Audio clip of the R/O pumps running signifying the season getting easier. It’s music to our ears.
Into the woods by 5:00 AM. Got the R/O going by 6:30 AM. There was apprehension about it working. The feed pump incident is still fresh. It came online without incident. Started at 6 Brix then increased to 7 Brix. Only 300 PSI on the high pressure gauge. Got good flows at 2 liters/minute. The membrane preformed well. R/O finished by 9:35 AM.
Slight problem with the rinse cycle. The feed pump wouldn’t stay at 25 PSI. We had to try several times before it held pressure. Speculate the quick release we placed on the feed pump isn’t sealing tight enough causing the pump to ingest air.
Done cooking by 1:00 PM. We expected to be done for the day, but discovered the trees ran overnight and needed collecting. The weather gets colder tomorrow with a low of 15 and high of 28. The sap was liquid today so collect it before it becomes ice.
Picked up 160 gallons. Sugar is still down: Brix 1.75.
Placed the tank heater in the storage tank. And wrapped a heating tape on the feed line to the R/O. Wanted to prepare for the cold temperatures and prevent ice for tomorrow.
33/34 overnight. Some rain, but not a lot. Temperate dropped by 7:15 AM. Some snow flurries. Snow got crunchy. Sun came out by 10:00 AM. Temperature up to 34, but a cold northwest wind made it colder. But the trees warmed enough to run. Or try to run. We had sap icicles on many spouts caused by sap moving in the tree but freezing when it hits the colder air on the spout.
The day cooking
6:30 AM R/O start
8:00 AM -9 PSI
9:35 AM R/O done
9:40 AM batch
10:00 AM 9” concentrate
10:00 AM -9 PSI
10:40 AM batch
11:00 AM 6”
11:00 AM 1 PSI
12:00 PM 2.75”
12:00 PM 7 PSI
12:30 PM 1”
12:35 PM batch
1:00 PM done
Back to the farmhouse by 4:15 PM.