RO Water Storage Tanks. Anyone used one of these...

[Anonymous]

Check out this 40G tank http://www.marineecosystems.com/DryGoods/WaterFiltration.html#Anchor-Accessories-11481

Anyone have one of these type tanks? It's only 99 bucks for a 40G tank. That's pretty cheap. The tanks I've been looking at locally run about 175-200 dollars. The tanks that I have been looking at are the type that you would use with a well (pressure tanks.)

What would work best with an RO/DI unit? I'm planning on installing my RO unit in the laundry room and connecting it to the utility sink. There is plenty of room for a sorage tank in this room. It will be great to be able to have 40G of water available at one time.

I'm also thinking of replumbing the unit so that the 4G tank that I already have will be filled ahead of the DI unit. I'll use that tank for drinking water.

Any ideas and input will be appreciated!

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Uh, we bought a 50 gallon rubbermaid bucket for $20.

Is there a reason you are avoiding open mouthed containers? It actually has a top but it doesn't screw on tight or anything.

 

[robbinson]

I use a 30 gallon plastic garbage pail in my laundry room with the r/o hooked up to the utility sink. I keep a heater and powerhead in the pail. This accomplishes the same thing as the advertised specialty "tank" and is pretty cheap. The one problem (actually happened today), is that my "system" does not have an auto top off shut off valve as the advertised tank does and I occassionally forget to turn off the r/o unit with expected results.

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
I am not going to comment on price, but anyway:

Pressurized storage tank is useful if you need to push the water up to the outlet. Most people have room under the kitchen sink, and the faucet is way above (3.5 ft), so it is one of the most convenience option. Having a above head tank on a shelf is not very attractive for a kitchen. Furthermore, most RO unit uses a pressure-based shut off valve, so it works well with a pressurized tank, but won't with a open tank.

With that being said, pressurized tank is pricy. It also waste water because the back pressure from the tank (30 to 60 psi) make the RO membrane less efficient and more contaminants go thru.

Open tank is much cheaper, and there is no real disadvantage other than looks and space required. If you have the room, go for it. Keep in mind that any NSF-approved container suitable for potable water will be fine for RO, and you can add float switch or whatever control you want to it. If you are one of those ID01TS who stores DI water, there you will have other complications.

 

[robbinson]

How do you add a float switch to the rubbermaid garbage pail approach (what I am doing)? The r/o is hooked up to the sink - the faucet is on creating pressure through the r/o unit dripping into the pail - if the float switch is triggered, what turns the water off? I've seen float switches that will turn on the power of a power head, but not close a valve. Is there such a thing?

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
There are many way to do it. If you already have the powerhead-controlling float switch, you can add a solenoid that shut the input to the filter as the float goes up. These solenoid are relatively cheap (~$10-$25). I have some laying around that use 24VAC.

Mechanical float switch is another approach. It is cheaper, but may leak after long use. You can get these are Graingers and other hardware places.

Other people use liquid level controller, which is either all electronic-based, or pressure-based.

 

[Anonymous]

If you are one of those ID01TS who stores DI water, there you will have other complications.

Color me stupid I guess. My RO/DI unit came with a 4G tank. The water is always stored there until you despense it. What are the complications that you are reffering to?

Uh, we bought a 50 gallon rubbermaid bucket for $20.

Is there a reason you are avoiding open mouthed containers? It actually has a top but it doesn't screw on tight or anything.

There is no reason that I am aware of not to use an open tank, other from airborne contaminants and evaporation. Actually this post was started just to find out how other people handle their RO water. I want to do whatever I can to acomplish my goal of having 30-40 gallons on hand. I want the water to be easy to despense and I don't want to worry about the tank overflowing. I guess that would be my biggest fear.

BTW, couldn't the 50G Rubbermaid bucket come with a lid for a few extra bucks?

 

[wombat1]

Kent marine sells a kit with the switch and solenoid valve that fits standard tubing. Mine only works half the time though, it always shuts off the good water but sometimes the waste continues to flow... I also just use a 30 gal rubbermaid--12 bucks.

 

[Jimmy G]

Check out this 40G tank http://www.marineecosystems.com/DryGoods/WaterFiltration.html#Anchor-Accessories-11481

Just an FYI if you try ordering from them. I tried to order a TDS meter and my mail was undeliverable to that company. Stated " mailbox full"

 

[O P Ing]

hi.

Color me stupid I guess. My RO/DI unit came with a 4G tank. The water is always stored there until you despense it.

The fact that your RO/DI comes with a storage tank does not means that you are one of those people who stores DI water. If set up properly, your storage tank is storing RO only, and sent the RO water to the faucet or the DI cart. when there is a need for it. It is DI'ed on demand, so to speak, but again, the tank is storing RO only (unless you connect the setup wrong, or you have a non-conventional setup).

