RO/DI question

[rburn99]

I just purchased and RO/DI system but Ive never used one before. My 'fish room' is in the basement CLOSE to the laundry tub (and the water lines) but not IN the laundry room. I would really rather mount the unit by my tank instead of carrying buckets. Can I replace the input/output lines that came with the system with LONG lines and route them up the wall, through the joists and down to the laundry plumbing (maybe 20-30 ft)? I'm sure the input side will be no problem (pressurized water lines and all) but what about the drain side? Will having to travel longer distances, some of it uphill, have any adverse effect on the system or it's relative efficiency?

Thanks,
Robb

 

[Fatal Morgana]

If you can, use copper tubing for input. I used 1/4 inch PP tubing(icemaker tubing) for years, but I am just waiting for it to crack and leak. Use 3/4 inch if you feel there is too much pressure drop due to long distance from source to filter.

As for the output, it is not that important unless there is more than a few PSI of back pressure on the line. Optimally, there is be open to the atomsphere, with no back pressure on it. But you can get it to work even if it go uphill for a half to one store high (4-10 feet, or a few PSI). Again, a few PSI does not affect the performace much (if any) at all.

(never plumb the output directly to pressurized water line without additional equipment. I know you are not, but I just want to state it for others.)

 

[Ben1]

I run my unit from under my bathroom sink, it splits to a y. One end goes to a top off bucket with a float valve downstairs by my 150 and the other goes to a top off/ water change 30 gal trash can by my frag tank unstairs.

I have run it from the basement up before and had no problems. If pressure became a problem you could get a booster pump. I use long RO tubing I bought from www.premiumaquatics.com I bought about 80' and had plenty for this job.

 

[rburn99]

Great. That will make things so much easier.

I have another ro/di question. I feel dumb for asking this but I've searched for quite a while online but can't find the answer. The di water tastes 'strange'. The rejected water tastes much better. Is this my imagination? Should you not drink di water? The rejected water looks as if it's traveled through most of the filters so would this be good for filling jugs of drinking water for the family? (one of the selling points to the wife :wink: )

Thanks for the info,
Robb

 

[rburn99]

Ben,

I plan on storing my water the same way. How does the float valve work? Do you just run the output line of the ro/di to the float valve and then a lline from the valve runs into your container? Does the valve physically close the water output line and the ro/di unit just stops processing because of the pressure equalization in the line? I assume the drain water then stops flowing also? Or is a specific type of ro/di unit needed to work with switches and floats?

Thanks,
Robb

 

[Ben1]

You have to get the auto shut off kit. The when the float vlave stops the good water, the waste water also stops runnng.

Time for bed,
HTH

 

[Fatal Morgana]

DI water taste strange because the DI resin is not for human consumption. RO water, on the other hand, is great for drinking. Most RO drinking kit comes with a tee fitting (divert the RO to the dispensor before the DI), storage tank, and other accessory.

Depends on your tap water quality, it may not be a good idea to drink the brine (waste) water. It is 33% higher in junks that you may not want to take in thru your mouth. I use the brine water for watering my lawn, for example.