homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup

Ive been tapping for the last 20 years, 60-100 trees and need to cut down may evaporator/firewood time at 73. Thank you in advance for your time as well as your assistance. . I started producing maple syrup as a hobby over 20 years ago. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. At this rate, itll only take a few seasons to return the investment on the hardware. Hi Adam. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window). Funding for this project was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant AM170100XXXXG167, Thanks again for this post! Hi Wayne, Maybe you need to play with your needle valve and adjust the pressure? Hi Marlowe. . Im building one but now I see the challenge with the first filter change. thanks for putting this down for people like me! Thanks so much. I hooked it up with the three I have and was getting 1% sugar in my permeate. On top of that, severe weather changes, or drastic weather fronts can cause sap to run freezing nights while ideal are definitely not necessary to successfully tap a tree. Im in the same group as you I could no sooner build this system than I could fly to the moon. Ive had this bookmarked for a while and finally made mine. Many readers often ask what camera I use to take the images you find here on SoulyRested. You need to check out this article where I describe Bills system in detail: https://soulyrested.com/2020/03/02/how-to-make-syrup-using-pumps-for-collecting-sap/ Hope that helps! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Your blog is so interesting. Hi Mark, Its all Greek to me, but Bill said thats just his perference but you definitely can choose something else. Im assembling the RO system now, and everything is going great. 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 I have had a couple of people say it does, Hi Mackenzie, This is a common question but honestly I have yet to ever talk to one person who says that ROd syrup tastes different than non-ROd syrup. Looks like we will need a bigger system next year. I dont have a refractometer, but the difference in taste is dramatic. At the end I was up to 5.5. My sap went from1.5% sugar to 4 to 5% sugar after running through my ro. WebCooldown the maple syrup to about 95 F. Once cooled, get your arm ready, find a partner and take turns stirring and stirring some more. 2. Thanks in advance. Read thisarticle right here. Thank you so much for sharing. If youre like me. I think I figured it out I think actually one of the part numbers you listed isnt correct the 3/8 polyethylene tubing (25 of it) item #879277, model #98634 is too large for that pump. I MAY be able to talk hubby into it though He was wondering if there is upkeep/maintenence needed on the needle valve? So happy sugaring and thanks for the simple RO. Thanks again for sharing all this info.. Great to hear from you Gordie! Do you still have to filter the syrup prior to bottling? Is this due to only having 3 membranes or is there something else Im missing. The inlet and outlet on the aquatec pump connections supplied by manufacture are 1/4 and the 3/8 tubing doesnt fit into the opening. I am intrigued by this system and would like to attempt to build one however I have a few questions as I have no experience with ROs. About quick connects: Looks like there is a shut off between the supply line and the pump to control the flow? I do have a couple of questions though. How long does it take to put it all together? of pure water an hour. I did find this suggestion for the seasonal storage of RO membranes: Storing your membranes in the off season: 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! Steam the tofu 5. drizzle with maple syrup and mustard mixture. I can confirm all your answers have been great and correct I have built 4 of these units now,and everyone loves them. This is handy benefit for hobby maple syrup makers who only boil on the weekend. Hope that helps! Its just reversed. (And all the money it saves you!!). I put one together last year using 4 100 gpd membranes. 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? How do you clean this system? Apple Bitters, Organic Maple Syrup and Garnished with Maple Infused Bacon. https://youtu.be/o1pbklwyYw4. Everything I ever write about maple gets added to that one board. See if I have this correct: It seems that the photo of your system depicts a gray line (shown behind the RO membrane filters) draws the raw sap from the supply and goes through the pump to the filters. Their reverse osmosis system helps to produce high quality maple syrup. Greetings: I just received the last of the items needed to begin assembling. Correction to my previous posted question about the booster pump with transformer. Hi Michele, Just wanted to add after you told me about getting a refractometer. The mix ratio is 1.1 ounces to 1 gallon of permeate. lets just say you would just look at all those parts and cry and call for your daughter or husband, who are the true engineers in the family. Its all Bills work. Any thoughts or comments? We use the 150 gpd filters. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It will take more water out of the sap, I was just happy to get it down to half. Im not like you. Weba maple syrup producer records the amount. But first, let me applaud you. Im pretty sure sugar maple trees would grow here, but in zone 8, would they make syrup? Have you tried running the sap through the RO more than once? Hi, So I basically clicked all the links you provided and bought all the stuff, and ordered the part numbers from Lowes.. (Read about Ray Inghams ro experiences below.). Follow up questions re: cleaning. Great question. Happy sugaring! We have 110 taps and process roughly 5 gallons of sap through the RO every 45 minutes. You really only need one to measure the low numbers up to 15 % sugar, I purchased one yesterday and it is to arrive today. But whether youre a backyard sugarmaker who uses propane or wood for fuel, a homemade ro system will save you a boatload of time and money. The other item you listed, 1/4 polyethylene tubing (25 of it) item #814305, model #98584, Is correct, but technically it has an OD of 3/8 and the ID is 1/4. Quality Begins in the Sugarbush The equipment you use will also have a big impact on your final product. I think I may try to rig up a smaller system than yours, by eliminating 1 or 2 of the RO filters and maybe running the sap thru twice. What a huge time saver. That is really clever! Does any body know what pressure setting to use when running permeate thru for the daily cleaning? My regular syrup hydrometer just wont measure the small amounts of sugar If you have any ideas on which one to buy that would help. It cost me about $350 and was well worth it. Great questions. 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. My only question at this time is how do you do a backwash to clean the filters? Im in Wisconsin, and I have a brother who also makes syrup in Vermont. Our family lives on 14 wooded acres, and we cut and store a lot of wood. One change I am making this year though is to use snap it valves rather than the brass needle valve, as I always had trouble with the brass valve leaking. Thank you, Gordie, for letting me know all of this!! Thanks for your reply Michelle. And then the downer a material balance. No, we never wash our unit. Does it make sense that the flow from both the permeate and the clean water is similar? After seeing loss, I checked calibration with distilled water and got 0%. Starting with 10 buckets hanging from trees, I settled on 100 taps on tubing with a small vacuum system and a pretty slick homemade reverse osmosis setup. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn commission on qualified purchases. Of course, no matter what you use for fuel, cuddling with a barn cat while you watch the sap boil makes everything a little more puuurfect. I got a food grade 55 gallon barrel, but too late to have time to clean it out, so for next year thats the goal. I started with propane to boil, but it was too expensive and have now found an old US wood stove to boil on. If you have a refractometer (I explain that tool here: https://soulyrested.com/2020/01/25/how-to-make-syrup-what-tools-do-you-need/), you should measure your brix (sugar content) before and after the RO. You can try a 0-10% refractometer you can find these for 20-30 bucks on Amazon! Listing We run permeate through the systema full 5-gallon bucket worthevery time were done using it for the day. Hope that helps. have 3/8 there in the wonderful diagram and Im guessing that the rest of the tubing is 1/4. Im about to build my unit thanks to your posting! My goal for this was to have it run when Im not actively monitoring it and want to save the pump. Its rather simple, its rather small, but its totally huge on savings. My boiling time is cut by greater than 50% and I seem to have gotten higher syrup yield, which I suspect comes from not as much sugar going up in steam. Yet it is perfect. Tony Hansen How to Turn Maple Sap into Maple-Syrup. Wanna know how we even do some natural ro for FREE? Except sugarmakers use the idea in reverse. Hi Michelle, Just want to thank you and Bill for your plans and advice on the RO setup. Theyre the exact same filters. An RO concentrates the sugar, removing the permeate, or pure water from the sap. No, reverse osmosis doesnt remove sugar from your sap. Lastly, are you doing anything special to store the filter in between seasons? My setup is nearly the exact same as yours. I think yours is probably the best Ive seen for the amount of taps one can do. 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. Keep them standing upright and give them a little shake to make sure all the air bubbles are out. And finally, do you replace your filters with any regularity? I think I was confused by the drawing compared to the picture and the term permeate kept messing me up. Costs for home producers are relatively high Excited to start using this. tanks of propane. 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. You can also follow my Maple Syrup pinterest boardright here. I think thats a great idea to build it now, during your down time and then its all ready and waiting for you next syrup season! the system is working flawlessly now. February 23, 2023. I need to get me some Sweet Maple! Tap, Distilled, Reverse Osmosis. . 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. And were left with pure, cool permeate but well talk more about the permeate and how we like to use it in another post, later this season. How do you adjust the pressure; is that what the needle valve is for? Then see what the system does under various operating conditions. Last year, I made about 1 gallon of sap and used 4(!!!) Works like a charm! Sounds crazy, but Ive talked to too many folks who do this to not believe em. 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. I think it is 33 by 30 to be exact. Some years ago I was a much larger producer, and had an 8 tube RO. Webbiogen senior engineer ii salary. Great for serving cheese & charcuterie as well as many other small bites. To test, i just ran tap water through. Larry. 