Mine only works half the time though, it always shuts off the good water but sometimes the waste continues to flow...

Sign of a defactive shut-off valve, not normal. The best setup is to have an electronic solenoid that shuts off the water at the input, so there is no waste. The Kent's valve is a pressure-based shut-off valve that is very common.

Set the storage tank (open, not pressurized) at higher level than the sump, and you just let the gravity to do the work of dispensing it for you. Or use a powerhead inside the bucket if you can't get it higher.

 

[quazi]

What happens if the electricity shuts off? Does the valve close?

 

[SPC]

Louey, I have that same container. Got it a couple of years ago from Aqua FX as part of a package deal. Works well.
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

The fact that your RO/DI comes with a storage tank does not means that you are one of those people who stores DI water. If set up properly, your storage tank is storing RO only, and sent the RO water to the faucet or the DI cart. when there is a need for it. It is DI'ed on demand, so to speak, but again, the tank is storing RO only (unless you connect the setup wrong, or you have a non-conventional setup).

My RO/DI has one output. That goes to my 4G tank, then to the faucet. It's all DI'd. What is the problem with DI water?

SPC Posted: 18 Sep 2002 16:20 Post subject:

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Louey, I have that same container. Got it a couple of years ago from Aqua FX as part of a package deal. Works well.

Steve, How did you plumb your storage tank?

Louey

 

[O P Ing]

hi.

What is the problem with <drinking> DI water?

No problem, but it is a real waste of money to drink DIed water. But since we are all in this hobby anyway, a couple dollars a day is no big deal. May sure you use a really, really clean cup, prerisen with DIed water. Otherwise, the cup/glass will containate the water and make it no more pure than regular RO'ed water. :wink:

Other people who shares my opinion may try to use BS logic like lack of mineral, or statement like :
"Do not drink DI'ed water since it may kill you. Because DI'edwater has lost all of its minerals and anything else it might have, the water molecules will bond with stomach/intestine that have these minerals that were lost by the water..."

Most soleniod valve for level control purpose will shut off when power is off, just like the solenoid used in calcium reactors.

 

[SPC]

Posted by Louey:

Steve, How did you plumb your storage tank?

-You just connect your hose coming from the RO/DI into the John Guest fitting that is located on the outside of the storage container. There is a valve (just like in a toilet) inside the container which stops the flow of water to the container when it is full. All you have to do is remember to shut the RO/DI off when it is full as the water will then be going down the drain. I made up a small sign that says "RO/DI is on" which I place under my mouse pad, but someone young and intelligent like Danmhippo probably wouldn't need to take this precaution
FWIW, my RO/DI is located about 30 feet from the container so I drilled a hole in the floor and ran the tubing under the house from the RO/DI to the container.
Steve

 

[O P Ing]

There is a valve (just like in a toilet) inside the container which stops the flow of water to the container when it is full. All you have to do is remember to shut the RO/DI off when it is full as the water will then be going down the drain.

hi.
I assume you are talking about the 40 gal tank. However, if your RO/DI comes with a shutoff valve, you should not need to manually turn the filter unit off if there is valve that stops the flow of water into the container. Of course it is fine what you doing, but seems to me that a lot of people have a defective automatic shut off valve on their RO filter....

 

[Anonymous]

So help me come up with a fool-proof plan to shut the RO unit off automatically. :wink: I guess a solenoid connected to the float switch might work. The problem then would be if the solenoid or float switch would fail (which is bound to happen eventually.) Any ideas to keep this from happening?

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Everything can fail, nothing is foolproof. It is not if it will malfunction, it is when and did you catch it before it became a problem.

You could put an extra float switch on the tank or sump that will turn off the topoff if the water gets too high.

Other than than, buy good equipment and check and clean it often.

RR

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
Most solenoid (a type of actuator) is rated for thousands of operations, and millions of hours. For RO water, there is not much in it that can block the solenoid. However, rather or not you can use a solenoid depends on the type of your float switch(a sensor with a float). If it is difficult to retrofit the storage tank with the type of sensor, you may need a actuator/controller that works well with the sensor.

I try to stay away from mechanical sensor (toilet flusher), but as I said before, it is the cheapest type available. Electric options available are magnetic type float switch (reed switch with a magnetic float). There are electronic controller with either pressure sensor (SpectraPure's LLC), or direct contact (TLC 900 series). There are so many fool-resistance (cf. fool proof) options that it is really up to you to implement whatever you prefers. So decide on what type of storage tank you want to buy, and we can go from there....

 

[SPC]

Posted by Seven:
However, if your RO/DI comes with a shutoff valve, you should not need to manually turn the filter unit off if there is valve that stops the flow of water into the container.

-You are correct Seven but I did not go with this option. Dosen't the waste water continue to flow with this option, or does it shut the input water to the RO down?
Steve