Plumbing suggestion needed (transfer water 50ft)

A RO membrane needs a minimum of 40 psi to work anywhere near efficiently, 40 is as low as Dow Filmtecs graphs and charts go in fact.

A RO booster pump is a very good investment as membranes love pressure and you will not onkly gain GPD but better yet the rejection rate will go up significantly so your DI life will be extended many times over.

It would be best to have the RO near the source and near a waste point like a sink or drain. If you extend the treated water line make sure to check and adjust the waste ratio once the lines are installed so you keep it close to 3:1 to 4:1. Lengthening the lines (adding head) will change that waste flow so it should be checked and adjusted if need be. Long horizontal runs will affect the head, not as much as vertical runs but you have to consider friction or line losses through 30 feet of 1/4" tubing. Its not going to be huge since we are talking about low flows and velocities but it only takes a few psi to change how a membrane works.

 

Plus it's always dangerous to run water lines overhead in the ceiling. I'm not saying you can't do it, I'm not even sure if its legal. That might be a major electrical fire hazard.

 

Waterlines always run through ceilings. How else would the water be moved through the house? New construction has electrical lines running right next to water lines.

I don't think that there are any issues with running water lines in the ceiling.

I would make sure that you run the line in one piece, just to make sure that there are no issues for any leaks.

 

Around here water lines are in the floor slab for new construction and repipes are in the attics. Its no big deal just make sure to use as few splices or connections as possible and know where those connectors are for future reference, they will end up getting buried in the insulation. Another option is to run the 1/4" line inside a piece of glued PVC like a conduit and place the ends of the PVC where if something were to leak it would run out the end where you can contain or see it to prevent damage.

 

I said it could be done. I know it's installed through ceilings in multiple story buildings. But that's also done by certified workers & checked off by code inspectors. I was considering doing the same thing when I had my 265 set up. I would run the waterline along the bottom wall & just cut the drywall about 2" up & tuck the lines in wall & put a baseboard over it. I'm pretty good with my hands but equipment does fail & I don't think it's worth the risk.

 

I might even run the thin 1/4" tubing that the RO output has through a 1/2" or 3/4" PVC pipe so that if if there is a leak in the 1/4" RO output it is contained with in the PVC and does not soak you insulation and ceiling.

Also if there was a leak in the tubing you would not know it until the ceiling was wet.
With my suggestion you would see water dripping out of the PVC pipe as well as the 1/4" tubing.

 

Why not just run 3/4 tubing? connect a pump to one side and a valve on the sump side. When you need water you turn the pump on then go to the sump room and turn the valve on. When finished turn off the pump. That way you don't have to worry about leaks. Once you unplug the pump open the valve and drain the pipe so no standing water in it. I used to install cable here in FL. They use pvc pipes in attics all the time. They would attach them to the rafters so we couldn't step on them.