Cold weather RO/DI Solution?

[hooked82]

So I'm trying to figure a way to get the most out my water. I'm wasting probably 12:1 and there's only so much laundry that I can do. For one I don't think that I'm getting the correct pressure and another is that the water is really cold as I'm sure a lot of you are going through. My thought is to take a 55 gallon food grade container and fill it up with tap water. Put a heater and a powerhead in there to keep the water moving. Then I would take another powerhead with a ball valve to control flow and have that go directly into my RO/DI unit. This would solve the temperature issue but would using a simple powerhead create enough pressure? Also would I be able to take my waste water and dump it right back into the water bin?

I may just be thinking too simply but I am hopeing this would work. My RO/DI unit is putting out 0 tds and I would like to use it for more than just top offs. Any input on this?

 

[Reefdaddy1]

I use a large rubbermaid container and fill it with a hose, place a heater in it and let it get to about 90 degrees, Place my feed hose in the rubbermaid in several loops (about 25, Turn on the hose and have at it, average temp about 69 degrees sometimes less, Now this was in Michigan, but here I have yet to fill a tank here, soo take it for what its worth David, it worked for me.

 

[barrierreefcf]

David,

Rainbow Lifegaurd makes a pressurized heater module and you can buy fittings at Home Depot to adapt it to the 1/4" tubing your RO/DI uses. Put this inline before your RO/DI unit with the highest wattage heater the unit allows. (I believe 300 watt)

Here's a link to their product specs. We use the smallest module. We can order this for you if you're interested. I believe they are around $49.99. Good luck!

http://www.pentairaquatics.com/products/detail/module_heater.html

 

[Scooterman]

You would need a pump rated for pressure you can get these to do it that way but there is an easier way, get an In-line water heater made to work under pressure you need around 60 to 80 psi pressure to be most productive, I think if you go to this extreme you might want to figure the optimal pressure & temperature to make the most of it. You also could supply off your hot water line & adjust the mixture to get water temp. around 77 degrees I think.

 

[DonW]

You can set up a mixing valve like Scooter said. Just make sure you dont run hot water into the poly line its only rated for cold water.

You can try the heater thing, but honestly it doesnt work well at all. I have a empty rodi cartrige with a 500w ti heater. It will bring the temp up very little and only works for short top off's. If your filling for a water change the contact time is to short.

A power head will not supply enough pressure. You can buy a pump specificly designed for this purpose but they are expensive.

I would just check the water pressure at the membrane. If its good I'd add a second membrane which will make it more efficient year round hot or cold.

Don

 

[returnofsid]

Ahhh, It just dawned on me that your RO/DI must be plumbed directly into your cold water line. I recently purchased a used RO/DI unit and still hook it up to the faucet, where I can control the temp. If you were to use a powerhead to push water into your RO/Di unit, it'd have to be able to push atleast 60 psi. I'm not sure if a powerhead would be able to do this. Even though powerheads are rated at a certain GPH, I don't know if they're able to withstand any back pressure at all. Might look into that. You can buy Pressure Booster pumps or Demand Delivery pumps that may help. Here's a link to the ones that work with my particular RO/DI.

http://www.aquariumwaterfilters.com...9&category_id=12&option=com_phpshop&Itemid=28

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I hooked up mine in the laundry room sink with a quick connect fitting. Run luke warm water, no problem.

 

[DonW]

Ahhh, It just dawned on me that your RO/DI must be plumbed directly into your cold water line. I recently purchased a used RO/DI unit and still hook it up to the faucet, where I can control the temp.

One draw back is the water heater energy use, so if you have a electric hot water heater its probably going to cost more to use heated water. The membranes IIRC are rated at 50psi at 77 degrees. If you go over the 100 degree mark your going to damage the membrane so you need a way to make sure that doesnt happen.
You can buy a mixing valve that has a max temp and there are also adjustable valves that you set the temp.
You can get a cheap pressure gauge from the filter guys. Once you know your membrane pressure you can take the next logical step. Sure beats guessing.

Don

 

[hooked82]

Yeah mine is in the laundry room as well, but I don't have a sink just the washer/dryer water that I have split off of. Would be a little difficult to get that working right. I may try an inline heater like stated above from a few people. The only concern I have about this, is acclimating the heater. Unless I run it for a bit before I turn the heater on to get it at the current water temp. Those who have suggested the inline heater do you have or see a problem with this?

 

[DonW]

Yeah mine is in the laundry room as well, but I don't have a sink just the washer/dryer water that I have split off of. Would be a little difficult to get that working right. I may try an inline heater like stated above from a few people. The only concern I have about this, is acclimating the heater. Unless I run it for a bit before I turn the heater on to get it at the current water temp. Those who have suggested the inline heater do you have or see a problem with this?

At 500w I can get temp up 1 degree so from 55 to 56. The waste reduction is 0 and the energy consuptions is 500w thats more than 8 light bulbs. Cost almost $200 to build the heating system so at the end of 5 years I should be almost $1000 in the red. That would buy alot of water.:lol:

Don

 

[Scooterman]

I make water that is cold as Don mentioned I like the extra membrane idea better, I don't collect the waste water, one day that would be nice to try.

 

[barrierreefcf]

Yeah mine is in the laundry room as well, but I don't have a sink just the washer/dryer water that I have split off of. Would be a little difficult to get that working right. I may try an inline heater like stated above from a few people. The only concern I have about this, is acclimating the heater. Unless I run it for a bit before I turn the heater on to get it at the current water temp. Those who have suggested the inline heater do you have or see a problem with this?

FWIW....We've never had a problem. You could fill the heater module at the open top with lukewarm water w/ the heater unplugged and the water pressure off and let it acclimate to the water temp before plugging it in.

I can't make any specific claims about actual temp adjustment because we've never measured for it. That would be something I should look into a little closer. I just know that the product water line is no longer brrrr cold to the touch and our product water reservoir fills faster.

 

[ronj]

i am going to try hooking mine up directly to my faucet an make some lukewarm water......try talking to "the filter guys"...very nice guys...they told me about a mixing valve and how to do it..i will try a simple way first