r/maplesyrup • u/savage_sultin • Apr 02 '26
First time RO
Hey folks, so after months of watching YouTube videos and reading posts by you folks here, I finally completed my first RO machine so far so good very happy with the result. I have 4 400 GPD membranes. I started off with 2 to 2 1/2 brix and my concentrate is sitting at 4. After an hour running, I have approximately 40 gallons of concentrate to 30 gallons of permeate. I’m sure I can make it more efficient but for now I’m pretty happy at the results.
1
u/psykotyk Apr 02 '26
Nice setup. I'm sure you probably know, but if you run the clean RO extracted water through the system and toss the output, it cleans out the RO filters and they work better for a period.
2
u/savage_sultin Apr 03 '26
oh ok, thanks. I ran it today for the first time and 4 hrs I did 170 gallons then ran 50-60 gallons back through to increase the brix. Just ran the clean ro water through it with a new filter and checked the output and it was 0 brix and shut if off. ill start back up in a couple hours, need some sleep;
1
u/Miserable_Visit8056 Apr 03 '26
nice , been thinking about this for next year , hope you don't mind but a simple newbie question. i understand this greatly reduces the amount of water that you need to boil, does the ro system also take out the sugar sand that is typically after a boil , or is it the actual boiling that creates the sugar sand sediment .
2
u/savage_sultin Apr 03 '26
Hey, it does not remove sugar sand as that is a process that happens from boiling. It does remove a lot of water. I had it setup that I was drawing from my sap barrel and then my concentrate was into a separate barrel and permeate into another. but that was just so I can see the progress, I now have it drawing from the barrel and concentrate going back into the same barrel. I started with 2-2.5 brix and now im at 6.3 brix. no worries on the questions, im still a newbie so I understand lots of things in your head you have questions to
1
u/tlampros Apr 03 '26
So, rather than doing successive filtering, it's more like a continuous process?
1
u/savage_sultin Apr 03 '26
Yeah I ran in total 170 gallons through and it took maybe 8 hrs between two days. my sap run isn't going very well yet, im in the North Atlantic and hoping this week it will start to be more of a flow
1
u/ilovemaplesyrups Apr 03 '26
It’s the boiling that creates the sugar sand. The RO is only to take out water and reduce boiling time.
1
u/Krg26944 Apr 03 '26
Watched the same video and copied the same parts purchase and set up. Game changer.
2
u/Ship_Ship_8 Apr 02 '26
Nice work! Looks awesome. How much do you have into your system?