Thinking about adding RO

[Maple Flats]

I do not know much about RO. Anyone give a short starter brief? I have no heat at the sugarhouse and need to generate my own elec, what would I need to plan?

[mountain van]

You'll need- ro- stainless or plastic tank for sap and one for premeate( left over water used to clean/rinse membranes)- building with heat so membranes do not freeze( I built a 6*8 insulated shed for my 250gal/hr ro. r-25 walls, r-36 ceiling, r-19 floor, low e window, 220 electric for ro{40 amp for ro} plus normal lights sockets, in and out. inside stays 60 even below 0 with a small ceramic heater.) Prefilters, ro soap, etc. Not a small investment! Good luck. Any questions feel free to ask.

[brookledge]

If you are looking to run an RO with a generator you will need atleast a 10KW and probably a 15KW which is more than your average homeowner 5kW. Probably run around $3,000. and then fuel to run it. Or if you have a tractor you could buy a pto generator for $1,000 to 1,500. Another idea is to put the ro at another location like your house. and haul the sap back and forth. Once you have concentrate you will not have to make many trips.
Keith

[Al]

That's what one of the sugaring operations did here. His wife bought him a RO for Christmas. His sugarhouse wasn't heated so he installed it in his celler. Now he just hauls it back to the sugarhouse. How about that for a wife? Still won't trade mine in thou. I mean my wife.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Al,

Don't worry, your wife probably will get you one next year or the following. Good thing you did all that expansion on the sugarhouse! 8O :wink:

[gearpump]

I am getting to know all to well about the prep work for getting an RO. I have been working the last two weeks on building " the little room" inside my new sugarhouse. I just got the strip heaters hooked up today and got it nice and toasty inside so I could paint the walls and ceiling. Tues. or Weds. the new machine should arrive and all my hard work will pay off. With the price of fuel oil rising this investment is looking better everyday!

Marty

[Al]

Nope. Maybe a new tractor with a cab thou!

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

A new tractor would be great, ship me down the old one and I will buy it off of you!

[mountainvan]

What do tractors have to do with ro's? Run the pumps off of the pto?

[Al]

Nope. Just a side comment to a friend.
Take care