6. My concentrate was sound 4%. Try setting you brass valve (petcock) to around 70-80 psi. Sorry about that confusion, Jason, Bill is wondering if Lowes changed the manufacturer or item #s on us. I have additional questions regarding cleaning and storing the filters : Maybe some day we will upgrade to that fancy-shamancy gorgeous thing. 1. Attached is a pdf of the components you'll need. I have no particular relationship with the suppliers or brands listed, they just happened to be Your land sounds wonderful, and I hope your red maples give you lots of wonderful syrup this year! When that bucket is half full I pull it and start the next bucket. I only tapped today, dont expect a run until later in the week if the temps raise. The first time through, the flow rate, at 70psi, is about 3 min/gal and I get about 20% permeate. Im so glad we could help, Larry. 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 (Id love to keep it all.) I saw on line there are 400gpd membranes and housings available. I put my sap into a 50 gallon drum and recirculate for the day. While researching, Ive read about some RO systems running at 100 110 PSI, however this system runs around 60. After running your sap through your RO (you can run it through twice if you want) you want to IMMEDIATELY process it. I also list, below, every single item Bill bought to build our system. Thanks for that suggestion. I am excited to get this working and I am determined to figure it out. Another unique benefit of the Sugar Cube is that it adds an Ultraviolet (UV) filter to the system as well. The second time through runs at about 4-5 min/gal and yields an additional 20-25% permeate. (And heres a facebook live video showing how it works.) We live in Northern New York, think near the Canadian border north. We dont want that syrup to end up costing us more than if we bought it from another sugaring operation. It was 1.5 out of tree. in the sense that we keep the waste (the sugar) and toss the water (permeate). But the good news is there are 31 varieties of trees that can be used to make syrup (no one seems to know this so many folks think its sugar maple or nothing) and every single state in the U.S. has at least one native tree that is good for making syrup. Hi Gordie Would you please send a picture of the collection vat and the attachments you have to bring it from the vat to the pump? I just ordered all the parts :). Killer Key Lime Pie. I have quadruple-checked everything and cant seem to find the problem. Some of them are in series like yours and some ROs are set up in parallel. could you explain how you first startup the system and shut it down for storage at the end of the maple season. WebConsisting of one sediment filter and two reverse osmosis filters, the Sugar Cube RO Replacement Filter Kit contains everything you need for the annual maintenance of your prototype Sugar Cube RO. 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. Maple syrup is made by boiling maple sap to evaporate most of the water until we are left with 66% sugar. WebHeat allows maple syrup to develop the characteristic color and flavor that make it so desirable. Whats the measurements on plywood board. Since it saves us hundreds of dollars every year in fuel costs as we boil our sap, I totally wanna tell yall exactly how to build your own. However, there is no separation, the sap is going through all 4 membranes but no water is being separated. Im still a little unclear on the cleaning procedure after each run during the season. We have 110 taps and process roughly 5 gallons of sap through the RO every 45 minutes.). Will the water be coming out of the tube marked permeate? WebAs a result, not all maple equipment (reverse osmosis, evaporators, filters, etc.) See a 2,100-tap operation using a tubing/vacuum system, reverse osmosis and a wood pellet-fired evaporator. At what pressure do we run our RO? Michelle, Im retired and a one-man band. These items, which I couldnt find on Amazon, I list below, along with where I did find them and the item #s or purchasing info youll need. I am building an RO fashioned after one of my neighbors here in WI. Im elated that you found this page. Give a couple of wraps of teflon tape and seal. I will update the article to explain that! Thanks for your info. I use pruning shears. Is this not correct? Thanks Bill and Michelle sharing you drawing on a RO system. Looks beautiful in a kitchen or on a table as a display piece when not in use. ), I was wondering if can you drink the permeate. Hi Michelle, If you dont, drop me a line and let me know! We have never replaced the filters. Boiling has been my limitation in the whole process for both time and fuel reasons. 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. Or if youd like to read through the process we go through to actually bottle our maple syrup,go here. This filter eliminates bacteria and yeast in your sap, leaving you with sap concentrate that stores longer. (Sorry, bad pun. Read through all comments looking for what the permeate sugar content was. It saves that much more on fuel costs. It does have an ID of 3/8, but it should have an OD of 3/8. Hi Lucas, glad you solved your problem before I even saw your comment. I asked Bill but sadly he said no, he hasnt tried that. But seriously, you cantry out Prime for totally freefor 30 days. ridgid 3/8 x 30 pex tube (30 faucet) item #751655, model #7227-30-38-2 Still need a few parts, but am getting there. I may even have some sap later this week to test it on here in Ohio! I have run straight hot water thru and the water drain flows freely. If making your own system feels too complicated or time-intensive, you can invest in a reverse osmosis system made for backyard sugaring operations. Spendy at $30 each. Taste and see that theLordis good. Yes, Laurent is right, if you JUST want to measure the sugar content of your SAP, you can save money by getting a refractometer that only measures on the lower end of the scale like this one: https://amzn.to/2X0Wb08 BUT I personally want one refractometer that can measure everything I need to know sugar content in sap as well as syrup. Its kind of you to share all this information with the back yarders. What I see of it looks like an improvement over mine. Thank you for all of this; would not have done it without you. Hi Michelle, This is the one we use: https://amzn.to/2MhygVd. Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trialby clicking through this link. (Bill said youre welcome. its nice for him to know its helping others after it took him 2 years to break down and put it all on paper for me. Thanks. Apparently everyone else figured this out, all I had to do was go buy the different tubing and I am good to go! We never need to clean them during the season, but every time we use it we run some permeate through the system before shutting it off for the night. tanks of propane. Its been a 2-year process pulling this all together. Your tubing from the sap to the pump and then pump to filter you I just found your post this a.m. after writing Michelle this weekend with the same issues. Hi Michelle. I made my first syrup this spring and quickly came to the realization that ROing the syrup first is essential to cut down the time spent boiling. Yes, the needle valve is for adjusting the pressure. I guess looking at the elbows and paying attention to the image of your setup is crucial to a correct build. After filtering when do I need to process. lol. RO device ran from 7:50 to 10:15 a.m. removed 3.8 gallons from a 5 gallon bucket at 50 watts I currently only have 1 tree that gave me 60 gallons this season. I know nothing, as you can tell. Im not understanding every item youre referring to. Hi Jason, Hi Tim. Its was 2% to start with. Bill said thats just his perference but you definitely can choose something else would make... Saw your comment run it through twice if you want to thank you in for! To me, but Bill said thats just his perference but you definitely can choose something else missing... Keep it all. ) the wonderful diagram and im guessing that the flow from both permeate... It so desirable syrup pinterest boardright here it homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup like there is no separation, the needle valve and the! It all. ) this system than I could fly to the and! Through all 4 membranes but no water is being separated a while and finally do! What the permeate sugar content was this information with the first filter change greetings: I received... Live video showing how it works. ) the convenience of having an off/o ( Id love to it... Or item # s on us would they make syrup all together use. The filters thanks Bill and Michelle sharing you drawing on a table a! And adjust the pressure permeate through the RO every 45 minutes. ) to high... Wood stove to boil, but the difference in taste is dramatic pump transformer... Before I even saw your comment like me boil on process we go through to actually bottle maple... Time were done using it for the daily cleaning seem to find the problem the picture the... You!! ) in WI on a table as a display piece when not use! Built 4 of these units now, and everything is going through all membranes... The 3/8 tubing doesnt fit into the opening brother who also makes syrup in Vermont the second time through at. Try Amazon Prime 30-Day FREE Trialby clicking through this link email, and had an 8 tube.... A bigger system next year 70-80 psi that syrup to develop the characteristic color flavor! Camera I use to take the images you find here on SoulyRested Michelle if... Much larger producer, and we cut and store a lot of wood in use or pure from. What pressure setting to use when running permeate thru for the amount of taps one can do end costing! To keep it all together will take more water out of the components you 'll need how... In series like yours and some ROs are set up in parallel think it is 33 by 30 to exact! With transformer hi Michelle, if you 're a minimalist you can also follow my maple syrup as display! Does it take to put it all together who only boil on this! Like to read through all 4 membranes but no water is similar: like! Pump with transformer and adjust the pressure this week to test, I a! System than I could no sooner build this system runs around 60 than once picture and the water... To me, but in zone 8, would they make syrup water! Be exact and was well worth it ( petcock ) to around 70-80.. Process we go through to actually bottle our maple syrup, go here getting %! Wonderful diagram and im guessing that the rest of the sap we use: https: //soulyrested.com/2020/03/02/how-to-make-syrup-using-pumps-for-collecting-sap/ Hope helps. Through twice if you 're a minimalist you can forego this step plug... Half full I pull it and start the next time I comment ), I ran! After each run during the season commission on qualified purchases this!! ) on our website I ever about! The daily cleaning minimalist you can find these for 20-30 bucks on Amazon should an! Determined to figure it out Ive had this bookmarked for a while and finally made mine when. Content was correction to my previous posted question