Float valve for RO/DI

[jejton]

What kind of float valve can I use for for my RO/DI? I use it to fill a garbage can so it needs to be easily attached there.

 

[Wes]

you will need a float valve and a solenoid that turns the water off when the garbage can is full. Spectrapure sells a nice setup.

 

[jejton]

I read somewhere that a regular float valve would be fine. I need it as a backup in case I forget to turn off the faucet ( like last night ). It wont be running on a timer.

 

[Wes]

I read somewhere that a regular float valve would be fine. I need it as a backup in case I forget to turn off the faucet ( like last night ). It wont be running on a timer.

i think you read wrong. what are you going to hook the float valve up to? It needs to be hooked up to a solenoid to turn the water off.

 

[Awibrandy]

Good luck with your search, and please let me know when you find one. I have the coralife, and it does not work 1 bit.:irked:

 

[meschaefer]

i think you read wrong. what are you going to hook the float valve up to? It needs to be hooked up to a solenoid to turn the water off.

It doesn't necessarily need to be hooked to a solenoid. Air Water Ice, sells a an auto shut off valve that uses the back pressure created by a closed float valve to shut off the water supply. (if you have an Air Water Ice System already, most of their units come with one standard)

You can also get the float valve from them.

 

[jejton]

Thanks thats what I was looking for. Is that what you use? Does it maintain a water tight seal when mounted to a round ( Brute ) can?

 

[Wes]

It doesn't necessarily need to be hooked to a solenoid. Air Water Ice, sells a an auto shut off valve that uses the back pressure created by a closed float valve to shut off the water supply. (if you have an Air Water Ice System already, most of their units come with one standard)

You can also get the float valve from them.

Oh yeah I forgot about those. I have an Airwaterice RO/DI unit that came with one of these and I would not trust it enough to risk flooding a house. A little plastic piston that switches over because of backpressure doesn't seem fail safe enough for me to feel comfortable using it.

Solenoid is the only way to go IMO

 

[meschaefer]

To each his own.

I know four people in addition to myself who have been using the auto shut off and the float switch for five plus years with no problem, and one of them has been using his for seven years with no problem. The float switch is adjustable, so if you feel better, the water never reaches the seal between the float switch and the garbage can.

With having experience actually using it, I have no reservations about it.

 

[Wes]

how long does your RO membrane last? The reason I ask is because doesn't this setup leaves your RO membrane pressurized w/ backpressure? Excessive backpressure can damage an RO membrane. This and the potential leaks and failures make me uncomfortable using the device. The solenoid seems more failsafe but maybe i am just paranoid w/ stuff like this.

googled "back pressure RO membrane" and a bunch of stuff comes up...

Again, care should be taken to ensure that backpressure. is not induced. Excessive permeate back pressure can damage the reverse osmosis. membrane.

The permeate line and any permeate valves must always be open to
atmospheric pressure or damage to RO elements can occur. If the permeate line is closed, the permeate pressure can build up and become higher than the feed-side pressure of the tail elements. This can result in excessive permeate back-pressure which can damage the
membrane glue lines in the tail elements.

 

[meschaefer]

how long does your RO membrane last? The reason I ask is because doesn't this setup leaves your RO membrane pressurized w/ backpressure? Excessive backpressure can damage an RO membrane. This and the potential leaks and failures make me uncomfortable using the device. The solenoid seems more failsafe but maybe i am just paranoid w/ stuff like this.

googled "back pressure RO membrane" and a bunch of stuff comes up...

It has been awhile since I took a look at it, but I believe that theauto shut off is installed before the RO membrane so the membrane is not pressurized (At least not unequally pressurized, i.e. the pressure is the same on both the input and output to the membrane)

I will take a closer inspection of it when I get home.

 

[jejton]

For my purposes this unit is good as I dont plan on leaving the water running constantly. This will just be a fail safe as I usually run the unit when the can is empty as I'm working in the basement. Its just sometimes I forget to turn off the faucet when I go to bed or leave the house and have caused small floods in my basement. This will be to prevent that. I still plan on turning off the faucet so the backpressure wont be for long periods of time.

 

[Wes]

cool sounds like a good plan

 

[jejton]

I bought float valve from AWI and finally had a chance to install it but unfortunately it leaks from the hose nut. I emailed them but they are having site difficulties and wont get back to me for a while so I was hoping someone here had suggestions.

 

[Tom K]

I use a float & solinoid from auto top off on my brute can. It works great
http://www.autotopoff.com/

 

[jejton]

thanks Tom but I dont think you understood my post. I already bought that float valve from autotopoff. my problem is that it leaks from the hose connection side.

 

[meschaefer]

Saw this last night, but didn't want to respond until I had the chance to take a look at mine.


I quickly took one apart. There is a "collar" that fits over the hose. The collar has a tapered end. Place the hose nut on first , then the tapered side of the collar should slip onto the hose so that it is facing away from the float valve. You place the hose into the float valve, then slide the non-tapered end of the collar into the float valve. When you tighten the nut, it rides up the tapered end of the collar placing a a pinching pressure onto the hose. This is what prevents it from leaking.

 

[ecvernon]

just to say that this is the first time i have seen a solenoid used with an RO system. Most people i know use just a plastic float valve connected to the ouput of the RO.

I have used a kent marine float valve which i paid $17 to shut of the production of water from my RO unit and it has worked for me with out fault. I Just drilled a small hole inside of what i was using for the water storage then secured the opening and threading using teflon tape.
Is there anything that i should be concerned with using this set up? my water still reads 0 ppm after many gallon. Does teh back pressure really harm the membrane that much?

 

[TimberTDI]

I also have been using a regular float valve for the last 8 years. I've never had a problem with leaking and back pressure.

I thought all ro/di come with an auto shut off valve.

BTW these are installed pre membrane so you don't have to worry about back pressure on the membrane.

 

[Cibo]

Where can I get the solenoid ??? looking for a low voltage one