NOOB getting RO -- Practical Considerations

[Andy VT]

2024 will be my 4th year. My 3rd year made it clear that getting into RO is the top priority of any investment I can make.
I'm 99% sure I'll go with R.O. Bucket because as much as I love DIY, I think the savings would be small and I hear nothing but awesome with R.O. Bucket support and I'd like to support that and be supported by it.
I've been reading up on the documentation on the RO Bucket website and a few questions have emerged.

The main one is, what do you backyarders all do for temperature control, especially between uses, especially those who don't really have a shelter? It sounds like the membrane stays wet all season (and maybe all off-season?), and thus must be prevented from freezing, and also best not to get too hot? The documentation suggests putting the prefilter in the fridge. Is this where you might put the membrane as well for the night, to keep it cold but not frozen? Or maybe build an insulated shelter for it? Or am I way overthinking this and you just bring the unit inside and don't worry about keeping it cold?

I guess that's really the one question. Temp control of the membrane between uses. What do you do?

Thanks!

Andy

[BAP]

Get a hold of Carl, the RO Bucket owner. He can answer most of your questions and is extremely helpful. He will give you advice as to what is best to do and what others have done. I have been very pleased when I have reached out to him with questions about my RO.

[Bricklayer]

Basically you just need to keep the unit from freezing. I keep our RO room a couple degrees above freezing. My theory is Zny bacteria in it is gonna grow faster the warmer it is.
I would just bring it inside at night and keep the unit in the basement. It’s a bucket. Nice and easy.
As for the pre filter. I’d just throw it out and use a new one every boil. If you look on Amazon you can get 50 packs where it works out to like $1.50 for a filter.

[DRoseum]

Agreed on 1 time use for sap pre-filter.

Can reuse permeate rinse pre-filters multiple times. Put in ziplock bag in fridge between uses.

As for temp control to prevent freezing, I built mine into coolers and use a silicon strip heater and temp controller to keep it at ~36F.

Bunch of videos on multiple builds I've done and how to use these ROs here:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...Eo7uzsLbsJssFv

[NoblesvilleIN]

I've used an RB-5 for the last 4 years (12 taps). Not sure what size you are thinking of purchasing. Mine is truly a bucket (purchased from Carl) and is kept indoors or on the enclosed back porch (if not freezing) during the season. I keep the pre-filter in the refridgerator between uses (one pre-filter for the season as I only RO about 100 gallons of sap in a season). In use, the RO bucket sits on the kitchen counter (very understanding wife!). After a session and cleaning, the pre-filter goes back in the refridgerator in a bag labeled "pre-filter" and the pre-filter that gets used in the flush cycle is in a bag labeled "flush". The bucket itself (with the membrane) either goes on the back porch (completely enclosed) if it is not too cold or in a corner of the kitchen if it would freeze on the back porch. At the end of the season, the unit sits in a spare bedroom for a couple of weeks with the lid off to make sure that the pump and lines are completely dry and then the lid goes on and the unit is moved to the basement storeroom until the next season. The end of the season cleaning process leaves the membrane wet. Hope this helps. The RO has been a real benefit for my very small backyard operation.