RO unit installed. Thoughts & pics

[JamesR]

I decided to purchase an RO/DI unit. I had done the math and it will save me soooo much money in the long run, be on hand if I have an issue and a lot more convenient than driving to the LFS and stocking up and carrying 5gal containers upstairs every few weeks.

I went with filtersdirect on ebay (as per a recommendation from someone on this forum) and i was very pleased with them and the product. $90 + $20 shipping. I also picked up a 160gal bucket of Instant Ocean salt $43 shipped.

The install was simple, the only 3 things you need to really do that require any effort.

1. hang the unit. I used 2 dry wall anchors and screws.
2. (optional) drill a 1/4" hole in your pvc drain for the waste water to run out (the black thing around the PVC is what holds the hose in place that runs into the 1/4" hole.
3. decide how to want to get the water to the unit. I am going to use a faucet diverter, so that i can turn the water on to have it run normally or have it go directly to the RO/DI unit.

Thats about it. FYI, the blue hose is for the clean water, the black is for the waste water and the red is the inbound water from your sink/source.

Jim

 

[tripper]

I bought that exact same unit and installed it last night. I am using the faucet adapter as well and am pretty happy with it. The one thing I was surprised about is the ratio of waste water to "pure" water. How much waster water is produced for 1 gallon of "good" water?

 

[lando]

Looks very nice! Do you have a container to run your filtered water into? I have mine running into a 30 gal. rubbermaid tub. Kent makes an auto-stop float valve that I installed on mine to turn the waer off automatically. Might be an option. Nice Job...kudos for getting a RO/DI unit!

 

[austinsdad]

Lando, does the Kent float cut off any RO/DI unit?

 

[lando]

How much waster water is produced for 1 gallon of "good" water?

I think you use about 4-5gal of water to produce one gal of filter water. In the summer my waste water goes into buckets and I use it to water the flowers and bushes outside. In the winter, it pretty much goes down the drain.

 

[austinsdad]

waste water goes into buckets and I use it to water the flowers and bushes outside

Never thought of that one. Good.

I'll give it to my wife for indoor plant waterings too in the winter.

 

[lando]

Lando, does the Kent float cut off any RO/DI unit?

I believe it will. There is a sensor that hooks up to the DI membrane and float valve that goes in the collection container.

 

[JamesR]

Lando, I believe you are correct about 4 gal of "waste" per every 1 gallon of pure water.

I was thinking of the float switch. I am using a 25 gal rubbermaid container but wasn't sure how the foat switch would "rig up". Would I just need the float valve and run it to the existing shut off on the RO/DI unit?

Here's a pic...
http://thatpetplace.com/images/p6696b.jpg

Thanks!
Jim

 

[lando]

Just drill a hole in the tub and put the float on the inside. There is a bolt-like looking thing that sticks though the hole and ends up on the outside of the tub. This is what your water output line screws to. Let me know if you want pics.

 

[JamesR]

Thanks Lando................so let me be sure I'm clear, the blue hose that delivers the clean water connects to the float valve and when the water triggers the float valve, it stops the RO/DI unit. Can you confirm this? If that's all there is to it, it's simple. I thought it had to tie back to the unit somewhere.

Thanks in advance for the good advice..........I'm sitting here anxiously awaiting my lr.com order............should be here by 12pm..........

I'll post pics when i get it.

Jim

 

[lando]

Here are some pics of the silenoid, the float inside the tub and the water line connected to the float from the outside of the tub.

 

[JamesR]

Thanks for the pics! I'm definately going to set up the float switch.

Jim

 

[midiman]

THe RO/DI unit from filterdirect on eBay can be ordered with a float switch for either horizontal or vertical mounting. That's what I'm using and it works fine for me - I have a 30 gal Rubbermaid garbage can filled to within 6" of the top (just in case!!!).

I ordered another of those float switches for use in my sump for water top off. The niuce thing about it is that it is mechanical in nature and does not require wiring a relay to turn pumps on and off (although I will install one of this type to shut off my return pump if it should ever run dry.)

 

[the21kid]

So I am not sure how lost I will sound asking this...being that I have the filterdirect RO/DI unit. Mine came with 3 other tubes that can be used to fill a tank...come from a faucet and to something else. Do I need to have all of these tubes hooked up to prevent water from coming out of those connection points. I don't see that the pictures have all of the tubes connected....just the ones deemed necessary for their desired use.

 

[JamesR]

Mine did not come with the faucet setup, but there were some little plastic plugs with my kit and and extra hose. I think that they are used to "cap off" the outputs that you will not be using. Just a guess.

 

[the21kid]

I looked at those little plastic thingys and thought that they were supposed to be hose expanders since there is a little hole in them. I would think that the water would come through that little hole as well. In the meantime though I will shove them in the other outlets and turn it on to find out.

 

[katz]

just looking at buying this unit myself. priced some "culligan" and "pure water" r/o units around here and they want $700-1200 cdn. that was just for r/o, the d/i was extra! they were trying to feed me the "you get what you pay for" line. yeah, i get alot less money in my wallet!
wondering how easy is it to set up, if you have it mounted in the basement or under the sink, is it hooked up to your faucet for "drinking water", what your tds and trites/trates read. last thing: model #.

 

[JamesR]

It's simple to setup.

You have a connection to your sink or water source. I ordered this one so I can run the water in the utility room sink or the ro/di unit water.

http://i11.ebayimg.com/02/i/00/f7/03/c1_1.JPG

You then have 2 hoses, 1 is where your clean water comes out, so you can run it right into a bucket or rubbermaid type container and the 2nd is where the waste water comes out. You have a few options, you can put it in the sink or drill a 1/4" hole into your PVC drain pipe under the sink and put the hose in the hole. it's real easy to do.............only took a minute to do.

That's it, all there is too it in order to get it up and running.

Jim

 

[jmmiller]

Jim

Ive seen multiple people on the forum say that they use lr.com but when I tried to find it on the web I couldnt. Can you post the exact web address?

Thanks[/quote]

 

[midiman]

so let me be sure I'm clear, the blue hose that delivers the clean water connects to the float valve and when the water triggers the float valve, it stops the RO/DI unit. Can you confirm this? If that's all there is to it, it's simple. I thought it had to tie back to the unit somewhere.

That's how mine is set up, and I've had no problems. Just to be sure, I put the switch a few inches BELOW the top of my 30 gal rubbermaid just in case of drip drip drip. I'm thinking of putting a simple bulkhead overflow to a waste outlet in case of malfunction, but so far so good...