Please, Help on RO/DI Questions: Pressure, Ext...

I have an RO/DI from BRS and have had it for about 2 months but have questions. My dad has finally got the incentive to permanently place it so we decided on under his 40 gallon. Long story short, here are some questions:

1. What happens if there is too little water pressure running to the unit? Can it damage the membrane in any way? What exactly is affected by too little water flow (psi)? Just the amount of water produced (hopefully)?

2. [STRIKE]I dont know why but i cant think right now my other questions, but follow up because i can guarantee i will remember them later...[/STRIKE] Just remembered, I know this might be a stupid question, but if i were to buy a $10 float valve from ebay and install it in a reservoir, it has the capability to stop flow from the ro/di right? Im kind of confused on what i need for that. Do i need a shut off valve? I am trying to connect a float valve (or whatever you tell me i need to make it work) to a bucket right next to the unit. Is all i need a float valve? how does that stop all water from being made? Please just enlighten me on float valves and if thats all i need for it to automatically refill the bucket of water when the float goes below the desired level. Is all i need a float valve or do i need a shut off valve? I dont want a top-off system for my sump or anything, just for it to stop and starting making water when needed. Please help on this part. It would be greatly appreciated.

3. Also, how much hot water would it take to ruin a ro/di unit? How many gallons would it have to make to ruin it officially?

Thanks!

 

I always recommend placement of the RO/DI unit in a location that is easily accessible and 'water friendly'. I say 'water friendly' because if you put this thing in your living room and it decides to leak, well you get the picture.

Mine is personally mounted where the main water feeds into my home. I have it mounted on the wall and two large storage jugs below it with ATO's (just installed the ATO's).

As for water pressure, you want as close to 70PSI (standard home water pressure) feeding the unit. I personally put a ball valve between the 1/4" tap-off from the water-main and the unit itself to be able to "turn it on" and "off" at my leisure.

If you put too little pressure the system wont create the water vacuum inside the unit and your water will come out slower than the system is rated and it may not be fully stripped of total-dissolved-solids (TDS). Each 'filter' chamber has a filter in it thats rated for a certain operating pressure. My entire unit will not function at less than 45psi (tested it by closing down the ball valve will i was around 50psi and it was barely trickling water). At 50-60psi I see 1/ppm on my TDS meter and at 70psi i see 0/ppm on my TDS meter with the ball valve open or closed a bit to regulate.

Until this thread I never actually tested that

Not sure what kind of system you have, but I have a 4 stage sediment/carbon/ro filter unit with deionizer, shutoff valves and a TDS meter. Also have a pressure gauge inline with the governing ball valve to verify im never below 65psi. Love the unit, love the results in my freshwater tanks! Best purchase I have ever made, and am now loving it even more for saltwater because I dont have to goto the LFS for water

Picked my unit up from TB Aquatics. One of our 3reef sponsors.

 

Note: my filter cartridges have 3 months of wear of them with 336-360ppm TDS going into it and 0 coming out. the 1/ppm during my 'pressure' testing actually might be due to the cartridges somehow not working as effectively at the lower pressure....

in fact i need to place an order for a replacement set..... /me runs over to tb aquatics site

 

i am not a pro but its my understanding that it will shorten the life span of all your filters of the system and that includes the membrane too

 

you dont want to put it on your hot water line. thats totally pointless. you're wasting the energy of the water heater in your home to produce the water which you wont be able to regulate so it'll be hot as he$$.

as for a float valve i recommend these: Eshopps Float Valve Kit with Holder - $26.99 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Aquarium & Drinking Water Filtration, Amazing Service!

i picked up two of them and they work great. i have used other float valves too. just keep an eye on it and make sure its sealed properly.

i hope this helps...

also, remember the "WATER IN - WATER OUT" principle when you think about how your unit functions. it wont function if its not being fed water. you'll know when its working or has pressure to it because it'll start producing waste water and clean water. when the pressure on the intake of the unit is reduced to 0psi the output will be 0psi.

again, i recommend putting a ball valve to be able to regulate it being on and off. it also helps you mess with ATO's if you can simply turn the unit on and off at your leisure.

 

If i were to get that float valve, would i need anything else? How in the world does it shut off the water source? Can anyone explain to me how this works and if i can use it for my situation and what i want?

 

as of this weekend im now running as such with my ro unit:

RO/DI output line has a 1/4" T fitting. One tube with a ball-valve connected to a eshopps float valve in a 37gal rubbermade xl container. One tube with a ball-valve connected to a eshopps float valve in the 'intake' chamber of my 25gal sump.

The 37 gal container is always full of water and has a 1/2" bulkhead drilled in the bottom with a 1/2" PVC pipe going to the 'INTAKE' of the sump with a ball valve. This container has a heater in it and a pump i ripped off of a HOB filter system for freshwater applications. This tanks used for mixing salt and the pvc is used to drain it into my system when I do water changes.

I also purchased a water alarm lol. I DO NOT TRUST any mechanical device personally so I like to be aware if the float decides to fail and the thing just keeps filling my sump and overflows it. But thats just me I work alot so I am not around my tanks as much as I would like. Id rather have the alarm go off (which is hooked up to a APC temperature gauge that has two electric probes so when the alarm triggers the APC unit picks it up and emails my cellphone... cuz im a nerd).

 

But what about the input? thats my only concern... Wouldnt the input (bad, tap water) before the ro/di need to be stopped somehow and not just the output? i guess thats my question... I understand you hook the float valve to the output of the ro/di, but how does the input stop? Wouldnt the input or at least rejected water have to be stopped as well some how?

 

well perhaps you missed it... i mentioned you need a auto shutoff valve on the unit.... Reverse osmosis auto shutoff valve - $7.95 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Aquarium & Drinking Water Filtration, Amazing Service!

 

i also have experience with this float valve as it originally came with the unit. have it in a food grade container on my second floor for drinking water

Float Valve - $9.95 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Aquarium & Drinking Water Filtration, Amazing Service!