Reverse Osmosis follow-up

I installed a RO system. I opted for an American made 5-stage system after reading flaming reviews on the Chinese units. This unit oozed quality, top quality fittings, tubes and components, a 5 year warrantee and no Chinglesh instructions. And, only one trip to the hardware store for a "T" not in the kit. The filters, two ten micron carbon block and a 5 micron sediment filter and one more small carbon filter after the tank. They need to be replaced every 6-12 months depending on feed quality. All the filters are about $30, I don't know anbout the membrane.

The output is very nice! I like the taste though it seems a little flat. My ice from the ice maker isn't clear like the manufacturer promised...I knew it wouldn't be, but it is less opaque.

All in all, I would recommend it. No more bottled water!

Reply to
Tom Gardner
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Tom, We have poor quality water, iron and magnesium (or manganese can't remember which). So we go through lots of bottled water.

What are the costs on the unit you installed?

Reply to
Karl Townsend

Installing a water softener is also good because the water down line will be easier on the appliances than water there straight from tap.

Reply to
mogulah

All or each? 5-filter kit for $30, or $150?

RO strips almost all minerals from the water, too, so it will be flat. I strongly suggest that you take extra minerals now to supplement your diet. Liquid mineral formula can be added directly to water if you stir it.

ROI less than one year, to be sure.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Here's the system I used:

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Might not be the cheapest but I'm happy. I only needed one part because my faucet inlet isn't 1/2" pipe thread but 3/8" compression. The "T" I bought was 3/8" male comp. x 3/8" female comp. x 1/4" female comp. Other than that I needed a roll of Teflon tape.

Reply to
Tom Gardner

Regarding the flatness, that can be lack of gases or lack of minerals. Try putting some in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, refrigerate it, and then shake it up really well to aerate it. Then try drinking it.

This is the same treatment often recommended for water that's been boiled for purification. That will degas the water, too. If it's just the result of being degased, aerating it should perk it up.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

"Larry Jaques"

Burn through a lot? Then try keeping the filler in contact with the weld puddle rather than dipping it like usual. Pipe weldors running a root pass call this walking the cup and pulling the string. A thin flow of filler will come off the end of the rod and follow the position of the electrode. It's worth trying.... current control is important too. Do you have that option? If not, then this trick may be of use to you.

Reply to
Phil Kangas

Basically a store bought smaller version of my system, but without the UV treatment. Looking at UV LEDs at the moment, thinking that I could make two new units using a few different spectrum versions, the life increase and lower power would be a plus.

The unit I have works but uses replaceable bulbs that are not cheap.

Reply to
Steve W.

They are hellish hard on water _ when you pay for both water supply and wastewater disposal. they get expensive to operate. Definitely not a good solution where you have water rationing.

Reply to
clare

he tank has male 3/8 pipe threads. Of course I bought 10 rolls of Teflon tape at Harbor Freight and It took a half hour to find one!

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Reply to
Tom Gardner

How bad is the biological issue? Is there no other way?

Reply to
Tom Gardner

No option. There's a rotary amperage control, on/off switch, and the flow control on the gas.

I'll try leaving the filler in there more. I just got some more thin rod at ACE, of all places. And I left a shitload at Gunners. What I really need is more practice. I need to line up my welding projects and just go to it for a couple days some weekend, huh? Ayup. Thanks for the advice, Phil.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

As with the ten-roll bundles of black elec tape, I strew them around the house/shop/truck in pairs. That way, when I find one, I'll know the other is hiding close by. Try that. ;)

Reply to
Larry Jaques

The instructor had me run TIG beads down a strip of sheet steel until I caught on. Then tees in 0.025" wall 4130 tubing cutoffs from Aircraft Spruce weren't that hard to do.

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The box they sent me included some solid rod.

I fishtailed both ends of the pieces I took to class on the mill and sawed each welded tee off close, to make use of all the fishtails and to inspect the inside of the weld.

-jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Well water needs UV often. Range or ranch or Farm or flood trickles down bio haz and can cause real issues.

Martin

Reply to
Martin Eastburn

It depends on the volume of waste water. Some units are adjustable. One issue is do you want solid waste to deal with or to flush it out.

I have a large one for making DI/RO water for my salt water fish. When you have fish that run under $100 each there are decisions. The waste water is just worse than the input water unless it is really bad. Mine is growing grass. And the grass likes it.

The one in the house for cooking and drinking is a RO unit I'm thinking of adding a DI to it as ions are bad as well. They find something to attach to as it is used. It is basically just a resin 'filter' and the ions attack the resin.

Some of the fish tank ones - we fill large containers and draw as needed. My use is about 2 gallons a day. I have about a 5 day reserve and 60 gallons of RO.

I have 4 tanks in the greenhouse. Two are for watering in the greenhouse and two are for the fish. All four are used as thermal tanks holding the high temp during the day and radiating all night. Saves on heater costs.

You can get DI units to add on the end of your Ro units at fish dealers and on line salt water fish stores. I can point to one if needed.

Martin

Martin

Reply to
Martin Eastburn

The RO concentrators used as the first stage in maple syrup production make lots of nice pure water - which a local curling club uses for making their ice-----

Reply to
clare

I successfully did this on aluminum cans at Glenn's, just before I bought the welder. The power knob was barely off the lower stop.

I guess I'll try it at lower and lower power levels until I get it right. I have some .125 sheets of stainless to put on the front of the Big Wheel hand truck to protect the tires from boxes and cargo, but I think I'll practice elsewhere first.

I'm not tracking that last paragraph at all, except for the weld inspection.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

In this case it's well water. Bio load is high enough that it's an issue. You basically have 3 options, UV, Chlorination or distillation. UV works well for my system. I do drop some chlorine in the well once or twice a year, that kills off the crud in the well and the inlet piping. A chlorine injector in front of the filtration would also work BUT chlorine has to be in the mix for a set time for it to be effective. That would mean one more tank for my system. UV also needs contact time but it's much less and easier to implement.

Reply to
Steve W.

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This is the top level of BRSTV youtube - Good company - there are pages and pages of their stuff - look at the pictures and find a RO/DI or RO system and see the 75gallon / day unit - there are others. Great one came out today on carbon and how it lasts with use.

You can buy replacements there and single / dual units.

They sell upgrade units to boost volume.

Martin

Reply to
Martin Eastburn

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