How to speed up RO

[marlinmero]

Im tired of waiting two hours to fill up a 5 gallon bucket. is there anyway to speed up the filtration process and keep the quality?

 

[DonW]

What is your membrane rated at? What is your water pressure? What brand of membrane? What is the actual rate?

Don

 

[returnofsid]

Speeding up an RO/DI unit would require it to not filter as well as it does. However, Don asks some valid questions. If it's slow because of low water pressure, you can install a booster pump. You could speed it up by buying a membrane rated at more gallons per day.

 

[marlinmero]

It is a kent marine HI-S ro system. Originally rated at 60gpd but when i replaced all the filters and membranes when i got it i bought a 75gpd membrane. all from bulk reef supply. As far as pressure im not sure what it is. and im not sure what the actual rate is right now. Everything is new and i was reading it might take up to ten days of running before it starts produceing at the right speed.
Or would my best bet be to buy a 20 or 30 gallon trash can and put a float valve on it? i know one of these days im goin to forget its going.

 

[DonW]

Sorry if you cand answer all the questions there is no way to tell if its working right. The float valve is always a good idea.

Don

 

[marlinmero]

You want to know how many gallons an hour it does now? And the water pressure coming into the Ro right?

 

[Scooterman]

You want to know how many gallons an hour it does now? And the water pressure coming into the Ro right?

You replaced a 60gpd membrane with a 75gph right? Did you replace the restrictor along with it?

Did you let the membrane fully saturate?

How many gallons you make in one hour?

What is your actual water pressure going into the unit, do you have a guage on it?

Temperature is also important but right now it is fairly warm enough to not be an issue unless the water in is very cold.

 

[marlinmero]

Correct it use to be a 60 but i put a 75 in it. i didnt place the membrane in a bucket or anything. i just installed it like the directions said to do. if i had to guess id say maybe 2 gallons an hour. there's no gauge on the unit so i have no idea what the pressure is going into the RO. i will check that as soon as i can get a gauge. the water going in should be cold i have it split off the cold water line that feeds the washing machine

 

[rainydave]

If it's rated at 75 gpd, then 2 hours to fill a 5 gallon bucket doesn't sound that far off. 75gpd /24 hours = 3.125 gph.

 

[marlinmero]

Its to slow for me is what i was gettin at. i was wondering if there was safe way to speed em up. i thought i have seen these piggy back kits that speed em up

 

[gotfish]

Buy this http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI...ving-150-GPD-RO-Upgrade-Kit/product_info.html and this http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI.../Aquatec-8800-Booster-"Kit"/product_info.html

You don't need the second link if your water pressure is high enough, but I doubt it is since you aren't producing the correct amount of water right now.

Question solved.

 

[marlinmero]

Awesome thank you thats what i was looking for and trying to get an opinion on. ill measure my preasure and if its low ill just turn it up out at the water meter

 

[Scooterman]

You have to replace the restrictor to match the 75gpd membrane otherwise you'll damage it. I have a dual 75gpd unit with the second on top that makes over 150gpd, using two 75 membranes is more efficient than trying to use one 100gpd unit because of how it works from the waste of the first to supply the second membrane.
Also to saturate it you don't soak it in a tub but you run it several days or several hours a day until the membrane fully saturates, then it will produce higher amount of water. Using cold water is ok but using water that is really cold slows production down.

question isn't solved until you know your incoming pressure & the type membranes you use!

 

[marlinmero]

I posted a link of the membrane i purchased and have installed. i also got the flow restrictor for it as well. so that all matches up. and ill work on gettin a water pressure meter soon. i could use one for work as well.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI.../75-GPD-FILMTEC-RO-MEMBRANE/product_info.html

 

[marlinmero]

Well i got a pressure gauge today and hooked it up and im only getting about 38psi. so i think im going to have to go out the pressure regulator out on the street by the meter and turn it up a bit

 

[Scooterman]

Your reading this pressure before the RO/DI unit?
My house is about 83psi before the unit, I'd crank it up some, but be sure your piping can handle the extra pressure.

 

[marlinmero]

Yeah thats before the RO. The piping should handle it. These apartments are only like a year old. i think i might kick it up to 50 or 55 psi

 

[Scooterman]

I'd go about 65psi being you have newer piping, this way If you want to piggy back another RO membrane you'll have enough pressure.
http://www.thefilterguys.biz has the pressure requirements to get the most out of such a system.

Dual membranes.

NOTE: YOU NEED AT LEAST 65 PSI TAP WATER PRESSURE OR A AQUATEC 8800 BOOSTER PUMP FOR BEST RESULTS WITH THIS SYSTEM SEE WATER SAVER RO/DI FOR MORE INFORMATION.

 

[Myteemouse]

You could just set up a 20 gallon tub with a float valve in it to hold water so you don't have to wait for it to fill the 5 gallon container so you always have 20 gallons on hand...
Cheapest fix..

 

[Saltyfish]

an RO unit safe operating pressure is 40 to 80 PSI. I try to run mine at 60PSI.

60 PSI at the end of the membrane. The more pressure the faster you push the water through which is not always a good thing.

at 2 gallons an hour that is 48 gallons a day, you might want to check to see if the restrictor should be bumped up too so it handles the 75 GPD membrane.