RO/Di water making question

[catmel]

So I made a costly mistake. I kept my RO/DI in the garage after making water. It froze, two of the casings cracked and it cost me about $60 to get new ones. Yikes! I think the rest of the Ro/Di might be ok I'll find out when I get the new casings in.

I was wondering, how do you guys make your water in the winter? Would it be ok to leave the RO/DI out in the garage while its making water then take it back inside? Should I put a blanket over it outside while its making water? ( Dont know if that would help at all..) I seemed to do it ok last year, but dont know if its because its colder or because I just left it out in the garage this time. I took it in after making water each time last year.

Any other tips / hints would be wonderful. Its not practical to hook it up to my kitchen sink.. I dont have anywhere to store the water thats made. Plus I cant seem to get the tubing out lol..

thanks in advance!

 

[AdamHorton]

Not an answer here, I just want to subscribe to this thread to hear the answer when/if it comes.

 

[CaptainAhab]

I'll assume you don't have a basement. In that event I would think the best solution would be to use a faucet adapter and hook it up each time you need to make water.

I have mine hard connected in the basement. I have 2 brute 20G trash cans and several 5G sprint water bottles. The Brutes get saltwater, the 5G's for fresh water top off.

 

[catmel]

I'll assume you don't have a basement. In that event I would think the best solution would be to use a faucet adapter and hook it up each time you need to make water.

I have mine hard connected in the basement. I have 2 brute 20G trash cans and several 5G sprint water bottles. The Brutes get saltwater, the 5G's for fresh water top off.

yep you're correct.. no basement That would make it a lot easier. I have my hose bib connection on the tubing right now ( usually make water outside) and I cant seem ti get it off, otherwise i'd try the sink connection.

Has anyone had any luck in the cold months ( below freezing) making it outside?

 

[CaptainAhab]

short of building something insulated or wrapping with heat wire I'd think not. I will say that you're running a huge risk of bursting your water pipe though having the water running out to the bib in this weather. I hope you have a freeze resistant nozzle and a somewhat insulated crawl space. If/when it bursts.. the fun will begin

 

[melosu58]

I make mine out in my tool shed. Once it cracked the case but I leave a light bulb on and it keeps it decent in there. As a downside though my water production is cut in half in the winter.

 

[Mad Mech Master]

Do you have a laundry sink? I guess that might be in your garage.

Can you keep it indoors, somewhere near the garage door and connect the supply as needed? 1/4" line is cheap.

 

[Bige]

How long do you leave it running in the garage. I think if you use then bring it in, it won't have time to get that frozen.

 

[catmel]

How long do you leave it running in the garage. I think if you use then bring it in, it won't have time to get that frozen.

Being as cold as it is, I'd probably just make 5-10 gallons of water vs my usual 50 or so at a time. I had no problem last year making it and taking it in. I was dumb and left it in the garage last time.

I do have a laundry room in the house on the main floor, someone suggested trying to hook it up there. I'll have to see how easy / hard that is.

Maybe putting it in a rubbermaid tub with blankets might help?

Burst water pipe? I havent had an issue with it yet, do you think because its moving slower through the ro/di that it would cause problems? I didnt seem to have problems with it last year.

 

[mfdrookie516]

going off what melosu58 said, a simple box with a light bulb or two in it would provide enough heat to keep it from freezing if its possible to do so. We did something similar with our natural gas regulator... We built a small box out of plywood and put two 60w light bulbs in it. we ran an extension cord to them and never have a problem with it freezing/dropping pressure (natural gas well)...

 

[catmel]

Good idea.. thanks. I'll give it a try

 

[thincat]

Cat, if you can't get the hose bib connection off, just cut the tubing and put on a new one. I don't think they are to expensive. You are just suppose to push in on the lip and pull the unit off.

 

[catmel]

Probably not.. i'll see if I cna find some similar tubing. Thanks for all the help/ tips

 

[thincat]

HomeDepot sells them by the roll.

 

[catmel]

So far so good. Temp went up to about 40 so I made it outside and brought the ro/di in. It went a bit slower, but seemed to work well. If it gets lower I'll look into the tubing.

Putting the ro/di in a large rubbermaid tub wrapped in towels with a heat lamp over it did wonders for anyone interested.