Membrane Survey; Who's using What and Why

[Tmeeeh]

When it's time to buy new membranes the choices can be confusing. Membranes can be bought for much less than what the Maple RO companies charge. Some membranes can only be bought through the Maple RO companies. There are other good choices and producers are experimenting all the time. This survey is intended to help share what we are learning. Please reply with answers to the following:

What RO machine are you using?

What brand and model number membranes are you using?

How do you Keep them clean? (rinse,acid soak,soap wash)

Do you use a Ph meter?

Where did you buy your membranes?

What percent sugar are you concentrating to?

Do you concentrate in one pass or more than one pass through the machine?

Do your membranes pass sugar, how do you know?

Are you happy with the flow rate?

[Tmeeeh]

What RO machine are you using? Springtech 800

What brand and model number membranes are you using? Fluid systems S-600

How do you Keep them clean? (rinse,acid soak,soap wash) All of these.

Do you use a Ph meter? Yes

Where did you buy your membranes? Came with the machine.

What percent sugar are you concentrating to? 10-14

Do you concentrate in one pass or more than one pass through the machine? Yes

Do your membranes pass sugar, how do you know? No check with refractometer and also boil permeate sample down to nothing.

Will probably buy from new membranes from Atlantic RO. I heard about some group buying in VT from Atlantic RO... will see about that.

[trackerguy]

What RO machine are you using?

What brand and model number membranes are you using?NF270-4040 and xle-4040

How do you Keep them clean? (rinse,acid soak,soap wash) all

Do you use a Ph meter? strips

Where did you buy your membranes?Midwest RO (Bill, brother of Joe at Atlantic RO)

What percent sugar are you concentrating to?9 to 10

Do you concentrate in one pass or more than one pass through the machine?if sugar under 2.2% i circulate until its at that point

Do your membranes pass sugar, how do you know? xle-no NF270 don't know - haven't boiled permeate from 270's yet. Actually, they're so much faster then the xle I don't think I care even if they do - they read 0 on hydrometer but that's not accutate under .05%.

Are you happy with the flow rate? NF270 is super - 1 of these is equal to 2 xle's.

Buy from Atlantic / midwest, maple companies seem have this silly idea of trying to sell a re-packaged NF90 equivalent 4" membrane for $1100 when you can get the same thing for $309. Margins on those RO's are similar, build your own, it's easy.

[Russell Lampron]

Type of RO; Lapierre 150 Turbo 3hp single 4" membrane with recirculation pump.

Membrane currently NF270-4040. Formerly NF90-4040 and XLE-4040

Rinse, soap wash, and acid wash when needed.

ph meter; yes

Got replacement membrane from AtlanticRO www.formembranes.com

concentrate to 16% plus

recirculate

NF270 doesn't pass sugar unless concentrate flow pinched down. Check with calibrated refractometer and boil 20 parts permeate down to 1 part and test that with refractometer.

Flow rate of NF270 made my RO come to life. Performs like a 400gph machine. Very happy!

[caseyssugarshack93]

What RO machine are you using? lapierre 250 turbo..currently

What brand and model number membranes are you using? nf90 4040

How do you Keep them clean? (rinse,acid soak,soap wash) all

Do you use a Ph meter? yes

Where did you buy your membranes? came with ro

What percent sugar are you concentrating to? 20%

Do you concentrate in one pass or more than one pass through the machine?more than one, Wish i could get 20 one pass lol

Do your membranes pass sugar, how do you know? no

Are you happy with the flow rate? yes for the size of the r.o i have

[Brent]

What RO machine are you using? Airablo 160

What brand and model number membranes are you using? 2 x 4" original PVDs

How do you Keep them clean? (rinse,acid soak,soap wash) all

Do you use a Ph meter? strips

Where did you buy your membranes? came with it

What percent sugar are you concentrating to? 6 - 8 %

Do you concentrate in one pass or more than one pass through the machine? tried recirculating only once.
Syrup was way to light and membranes plugged up in no time.

Do your membranes pass sugar, how do you know? They do now. Check with sap hydrometer and digital refractometer

Are you happy with the flow rate? sure but I hope to get better when I get new membranes for next season