Installing RO/DI System Underneath Sink?

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TygGer

Aquarium Advice Freak
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Aug 18, 2003
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Attached is a pic of my utility sink that I can use for RO/DI water. Can you take a look at it and see if it would be ok?

Also, there seems to be three different types of attachments; piercing valve, faucet attachment, and hose attachment.

I assume I will be needing the piercing valve, but how does it work and where would I attach it? I'm a little worried about making a permanent hole in the plumbing.

Thanks
 
What kind of water line is that going from the supply valves up to the sink?

What you could do with a little plumbing is T off the cold water supply and install another valve so you can turn on/off th water going out the RO filter leg of the T.
 
OK, from the pic, it looks like you have the rather common shutoff valves that are 1/2 FPT on one end and 3/8 compression on the other with plastic lines going up to the faucet. There are a couple of different ways you can do this.
One) You can get a fitting that will install behind the shutoff valve and your RO supply line will connect to this fitting. I don't like to do it this way because I like to keep the RO supply on the other side of the existing shutoff valve...that way you can turn the water off using your existing shutoff valve.
Two) You can get a compression tee in the appropriate size (3/8x3/8x1/4 I think). Cut the plastic line going up to the cold water side of the faucet, connect it back together with the compression tee, and tie your RO supply line into the third opening in the tee (the 1/4" connector). This will allow you to continue to use the existing shut off valve to cut off the water in the event of a leak.
Three) Remove the shut off valve from the wall plumbing and screw on a 1/2 tee with one open end pointing straight out and one pointing up. In the end that's pointing out, screw in a 1/2 close nipple (using teflon thread sealer tape of course) and reinstall the shut off valve there. Purchase a shutoff valve that is 1/2 MPT (male pipe thread) on one end and 1/4 compression on the other (You'll probably find this in the brass fittings section at a hardware store). Screw this in the top of the tee and connect your RO supply line here. This will let you shut off the RO supply at the source and you won't have to cut into the faucet plumbing. A piercing valve is not an option if you have the plastic supply lines going up to the faucet. HTH.
 
I'm not sure what "kind" of water lines they are? This faucet is located in my laundry room. I guess they're "normal" lines :D

Thanks for the replies! I think I need to get a RO/DI system in hand to better understand what you guys are describing.

Oh, and one more thing... will the needle valve work for my application?
 
if it was me I would just take off the old valve and put a 3 way on there to switch back and forth
 
It appears, from what I can tell from the pic, that you have plastic lines going from the shutoff valves to the faucet. You can not use the piercing valve on these...it will leak like crazy. Is this, by chance, in the same room with a washing machine? If so, you can connect to the cold water line for the washer much easier. Go to HD and get a three way valve for a garden hose...like the one you would screw on the faucet to connect two hoses to it. Unscrew the cold water hose for the washer and install the 3way in its place. Screw the washer hose back on to one side of the valve and, using a hose adapter, connect the RO to the other valve outlet. That would be easier for you if you can do it that way. I have installed them that way and it works quite well.
 
Yes indeed, the washing machine is to the right of the sink. I'm not at home right now, so I can't verify if the lines are plastic or not. Hopefully I will be able to install via the washing outlets as you had described. Thank you.
 
You can and that would be much easier than tapping into the sink lines. If you'll go into HD and look where the garden hoses are kept, you'll find the 3 way adapter I mentioned. Also, by doing it that way, there are no permanent mods to your plumbing. If, for some reason, the 3 way won't fit due to space limitations, you can get a short hose to go between it and the valve.
 
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