Sugar Cube ZB Reverse Osmosis System
$799.00
In stock (can be backordered)
Take your hobby maple syrup operation to the next level with the newly reengineered Sugar Cube ZB™ reverse osmosis system – a reverse osmosis solution for the home producer. With almost no assembly and easy-to-follow instructions, the Sugar Cube ZB™ is truly a “plug and play” unit that filters out half the water in your sap, leaving you with sap concentrate that has twice the sugar, cutting boil times in half or doubling the capacity of your pan or evaporator. Read more.
At typicall sap-processing temperatures, the Sugar Cube ZB™ will process about 8 gallons of raw sap per hour. And, unlike any other reverse osmosis unit on the market, the Sugar Cube ZB™ is built with a UV filter that eliminates bacteria and yeast in your sap, leaving you with sap concentrate that stores longer in that snowbank before spoilage! Perfect for the maple syrup maker who saves sap up for weekend boils, or for the syrup maker ready to take on a tree with lower sugar concentration. All contained in an easy-to-carry, easy-to-store (and easy-to-look-at) ammo box, the Sugar Cube ZB™ even has curb appeal!
Gregory Paulson –
It works but several things to keep in mind. 1. This is not a plug and play. Even the first step of putting the filters in is arduous because, unlike a home system, the filter casings cannot be left in place and reached from the top. Instead, you must remove basically all three filter casings and then reassemble them. 2. The case is extremely flawed. To access any of filters, you have to remove them. The case should be bigger so that if you need to only fix a leak on one of them, you only have to access that single filter and not take nearly all of them apart to work on one of them. 3. There will be leaks. Tons of leaks. Not sure if it’s an assembly problem but I have fixed five leaks during the first weekend of use. Get used to using teflon tape and making this leak proof because it comes full of leaks. 4. The push to connect fittings are extremely difficult to use. I get they are necessary, perhaps, but you will wrap your knuckles more than a few times when you are taking the unit apart to fix the leaks. 5. You have to have a table. And a multiple plug outlet or extension cord nearby. VEC tells you to take the electrical out of the unit but there is not enough wire to do that with the pump wire, which causes tension on the wire. 6. You will have three lines coming out of the unit to three buckets – sap, water, and higher percentage sap. The line that kicks out pure water must have a downhill flow. If it doesn’t then it may stop working. VEC should have clips that attach the end of the lines to your buckets. 7. You will spend a lot of time addressing all of these issues. Having said all of this, it does work. It’s a wonderful idea but I have a strong feeling that either VEC or their competitors will soon make a better unit that addresses these issues and makes it much more user friendly.
Anonymous –
Jeff Jacobsen –
Took some prep time to understand and a call to customer service to resolve unknown operations. Seems to work beautifully. I feel like it leaks a little more than it should. Not too too much but I have it set up in a sink for the drippings.
Tightened a couple fittings and retaped 2 others. Afraid to tighten too much since it is plastic. Sap concentrate line drips from White filter. The top line on white filter also drips very slowly.
Currently content with everything though.
Lawrence Palmer –
Very neat package, appears high quality, can’t wait ’till spring!
DAVID RUEDIGER –
Anonymous –
Anonymous –
Kris B –
What a time saver!
Tim Ezzo –
Can hardly wait to try this R.O system. Compact. Portable.
Easy to understand and figure out. On line You Tube videos by Vermont evaporator company are super helpful.
Timothy –
I ordered the Sugar Cube too late in the season to use this year but I look forward to using it next year.
Thomas Barrett –
So far so good- a great system for the hobbyist!
James –
Happy with how it works and the set up. I am familiar with ROD systems from my previous career in the Navy. However, it is a lot packed into a small case so imperative that everything is tight as it is very difficult to find/fix leaks after everything is back in. Taking things apart to fix leaks usually leads to another leak somewhere else ! The UV filter on my set started leaking badly (at cable entrance end not on inlet or outlet piping) on the first run which was relatively easy to fix but should have been picked up in final checks at factory. It might be helpful to point out that it takes some fiddling to get the pump to get a suction at the beginning. Although the sap was at a higher level, I still had to hand pour down the line before it picked up suction. Also, perhaps a trouble -shooting table in the instructions would be helpful. All in all though, a very good investment and I am happy with the experience both with Vermont Evaporator team and the Sugar Cube itself.
Shawn C. –
Good directions, easy set up, huge time saver! Won’t take long to pay for itself.
Arlis Sayler –