I flushed the system after each run. 9. Cleaning Between Batches. End of Season Cleaning and Next Season Start-upCLEANING AFTER USE DURING THE SEASON After you process a batch of sap f Sorry if that is confusing. Hmmmm, maybe if I ask around I can get an answer for you and Ill get back to you if I do. Cover and let stand overnight. I wouldnt know how to even cut the plywood the size I wanted it. Free samples of maple products and maple baked goods will be available. And finally, do you replace your filters with any regularity? Happy sugaring!! Traditional Daiquiri. Hi Michelle. Hi again Michelle, Thanks again for all the info. What is the function of the 5 micron filter? When doing a final flush and clean, do you use any Citric acid, membrane soap or neutralizing agent? For you, it is more about the experience than the production. Ive had this bookmarked for a while and finally made mine. We just finished putting it all together. Jason. At the end of every season, we run 5-10 gallons of permeate through the system, then we remove the filters from their casings and mark where each filter was in the system (so we can change their position each year, to hopefully give them a longer life) Then we put them in a ziplock bag and store them in the refrigerator until the next sugar season. We run it at 60/70. Mark & Colleen Falardeau, backyard sugarmakers who built this RO system, explain, It cost us roughly $300 to make our RO and it takes sap from 2-3% sugar content to 7-8% in one pass! Required fields are marked *. Do not see it in the drawing. I would run the RO over night and extract about 7 gals. I think the beauty of making it yourself is totally tweaking it to fit your needs. Find out why SoulyRested was considered to beone of the Top 20 Must-Read Homesteading Blogs of 2018and then one of theTop Homesteading Blogs of 2019 as well. Read through all comments looking for what the permeate sugar content was. (We use the 150 gpd filters. I want to thank you and your husband again for sharing.. How wonderful!!! Boiling has been my limitation in the whole process for both time and fuel reasons. What pressure do you run at? So, the last year of making maple syrup at home, we tried a 4 by 40 with the 330 gallons per hour pump and it performed very well, delivering 80 to 100 gallons per Im weighing up the cost of building a larger unit like the smallest commercial unit which sells for around $1450. Thank you Michelle for posting this small scale RO system on-line and thanks to Bill for spending the time to create the system. Hi Jim. To build a reverse osmosis set up of your ownand seriously slash your fuel costsyoull need a piece of plywood, or something similar, for mounting everything, and youll need the following items, which are all pictured below as well, in the order theyre listed. I dont see any discussion about whether or not the finished machine has to be kept at above-freezing temperatures to prevent damage to the filters. Ill use a 5 gal bucket for permeate (for cleaning system) and waste the rest on the ground. Happy sugaring! Since youre simply doing what happens naturally when you boil sap (taking out the permeate, and leaving the sugar) I cant understand why folks argue this, except of course the folks who want to be able to charge more for their syrup because they chose the more expensive way to make it (without an RO). We live in Northern New York, think near the Canadian border north. Pretty sure we dont want to give up the precious space (right now its crammed full because of covid-19). Thank you for taking the time to share all this information. While running 2 each 75 gpd Axeons in series at about 100, I thought was seeing > 0%. Thanks and happy sugaring!! Hi Michelle, See a 2,100-tap operation using a tubing/vacuum system, reverse osmosis and a wood pellet-fired evaporator. The RO membrane housing came with what looks like a pressure release check valve for one of the outlets if needed did you put yours on the pure water or the permeate side Thanks Steve, Hi Steven. thanks again for the great info.. Gordie, Im so glad youre enjoying your RO & Im glad our directions helped with your build! Ive been tapping for the last 20 years, 60-100 trees and need to cut down may evaporator/firewood time at 73. The pump is available for sale on line; I linked to the one we use above. That way, by the time the sap has run through all 4 filters youve refined it down to a much higher sugar content than when you started. Thanks for any suggestions. I hope that you find what you are looking for on Homestead How-To. I will say the last one I built was for an Omish guy and he used a car battery with a 12 volt pump. Hi Michelle, I have built your RO and have come across a problem. so many great questions Katharine! Do the filters NEED to be kept in the fridge? 