The feed pump on the R/O failed again. We replaced it in March 2020 because the motor seized up. The feed pump worked yesterday when we ran 200 gallons of water through the R/O to rinse the membrane.
Into the woods at 7:15 AM. Expected an easy day. 215 gallons with the R/O should take about four hours. Had to transfer sap from the collecting tank to storage tank first. Started the R/O. The feed pump wasn’t pulling sap. Checked the lines for a closed valve or ice. All clear. Tried the feed pump again. Now it just hummed. Won’t try to pull sap. We’re thinking we seized the motor again. But we learned from 2020 that this pump needs priming before use and we’ve been careful to always prime it. Did basic troubleshooting and called our equipment dealer. Dealer suggested checking if the motor shaft turned. But there isn’t easy access to the propellers on the pump without disassembling it. So the next step was to disassemble. Our cousin who did the 2020 pump replacement came over. Took the pump off the R/O. Took off the stainless steel housing around the pump. It’s a centrifugal pump. The pump parts that spin are made of plastic. Only the housing is stainless steel. One of the fins on the pump broke.
The pump couldn’t generate suction. That it only hummed was likely the auto shut off sensor engaging when it didn’t detect anything to pull.
The R/O manufacturer isn’t available until Monday. We want to both get a replacement part for the pump and a completely new pump. The new pump will go on the R/O. The replacement part will go into the pump so we have spare pump. We’re also going to put a screen filter in the line before the pump to filter out twigs, leaves and bark. While that is mostly soft bio-mass, it’s likely a harder piece broke the plastic fin.
We expect more set backs getting the pump and installing it. Hoping to have the R/O back in operation by March 10. But the season got harder without the R/O. This piece of technology saves us 2/3 of the time to cook. It’s frustrating to have it off-line.
Started the evaporator by 8:00 AM. Tried to fire and troubleshoot the pump at the same time. By 10:00 AM it was obvious the R/O was out of service so commenced to fire harder knowing we couldn’t use the R/O. Finished cooking by 7:30 PM. Four batches into the milk can. Very nice syrup.
Collected at 3:00 PM. 165 gallons at 2 Brix.
25 overnight. Started sunny. By 10:00 AM it was melting and sap started to run. Up to 45. Cloudy in the afternoon. By 4:00 PM a few rain showers.
Back to the farmhouse at 7:45 PM. Into the woods early tomorrow to cook. Without the R/O.