This is why we have a spare membrane. After 35 minutes, the R/O stopped because it reached the maximum of 500 PSI. A safety switch engages at 500 PSI to stop the R/O. We weren’t surprised because we noticed the pressure increasing during the short time the R/O was running and anticipated it would reach maximum pressure. The membrane was fouling. The warm weather degraded yesterday’s sap, although it didn’t look or smell off. We retrieved the spare membrane from the farmhouse and swapped it into the R/O. This membrane handled the sap. It’s specifically designed for R/Os used with maple syrup. Running the wash cycle on the R/O now with the spare membrane. We’ll swap membranes tomorrow again and run a pH wash on the fouling membrane.
Into the woods by 5:30 AM. Upper 30s overnight. Windy, cloudy and low 40s during the day.
The day cooking.
6:15 Am R/O start
6:50 AM change to spare membrane
8:00 AM restart R/O
8:45 AM batch
9:00 AM 2 ¼”
10:10 AM batch
10:15 AM 3 ½”
11:00 AM 4”
11:50 AM batch
11:50 AM R/O done
12:00 PM 4 ¾”
1:00 PM 2 ¼”
1:15 PM batch
1:30 PM ½”
1:30 PM done
Syrup color changed from light amber to dark amber. The color change also caused by the warm weather effecting the sap.
Back to the farmhouse by 1:45 PM.