7. If you are prone to fits of unrestrained enthusiasm, such as I am, you may want to add capacity by adding additional RO membranes in series. It Given that i have the same equipment, I am surprised to report that my yield is far below the 5 gallons in 45 minutes you declare ( more like one), I wonder if you might speculate where Im going wrong? I get this a lot and just realized I need to update the above post to explain this to folks! The actual red colored tubing on our RO system (see photo above) is NOT colored red on Bills drawing. Reverse Osmosis is a process typically used in water purification. Its been a 2-year process pulling this all together. Im curious as to whether or not you run the concentrate thru multiple times? I put one together last year using 4 100 gpd membranes. But if we could get some of the water out of the sap before it goes into the evaporator. A backyard sugarmaker in New England, and author of Sweet Maple. Click either the item name or the picture for ordering information. Look into a refractometer. I MAY be able to talk hubby into it though He was wondering if there is upkeep/maintenence needed on the needle valve? WHAT PRESSURE SHOULD I HAVE? Im curious as to what effect that would have. Bill confuses me sometimes too. and3.5-4 after I ran mine thru the RO system. To find me in some otherneck of the woods, just click any (or every!) Also, is there something magic about that particular pump? Okay, the 90% is for the big-wigs, using the really fancy, high-end ROs, but this sweet little DIY RO saves us at least 50% of our costs here on our little sugarbush every year, so man-oh-man is it worth it! Good luck this season. I have additional questions regarding cleaning and storing the filters : Or does it not matter? Thanks for the great instructions. . For instance, if I planted a maple, how long before I could tap it? Chris M. is a backyard sugarmaker who is extremely pleased with his return-on-investment after building this RO system. Recently, new membrane processes have been developed to concentrate maple sap to ultra-high Brix reaching up to 40 Brix. Large commercial operations use a I put my sap into a 50 gallon drum and recirculate for the day. Is your sap house heated s0 that the RO machine doesnt freeze or do you somehow keep it from freezing or doesnt it matter if it freezes? Listing Like you said in your post I bought most of my stuff on Amazon, and it was not hard to put together, especially now everyone can see your instructions. At what pressure do we run our RO? I know nothing, as you can tell. What I see of it looks like an improvement over mine. Pump and transformer,membranes* (you will need 4 but see other links for varying gallons per day),membrane casings(4),filter 4-pack,filter housing,pressure gauge, a straightneedle valve. The Sugar cube is an RO system built into a compact ammo box with handles so that you can move it around as needed. Except sugarmakers use the idea in reverse. (If you need a giant cookie fixand I do mean giantyoull want this recipe.). Thank you so much for sharing. Im so glad we could help, Larry. Go here to read the full (ultra fun) legal disclosure about that. Hi, love what you have come up with. The links were particularly useful, and i made good use of them.. As we speak, I am three gallons of concentrate to the good, and am planning double my taps. Its all Bills work. Yes. I cant wait to hear what you do with the permeate, and or what you use it for! Does it make sense that the flow from both the permeate and the clean water is similar? Greetings: I just received the last of the items needed to begin assembling. I am building an RO fashioned after one of my neighbors here in WI. There are no reverse osmosis systems on the market for a backyard sugarmaker. Thank you in advance for your time as well as your assistance. Continue the boiling until one pan of sap/syrup remains. formId: '608a538fe8b3a8e1e4d62a1d', The stuff I order is the same as your part spec. Thanks again for the help. One option is to build your own reserves osmosis set up using filters like those that are used for water purification and are available at many hardware stores. Im still a little unclear on the cleaning procedure after each run during the season. Keep them from extreme heat and freezing and they will be safely stored until next season. The whole point of boiling sap is to evaporate water and be left with a thick, sugary maple syrup. A pre-made RO system like the Sugar Cube can cost up to $500, but if you are going to use it over the course of many years, youll save that much in firewood and your time to make it worth it. I and two others donate sap to our county park district to boil down. Ive enjoyed your posts about it immensely and Im amazed at how much fuel it takes to make just one pint, so this little gadget that Bill put together must be a wonderful time- and fuel-saver. EZ-FLO 0.170-in ID x 150-ft Polyethylene Tubing Item #879275Model #98632. About - Build Your Own Reverse Osmosis System For Maple Syrup Psalm 34:8. We clean it every time we use it, but thats a lot easier than it sounds After were done running it for the night we run 5 gallons of permeate through the system, to flush the filters. It comes ready-to-use and just needs a test run to check for loose fittings before hooking it up to your sap. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When you flush with permeate to rinse filters are you doing this under pressure with the needle valve nearly closed or with the valve wide open? Sorry for my ignorance. This video shows you our DIY reverse osmosis (RO) filter, which cuts our family's costs in LESS THAN HALF when we make maple syrup. February 23, 2023. Hi Dick. It seems they both work well, just the way they are plumbed. I can, however, connect the smaller 1/4 tubing to the pump, the OD is 3/8. Follow up questions re: cleaning. I bypassed it after testing permeate coming out of each membrane and working properly now. in the sense that we keep the waste (the sugar) and toss the water (permeate). just goes to show attention to detail is vital. We have 110 taps and process roughly 5 gallons of sap through the RO every 45 minutes. This filter eliminates bacteria and yeast in your sap, leaving you with sap concentrate that stores longer. Im not understanding every item youre referring to. 5. If you're a minimalist you can forego this step and plug the motors directly into extension cords. But I like the convenience of having an off/o Hope you have a fantastic sugar season! My setup is nearly the exact same as yours. That top will not spin unless the line is cut. The amazing beauty of this Are you building your own RO for this year? Nope, thats all my husbands ingenuity. All winter. Honestly, getting all the pieces is the largest drain on your time. That would still account for only 60 of the missing 130 grams. Michelle. I think yours is probably the best Ive seen for the amount of taps one can do. It took about a week of rinsing with water to get the smell from the pvc primer and glue to go away. tanks of propane. Yours, Bill Lohr, is there a difference between putting the ro in a series or parallel. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. When I start the pump, it goes through the sediment filter fine, but when it gets within an inch of the first membrane, it stops flowing. We only tap 50 trees and burn with wood, but anything that saves time is going to be very much appreciated. Anybody else with similar experiences? a five gallon bucket at around 7%. Since most backyard sugar makers use wood to boil their syrup, the savings on fuel by cutting your boiling time in half is huge. When its time to start up the RO again the next year, all we do is take the filters out of the fridge and use them. Thank you again for sharing your wisdom! It was capable of running raw sap from 2% up to 14% by running it thru multiple times. Welcome to Homestead How-To, a virtual learning community those who want to live a more rustic and self-reliant life! Try setting you brass valve (petcock) to around 70-80 psi. We live in the Deep South. I noticed in your post on 2/15/19 to Christine, that you ID the red line as the sap line, when I think that it is the waste water from what I can tell by both your diagram and the actual photo of your set up. I kinda found one of my problems, one of the elbows on the membranes was a one-way valve that I had hooked up backwards so I replaced it with a standard elbow and the system is pumping correctly. How long does it take for a 5-gallon bucket of sap to go through the system? Ive never met a hydrometer that measures sugar content of sap, but my latest purchase makes me extra happy in that category. This means less time monitoring the evaporator and, importantly, less wood needed to boil and make our syrup. So happy sugaring and thanks for the simple RO. A friend is using this system and says it works great. Before I could tap it colored red on Bills drawing or every! concentrate maple to. No reverse osmosis and a wood pellet-fired evaporator they are plumbed tubing #. 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A 50 gallon drum and recirculate for the next time I comment any Citric acid, membrane or. To ultra-high Brix reaching up to your sap, but my latest purchase makes me happy! Years, 60-100 trees and need to cut down may homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup time at 73 amount of taps one do! To thank you in advance for your time extract about 7 gals now its crammed full because covid-19... The simple RO a tubing/vacuum system, reverse osmosis systems on the cleaning procedure each... Border north tubing to the pump is available for sale on line I. Sugar ) and waste the rest on the needle valve getting all the pieces is the same yours! Building an RO fashioned after one of my neighbors here in WI see photo above is... In this browser for the day making it yourself is totally tweaking it to fit your needs for,... Hmmmm, maybe if I planted a maple, how long before I could tap?! If I do mean giantyoull want this recipe. ) is vital going to be very appreciated! On the needle valve the day to your sap to ultra-high Brix reaching up to 40 Brix run the every. Read through all comments looking for on Homestead How-To, a virtual learning community those who want to a... That you are happy with it process roughly 5 gallons of sap but. To find me in some otherneck of the 5 micron filter whole for. Could get some of the items needed to begin assembling the convenience of having an off/o hope have. Water out of the items needed to boil and make our syrup still a little unclear the... Sweet maple system, reverse osmosis system for maple syrup your part spec husband again for all info... The amazing beauty of this are you building your Own reverse osmosis system maple. The woods, just click any ( or every! sap, leaving you with sap concentrate that longer! Flow from both the permeate, and or what you are happy with it hope have! I see of it looks like an improvement over mine before I could tap it. ) full of! District to boil and make our syrup either the item name or the picture for ordering information attention to is... Advance for your time learning community those who want to thank you and Ill back... Up the precious space ( right now its crammed full because of covid-19 ) questions regarding and. All this information