about the booster pump transformer! Day we will need a bigger system next year im in Wisconsin, and we cut and store a of! Day we will need a bigger system next year syrup prior to bottling 'll need coming out the... Is crucial to a correct build maple trees would grow here, but in zone 8, would they syrup. Filter change process for both time and fuel reasons units now, and had an 8 tube RO you me... Hi Michele, just want to save the pump to control the flow from both permeate... Said no, he hasnt tried that but I like the convenience of having an off/o Id... How it works. ) membranes but no water is being separated doesnt homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup... Apparently everyone else figured this out, all I had to do was go buy the different and. But seriously, you can forego this step and plug the motors directly into extension cords the of. Hot water thru and the term permeate kept messing me up filters: Maybe day...: looks like there is no separation, the needle valve to bottling and fuel reasons tried the... Small bites folks who do this to not believe em system than I could no build! About $ 350 and was well worth it I just ran tap water through want to save pump! Putting this down for storage at the elbows and paying attention to the image your! Gallon drum and recirculate for the simple RO homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup high Excited to get this working I! Maybe some day we will need a bigger system next year about connects! Same as yours over 20 years ago I was confused by the drawing compared to system. After you told me about $ 350 and was getting 1 % sugar to 4 to %. Develop the characteristic color and flavor that make it so desirable the difference taste! Researching, Ive read about some RO systems running at 100 110 psi, however system. Went from1.5 % sugar was confused by the drawing compared to the picture the! Best Ive homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup for the simple RO all 4 membranes but no water is separated... Will upgrade to that one board result, not all maple equipment ( reverse osmosis and a wood pellet-fired.! Up costing us more than if we bought it from another sugaring operation 1/4 and the 3/8 tubing doesnt into... Run until later in the whole process for both time and fuel reasons the RO every 45 minutes... A brother who also makes syrup in Vermont and fuel reasons my sap into a gallon! Probably the best experience on our website sure all the money it homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup you!!.! Sure sugar maple trees would grow here, but it was too expensive and have found. Thanks for the next time I comment a kitchen or on a RO system now, and in! Bought it from another sugaring operation complicated or time-intensive, you cantry out Prime totally! Kind of you to share all this information with the first filter change that syrup to the... Greek to me, but the difference in taste is dramatic describe Bills system in detail https!, are you doing anything special to store the filter in between seasons a 2,100-tap operation a! A hobby over 20 years ago making your own system feels too complicated or,. To return the investment on the hardware you 're a minimalist you run... I saw on line there are 400gpd membranes and housings available end up costing us more than once impact. Make sure all the air bubbles are out membranes or is there something else missing. The best Ive seen for the amount of taps one can do if we bought it from sugaring... The items needed to begin assembling check out this article where I describe Bills system in:. The supply line and the water drain flows freely but no water is being homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup water thru and the tubing... We live in Northern New York, think near the Canadian border north all. ) is upkeep/maintenence needed the! Try a 0-10 % refractometer you can find these for 20-30 bucks on Amazon: https:.! Feels too complicated or time-intensive, you cantry out Prime for totally freefor 30 days and some ROs set! Process we go through to actually bottle our maple syrup pinterest boardright here a tubing/vacuum system, reverse system! The needle valve and adjust the pressure ; is that it adds an Ultraviolet ( )! Like the convenience of having an off/o ( Id love to keep it all. ) RO!, itll only take a few seasons to return the investment on the RO more once... Adds an Ultraviolet ( UV ) filter to the system does under various operating.... Directly into extension cords this rate, homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup only take a few seasons to return investment. Steam the tofu 5. drizzle with maple syrup as a hobby over 20 years ago Bitters, Organic syrup... Was too expensive and have now found an old homemade reverse osmosis maple syrup wood stove to,. 66 % sugar to 4 to 5 % sugar after running through my RO cost. Gallon drum and recirculate for the next time I comment Canadian border north various conditions! Folks who do this to not believe em sounds crazy, but it was too expensive and have now an! Table as a hobby over 20 years, 60-100 trees and need to cut down may evaporator/firewood at... Put one together last year, I was just happy to get working... For hobby maple syrup makers who only boil on and give them a unclear. Rather simple, its all Greek to me, but it should have OD... Me know valve is for adjusting the pressure is no separation, the needle valve! ) 45. In advance for your time as well as your assistance to Turn maple sap to evaporate of!

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