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Thread: How much would I save by building my own RO?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Central Ohio
    Posts
    318

    Default How much would I save by building my own RO?

    I'm just beginning to delve into the RO world. My 100 taps are drowning me in sap this year, and my 25-30 gph 2x6 makes for long days of boiling. My average run is at least 300 gallons of sap. I had 400 gallons on hand yesterday. An RO system is looking really good to me right now. I like the idea of an RO unit on a dolly that I could wheel into my unheated sugar shack and feed my evaporator on the fly, or maybe with some head start. It would be nice to raise my 2.2 brix sap to 4 or even 6 brix. I'm still learning the lingo, but I guess I would want a unit that would remove at least 30 gallons of water per hour for 4 brix, right?

    Being a farmer, I'm somewhat handy with hoses, etc., so I could probably build my own RO on the dolly. What would a unit of the appropriate size cost to buy, and what could I build it for?

    How much money could I save by DIY?

    Thanks for any ideas and education.

    Marc
    Last edited by maple marc; 03-07-2020 at 07:51 AM. Reason: clarify question
    Central Ohio
    Leader WSE 2x6
    Old metal corn crib converted to "The Shack"
    Smoky Lake 6 gallon water jacket canner
    Daryl 5" filter press with air pump
    Deer Run 125 RO

    2023: 140 taps, buckets, 32 gallons
    2019: 100 taps, buckets, 45 gallons
    2018: 100 taps, buckets, 31 gallons
    2017: 100 taps, buckets, 15 gallons
    2015: 100 taps, buckets, 34 gallons
    2014: 100 taps, buckets, 30 gallons
    2013: 100 taps, buckets, 52 gallons

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
    Posts
    1,680

    Default

    I bought a NextGen 50gph single post 4x40 a few years ago. I only burn about a 1/4 to 1/3 of the wood I used to. 10 hour boils turned in to 2 1/2 to 3 hour boils. I have saved COUNTLESS hours of boiling since I bought it. It was $2k, but money well spent if you value your time. I run 210 taps on an evaporator that gets about 15gph.
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Hillsdale, NY United States
    Posts
    68

    Default

    I built my own from information from RO Bucket and others on this forum. It was $650 and it does between 22-30 GPH. you could buy a kit from Carl's ROBucket and put it together or build your own from Ebay items. I have 190 taps and I run the sap at night from my truck tanks into a concentrate barrel and than take the RO out to my shack and run the morning sap. Having the sap disappear while I'm doing something else, like sleeping, is saving my 75 year old arse.
    Doc Beneke

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Covington, New York
    Posts
    1,680

    Default

    Sorry, I misread the question. I thought I saw "How much wood would I save?" lol I have no idea about your actual question.
    Noel Good
    1998 to 2009: 15 taps on buckets, scavenged fire pit and pans
    2010: New 2x4 SS flat pan w/preheater
    2015: New to me Lapierre 18x60 raised flue, new shack, new everything!! 59 taps 23.75 gallons
    2016: 85 taps 19 gallons
    2017: Purchased 2.5 acres and tubed half with 3/16. 145 taps total 49.25 gallons
    2018: 200 taps (162 on 3/16ths 38 on buckets) New NextGen RO 63 gallons
    2019: 210 taps 73.5 gallons
    2023: 210 taps 89.75 gallons
    www.wnybass.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    634

    Default

    Like anything it depends. There are several affordable hobby RO dolly units worth looking into. Nextgen maple and Deer run maple both have units under $2k. I bought Deer run maple RO 125 gph dolly unit for $1600 and I dont think I could have built my own for that cheap.
    Camp Wokanda
    Peoria Park District

    2023 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, sap storage shack w/ 1100 gallon tank - 123 gallons
    2022 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, homemade vac filter & water jacket canner - 104 gallons
    2021 - 215 on 3/16 shurflo, added 2nd membrane to RO - 78 gallons
    2020 - 210 on 3/16 shurflo, upgraded hp pump on RO - 66 gallons
    2019 - 150 on 3/16 shurflo, Deer Run 125 dolly RO - 73 gallons
    2018 - 120 on 3/16 shurflo, 2x6 raised flue w/hood, homemade arch w/ AUF & AOF - 34.5 gallons

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    poultney vermont
    Posts
    870

    Default

    Factoring in all the headaches making and then the possibility of not functioning correctly and lack of tech support bc it's homade. It's hard to say if it would be worth it. I guess it depends what your looking for in the end.
    18x30 sugarshack
    5100 taps high vac
    3x10 inferno with steampan
    7'' wes fab filter press
    10'' cdl air filter press
    D&G 3 post reverse osmosis w/recirculation

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Sussex WI
    Posts
    2

    Default

    I too am looking for a lower cost RO option. Not sure if this will meet your needs at 7 gph but the price is right for under $400. With 100 taps you'd probably have to run it round the clock. Not sure if you could beef it up.

    https://soulyrested.com/2019/01/08/b...r-maple-syrup/

    Let me know what you think. Reviews look good.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    NY
    Posts
    124

    Default

    That entire DIY was taken from the mattatuck design. They work awesome. His site is a great resource if you want to build your own and he has great maintenance info. https://sites.google.com/view/mattat...aplesyrup/home
    The 4 membrane system is comparable to the RB5 RO Bucket (~400gpd membrane capacity). In terms of sizing, every 100gpd of membrane capacity you have will get you 2gph of processing rate (assuming 50/50 ratio taking 2% sap to 4% sap).

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Southwest Minnesota
    Posts
    64

    Default

    I built my own using information Steve Childs generously shared. It has a 4 x 40 membrane and 4 x 20 5 micron pre-filter. I’m using a 250 gal/ hr. Procon pump. And a 3/4 horse motor. This little baby really works. I don’t have actual numbers but I 65 gallons of 2 % to. 5% in about an hour. It’s hard to believe it’s that fast it takes out water. It probably cost me a thousand dollars. But I bought everything new except I used an old pressure washer frame for the cart. The money and time it saves me is a lot. What it has allowed me to do is keep some concentrate frozen or in the refrigerator in buckets until I have time to boil. It really reduces volume.
    I’m so excited about I’m building a second one that I can put two membranes on. This one has a 2hp motor and 330 Procon pump. Can’t wait to see what it will do.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Central Wisconsin
    Posts
    428

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blissville maples View Post
    Factoring in all the headaches making and then the possibility of not functioning correctly and lack of tech support bc it's homade. It's hard to say if it would be worth it. I guess it depends what your looking for in the end.
    Exactly!! I know others that have built they're own and generally they have problems and then ask others for advice. Is it rocket science? Nope. Go with someone that already makes a unit as most suppliers have done a bunch of testing and you don't have to reinvent the wheel. I myself went with the RB15 from the RO Bucket that advertises on this site. I'm currently doing about 18 gallons an hour through mine. Good luck.
    1960 - 1970s 70 taps on galvanized buckets with Dad and Grandpa.
    1970s - 1985 Acted crazy!
    1986 - 2005 20-30 buckets.
    2006- 2017 70 buckets and bags
    2017-2019 100 bags and buckets
    2020 Finally retired!!! 75 buckets, 50-75 on tubing. RO Bucket, New 12 X 16 Shack and a 42X42 flat pan.
    2021-Adding another 125 taps along with a second RO bucket.
    2022- Shooting for 350 taps, with 100 on lines.
    Lots of Family and Friends and dogs named Skyy and Nessy!

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