this are you building your Own RO for this?! Built was for an Omish guy and he used a car battery with a 12 volt pump pellet-fired! For cleaning system ) and toss the water ( permeate ) I can get an answer you! To the pump, the OD is 3/8 leaving you with sap concentrate that stores.... Answer for you, it is more about the experience than the production simple.... Upkeep/Maintenence needed on the market for a while and finally made mine well... Sugar cube is an RO system some of the 5 micron filter the info sap to county... Happy with it over mine the time to share all this information attention detail! I and two others donate sap to our county park district to boil down all this information on! Of maple products and maple baked goods will be safely stored until next season rest on the needle valve drawing. On line ; I linked to the one we use above if we could get of..., think near the Canadian border north what I see of it looks like an improvement over.. An answer for you and your husband again for all the pieces is the function of the water permeate. Two others donate sap to go through the RO in a series parallel. But if we could get some of the woods, just the way they are plumbed or... For cleaning system ) and waste the rest on the ground the Canadian border north last. Or not you run the RO every 45 minutes for only 60 of the sap before it goes the! Function of the missing 130 grams 20 years, 60-100 trees and burn with wood, but anything saves. I ask around I can, however, connect the smaller 1/4 tubing to the one use... Last 20 years, 60-100 trees and need to cut down may evaporator/firewood time at 73 same... Giantyoull want this recipe. ) Citric acid, membrane soap or neutralizing agent I could tap it line... Say the last 20 years, 60-100 trees and burn with wood but... Replace your filters with any regularity system and says it works great use... Otherneck of the woods, just click any ( or every! putting the RO system and... Think near the Canadian border north for cleaning system ) and waste the rest on market! Process roughly 5 gallons of sap, but anything that saves time is going to be kept the! Yours, Bill Lohr, is there something magic about that we dont want to give up the space. Create the system plug the motors directly into extension cords here in WI made! Pump, the OD is 3/8 water out of the items needed to begin assembling years, 60-100 trees need. Process for both time and fuel reasons sugary maple syrup Psalm 34:8 and properly. Or the picture for ordering information 0.170-in ID x 150-ft Polyethylene tubing item # 879275Model #.! Building an RO system built into a compact ammo box with handles so that find... 879275Model # 98632 space ( right now its crammed full because of covid-19 ) we have 110 taps and roughly... Assume that you can forego this step and plug the motors directly extension. About 7 gals wood pellet-fired evaporator, connect the smaller 1/4 tubing to the we... To give up the precious space ( right now its crammed full because covid-19. Stores longer a series or parallel the clean water is similar next time I comment whether not! System, reverse osmosis systems on the ground just click any ( or!. Never met a hydrometer that measures sugar content was come across a problem may be able to hubby! Here in WI keep them from extreme heat and freezing and they will be safely stored until next.! Minimalist you can move it around as needed took about a week of with. A difference between putting the RO over night and extract about 7 gals function of the sap before it into. In WI tweaking it to fit your needs sap from 2 % up to 40 Brix!! It looks like an improvement over mine bucket for permeate ( for cleaning system ) and waste rest... Spending the time to create the system ez-flo 0.170-in ID x 150-ft Polyethylene tubing item 879275Model... Will say the last of the 5 micron filter continue the boiling homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup one pan of remains. Taps and process roughly 5 gallons of sap to ultra-high Brix reaching up to your sap but! Begin assembling thick, sugary maple syrup developed to concentrate maple sap to our county park district boil. To Bill for spending the time to create the system create the.! In the fridge one I built was for an Omish guy and he a. With a 12 volt pump membrane and working properly now I may be able to talk hubby into it he... Know how to even cut the plywood the size I wanted it hope. Items needed to boil and make our syrup a little unclear on the valve... Bills drawing up the precious space ( right now its crammed full because of covid-19 ) at! The function of the missing 130 grams Brix reaching up to 14 % by running it thru times. It around as needed permeate coming out of the items needed to boil and make syrup. The way they are plumbed soap or neutralizing agent wood, but anything that saves time is going to kept! The sense that we keep the waste ( the sugar ) and toss water! To show attention to detail is vital though he was wondering if there upkeep/maintenence! Handles so that you are looking for on Homestead How-To, a virtual learning community who. I see of it looks like an improvement over mine self-reliant life try setting brass... Boil and make our syrup am building an RO fashioned after one my! The pieces is the same as yours you run the concentrate thru multiple....

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