YBeNormal December 2, 2007 Share December 2, 2007 Something doesn't sound right. Do you have a pressure gauge between the pump and the filter unit? If so, what is the pressure reading? Look at the bright side though. At this rate, you'll have the tank filled by Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 2, 2007 Author Share December 2, 2007 Something doesn't sound right. Do you have a pressure gauge between the pump and the filter unit? If so, what is the pressure reading? Look at the bright side though. At this rate, you'll have the tank filled by Christmas! I didn't install the gauge - but I guess I need to now; just to find out what's going on. bob Not having a clue; does this look anything like a 'hood'?? (yes - pieces are just 'tacked' in place) bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy7200 December 2, 2007 Share December 2, 2007 Looks like a hood to me Does the side of that stand open in any way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon December 2, 2007 Share December 2, 2007 I installed an in-line pressure booster pump, hoping to increase my production of RO/DI water. It's been running almost 24 hours, and produced a whole 10 gallons. Bob, I remember a post about 9 months ago about the waste output of your RO/DI was powerful and shooting across the room. Is that still true? I estimate the output ratio on my unit is 2:1 where there is twice is much waste water as filtered water. What is your ratio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak December 2, 2007 Share December 2, 2007 Where did you get said booster pump (have a link?) I'd really like one, I think the amount of water an RODI wastes is pretty much criminal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 2, 2007 Share December 2, 2007 http://www.airwaterice.com/product/POWERSTATION http://www.thefilterguys.biz/booster_pumps.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 3, 2007 Author Share December 3, 2007 Looks like a hood to me Does the side of that stand open in any way? The left end completely comes off; so I can slide a sump in and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 3, 2007 Author Share December 3, 2007 Bob, I remember a post about 9 months ago about the waste output of your RO/DI was powerful and shooting across the room. Is that still true? I estimate the output ratio on my unit is 2:1 where there is twice is much waste water as filtered water. What is your ratio? Ratio? Hmmm... maybe 200:1. Cold well water at low pressure. So I thought I'd try fixing the pressure. I've got the pump turned to max now... hopefully that might work. Next - I'll change the filters. Shouldn't be very dirty - my water comes out of the well with a TDS of about 30, and I only make about 10 gallons a week (for the last 10 months). bob http://www.airwaterice.com/product/POWERSTATION http://www.thefilterguys.biz/booster_pumps.htm Yes - I got mine from airwaterice (same place I got the RO/DI filter). bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon December 3, 2007 Share December 3, 2007 Ratio? Hmmm... maybe 200:1. Yikes! I know nothing about RO/DI, I only started using one 8 months ago, but there is something wrong with that picture. I don't think you're supposed to have that much waste water. I've looked at other sites that state a normal ratio of 3:1 or 4:1. Something's wrong with your RO/DI unit. I remeber in that posting 9 months ago that someone suggested that you may not have the limiter or restrictor, or something like that, installed correctly. Maybe it's installed on the filtered output and not the waste output. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 3, 2007 Author Share December 3, 2007 Yikes! I know nothing about RO/DI, I only started using one 8 months ago, but there is something wrong with that picture. I don't think you're supposed to have that much waste water. I've looked at other sites that state a normal ratio of 3:1 or 4:1. Something's wrong with your RO/DI unit. I remeber in that posting 9 months ago that someone suggested that you may not have the limiter or restrictor, or something like that, installed correctly. Maybe it's installed on the filtered output and not the waste output. Hmmm... okay; guess I need to have a chat with the airwaterice dudes. I never saw a 'normal' reading before. And believe me, 3:1 or 4:1 would please me very much. I originally stated that I wasn't getting much RO/DI for the amount of water going through - and was told by airwaterice that it was because my water was cold, and the pressure was low. Unfortunately, what would be NORMAL under those circumstances was never mentioned, and I have no experience with the things either. The unit came all assembled. I just hooked up input and output. Thanks for that info. bob bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 December 3, 2007 Share December 3, 2007 Cold water will really slow down production as the membrane shrinks down and the holes become even smaller. What's your temp coming out of the faucet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 3, 2007 Share December 3, 2007 Cold water will reduce output but not that much. If anything, waste might go from 4:1 to 6 or 7:1 but I can't imagine getting to the point where he is only getting 10gpd of product. It sounds to me like the flow restricter was left out or is the incorrect size, something is plumbed backwards or the fast flush valve is open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 3, 2007 Author Share December 3, 2007 Cold water will reduce output but not that much. If anything, waste might go from 4:1 to 6 or 7:1 but I can't imagine getting to the point where he is only getting 10gpd of product. It sounds to me like the flow restricter was left out or is the incorrect size, something is plumbed backwards or the fast flush valve is open. What is a flow restrictor? Is it at the very END of the RO/DI process? I have a 'valve' there, which is all the way open. I tried closing it partway just now, and my production DID increase. I can tell you I read the instructions front-back, so if there was anything about adjusting that valve other than fully open, I missed it. Having NO clue about RO/DI filters, I had to read it all. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 3, 2007 Share December 3, 2007 Bob, The flow restricter could be a very small in-line attachment or it could be installed somewhere in the waste water line. The purpose of the restrictor is to create a little bit of back pressure so some of the water will be forced through the RO membrane. Depending on how your Typhoon III was configured, you may have two valves near the RO membrane. One of them would be the DI bypass and the other would be the Fast-flush valve. Both of them should be fully closed during normal operation. If the valve you are talking about is at the end of the waste water line, I'm surprised it came installed that way in the first place but it should remain wide open. P.S. From the AWI website: "If you have cold water below 77F degrees, low pressure water pressure below (50 ) p.s.i. or very poor quality water your production will vary from the rated output. Each degree lower than 77 reduces the output by about 1.3%. Low water pressure or dirty filters will also reduce the production rate." Assuming your well water is ~55 degrees, your 75gpd membrane should output about 54gpd of RO/DI if you have clean filters and good water pressure (>50 psi). Low pressure should not be an issue since you have the booster pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 3, 2007 Author Share December 3, 2007 Bob, The flow restricter could be a very small in-line attachment or it could be installed somewhere in the waste water line. The purpose of the restrictor is to create a little bit of back pressure so some of the water will be forced through the RO membrane. Depending on how your Typhoon III was configured, you may have two valves near the RO membrane. One of them would be the DI bypass and the other would be the Fast-flush valve. Both of them should be fully closed during normal operation. If the valve you are talking about is at the end of the waste water line, I'm surprised it came installed that way in the first place but it should remain wide open. P.S. From the AWI website: "If you have cold water below 77F degrees, low pressure water pressure below (50 ) p.s.i. or very poor quality water your production will vary from the rated output. Each degree lower than 77 reduces the output by about 1.3%. Low water pressure or dirty filters will also reduce the production rate." Assuming your well water is ~55 degrees, your 75gpd membrane should output about 54gpd of RO/DI if you have clean filters and good water pressure (>50 psi). Low pressure should not be an issue since you have the booster pump. I have a reefkeeper (?II?). I have two valves. One big fat one is on the waste water line. The other is on the filtered water OUT line. The one on the filtered water OUT is installed backwards; but it's fully open, so I don't think that should matter? bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 4, 2007 Author Share December 4, 2007 Well, I'll be hornswoggled... that valve on the waste water line IS the flow restrictor, and it's supposed to be CLOSED all the way. I closed it to see if it would shut off the output, and it didn't - it just slowed it down. And the filtered water output has increased dramatically. I would estimate I'm only getting about 8:1-10:1 times the amount of water out the drain as out of the filter. I can make all KINDS of water now! Of course, I'm going to run a glass full and check the TDS... How did I know it was supposed to be closed? Look real closely at the little picture. NO NO NO NO - CLOSER!!! EXACTLY - OPEN is a dashed line! CLOSED is a solid line! Thanks for all the help!! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 4, 2007 Share December 4, 2007 Gosh Bob. Any 6-year old would've understood that. Too bad none of us are 6-years old though! BTW, that is the flow restricter. Yours is designed to restrict the flow when closed but allow you to open it fully to fast-flush the RO membrane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 5, 2007 Author Share December 5, 2007 Gosh Bob. Any 6-year old would've understood that. Too bad none of us are 6-years old though! BTW, that is the flow restricter. Yours is designed to restrict the flow when closed but allow you to open it fully to fast-flush the RO membrane. Geeez... now that I'm making so much water - I need some place to put it! the first 15 gallons... bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 5, 2007 Share December 5, 2007 And how long did that take? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak December 5, 2007 Share December 5, 2007 Great to see you're getting progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 5, 2007 Author Share December 5, 2007 And how long did that take? Not long at all - I just put in another 15 gallons, and my 20-gallon trash can is still half full! I'm making at least a gallon/hour now. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigJPDC December 5, 2007 Share December 5, 2007 wow - so 220 more gallons is 9 days straight, plus sump volume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 6, 2007 Author Share December 6, 2007 wow - so 220 more gallons is 9 days straight, plus sump volume? Yes... but I thoroughly intend to cheat and mix up 30 or so gallons of well-water without RO/DI'ing it. It's pretty darned clean to start with. AND if I'm still short; I'm going to get some of Steve's left-over water when he moves his 92 into a smaller tank. AND - the rocks I get from Steve will displace some volume of water. I still think I can have it 'functional', even though not ready for livestock, by next Monday. So far two things I'm short on - light bulbs for the T5 fixtures (the fixtures have arrived), which were just ordered by Johnny, and the skimmer; Dandy is still waiting for the tube to arrive. If I get everything but the skimmer, I'll borrow one, and if the light bulbs don't arrive soon - I'll get some overnighted, and use that set as spares. Only other concern is electricity. I may run it on some extension cords, so it's not on the same circuit as the other tanks - until I can get someone over here to wire me up a new sub-panel. bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascal December 6, 2007 Share December 6, 2007 Yes... but I thoroughly intend to cheat and mix up 30 or so gallons of well-water without RO/DI'ing it. . . . Only other concern is electricity. I may run it on some extension cords, so it's not on the same circuit as the other tanks - until I can get someone over here to wire me up a new sub-panel. FYI, you can buy RO/DI water in bulk from Centerville Aquarium and Superpets (that I know of). About .50 per gallon. Of course, you still need something to carry it with. I used 30 gallon rubbermaid tubs, filled 1/2 way, and made several trips, but then I only live about 1 1/2 miles from Superpets. Anyway, it may be an option if you really want to get it done this weekend and just need more water. As far as the sub-panel, I'm curious, what is the advantage to doing this as opposed to just adding new circuits to your existing breaker box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBeNormal December 6, 2007 Share December 6, 2007 Unless your well water is ice cold, you should be getting closer to 2+ gallons per hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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