a 2x6!

[sapman]

One question/concern I have with some ROs, and I think I saw a Lapierre like this, was the feed pump looked like one of those Home Depot specials that I cringe at when I see it in a customer's basement (especially if I now have to work on it). Now I know that the pump on the RO is MUCH bigger than the one I may see on a job, but I really like the Goulds feed pump on my RO. So do any of you have problems with these pumps?

Thanks,
Tim

[jdj]

Sapman,
What kind of RO do you have? Do you get as much hot water off the steamaway using it along with the RO vs. using it with raw sap?

[WF MASON]

Leasts not forget our friend Stephan, he has a boat payment to make too, I think Darveau held the 'strangle hold' on the RO business for 'many' years before there was competition , rumor is that he has one used over the boarder this season that plugs into 115v for the small guy, and will be available for sale down here this season.

[Russell Lampron]

My Lapierre has a Grundfoes feed pump on it. It is made of metal not plastic and has been very reliable.

[NH Maplemaker]

WF MASON, Please keep us posted on that!! I'm all ears for new RO information ! Did you hear how big a unite it is? Thank you . Jim L.

[Homestead Maple]

jdj,
The hot water flow off the Steamaway is the same wether the sap is concentrated or not from what I've observed. I haven't measured it to find out but the over flow pipe on a holding barrel that the Steamaway that I have empties in to, runs the same amount.

[tuckermtn]

The Maple Guys are supposedly talking to the Darveau guys up north about being a distributor for their RO's in the US...

check with Chris...

-Eric

[sapman]

I have a D&G/Airablo. I'm not really partial to these machines, but it's what became available as a decent used unit. I don't mean to knock other ROs, and from what I've heard they outperform mine, maybe significantly. I've just had the best experiences servicing and getting parts for Goulds in my line of work.

I agree with Homestead, that I didn't notice any difference with the Streamaway with an RO.

Tim