RO/DI waste won't shutoff

[Slickdonkey]

That sounds like just the ticket, keep us posted!

 

[Slickdonkey]

Well, I am about to tear my hair out here. I have tried two different ASVs, two different float valves, three different flow restrictors, added a booster pump, and replaced all prefilters and membranes (needed to be done anyway).

There's nothing left to replace. Why won't my $^&$&^# waste water shut off?!

 

[Scooterman]

Bypass the4 ASV & see how the unit works without it!

 

[Slickdonkey]

Bypass the4 ASV & see how the unit works without it!

I'm confused; without the ASV how will it shut off? The unit is working fine other than it won't shut off the waste.

 

[DonW]

You are sure the float valves are sealing?

Don

 

[Slickdonkey]

You are sure the float valves are sealing?

Don

No, I wouldn't say so. In fact, when the reservoir is "full" I can still pull up slightly on the valve and voila, the water shuts off. So I thought I needed a new float valve, but when told this to the guys who sold it to me, they said the ASV was most likely bad.

However, I also have a valve and tee before my DI so I can make RO-only water for my wife's freshwater tank. If I take the DI completely offline and divert all water to the RO, this float valve (different type) doesn't shut the water off either.

It seems unlikely that both valves would fail in this manner but I'm really not sure what else to try.

Well Don, as soon as you come out with that dual-float shutoff I think I'll have you get one of those for me

 

[DonW]

No, I wouldn't say so. In fact, when the reservoir is "full" I can still pull up slightly on the valve and voila, the water shuts off. So I thought I needed a new float valve, but when told this to the guys who sold it to me, they said the ASV was most likely bad.

However, I also have a valve and tee before my DI so I can make RO-only water for my wife's freshwater tank. If I take the DI completely offline and divert all water to the RO, this float valve (different type) doesn't shut the water off either.

It seems unlikely that both valves would fail in this manner but I'm really not sure what else to try.

Well Don, as soon as you come out with that dual-float shutoff I think I'll have you get one of those for me

That wont be long I think they are due in next week. Anyways just disconnect the float valve and put in a jg ball valve. Turn it off. If the waste shuts off then you have a junk float valve.

Make Sense
Don

 

[Scooterman]

Seems like your floats if can't be adjusted to move the lever completely to shout it off then Yep you need something better, dual floats would do the trick!

 

[Slickdonkey]

That wont be long I think they are due in next week. Anyways just disconnect the float valve and put in a jg ball valve. Turn it off. If the waste shuts off then you have a junk float valve.

Hmmm, I gave it a try and the water still wouldn't shut off.

I guess I can't be 100% sure the waste was shutting off when I pulled up on the valve as a mentioned previously; I was just looking at the membrane pressure. My waste line goes outside the house and I can't see it. I could try it again and put the waste into a bucket where I can actually see it.

Is it possible I have two bad ASVs? It seems unlikely but I don't know what else it could be. Can hooking them up wrong damage them? I know I had it backwards when I initially set it up.

Mine has labels: 1,2,3,4. #1 is the input from prefilters. #2 goes to the RO membranes. #3 is connected to the output of the dual membranes. #4 goes to the DI.

 

[Scooterman]

Sounds like if you can actually lift the lever slightly & it sounds like it shuts off It probably does. From what I've seen in the past dealing with floats, If you can't adjust it so it can move the lever completely, adding a second float or a biger one should do the trick, I know the Kent floats are big, maybe why they seem to work well for a cheapy. I would wait until Don can get you the dual floaters, after all the crap you replaced It should be making a a ton of water a day & shutting off. I doubt the switch was ever bad. The thing that really sucks is trying to help on-line & not actually being there.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Well I'm at the end of my rope. Replaced the ASV again on the recommendation of the folks at Airwaterice and it didn't help. My waste water won't shut off no matter what I do!

 

[Scooterman]

does this thing have a float like in a toilet?
When the ASV in a toilet won't shut off we would adjust the float, sometimes that was adding a slight bend to support shaft. Sorry maybe Don has more Ideas :

 

[DonW]

Do you have any other valves like a drinking water tap or a refrigerator line leaving the unit pre di.

Don

 

[Slickdonkey]

does this thing have a float like in a toilet?
When the ASV in a toilet won't shut off we would adjust the float, sometimes that was adding a slight bend to support shaft. Sorry maybe Don has more Ideas :

Yes, I have one of the Kent valves and one of the Spectrapure valves. I'm pretty sure it's not the Spectrapure valve because I closed off the line to it entirely per Don's advice above and there was no change. Which brings me to...

Do you have any other valves like a drinking water tap or a refrigerator line leaving the unit pre di.

I do have a Kent float valve that goes to an RO-only reservoir. I'll troubleshoot that later today and see if it's causing the problem. I don't know why I didn't think to look at this one before. I'm running out of parts to replace here so I've got to be narrowing in on the solution.

 

[Slickdonkey]

Ok, the other float valve was not the problem. But that doesn't mean I'm not an idiot... I think I found the problem. My flush valve is open! It's not marked and it wasn't obvious which way was open or closed.

What I didn't realize is that the membranes still produce product water even when the flush valve is open.

However, now I'm getting a funny problem that has to do with the ASV I assume... it only seems to shut off for a minute or so, and I see the pressure at the input to the RO unit go up to 100psi from the backpressure of the closed ASV. Then it must open or something, because everything starts vibrating like crazy and some waste water comes out, the pressure drops, and then the valve starts to close again and it starts all over again. Any idea what's going on here?

 

[Scooterman]

Ahh, Ye ol flush valve, yea that would never let it shut off LOL!

Not sure if the overpressure is causing it to release & make a short burst or what, maybe Don has had that happen.

 

[DonW]

Thats funny. I didnt want to insult you by asking if the valve was open. Is your booster pump shutting down at the right pressure?

Don

 

[Slickdonkey]

Haha, thanks Don. I guess sometimes it's up to people to realize their own stupidity.

Actually the booster pump is back at the manufacturer now as it didn't seem to be working properly. But when it was installed, yes, the pressure shut-off was working fine. I'm not sure how much pressure those ASV's are rated to take. Actually, since I closed the flush valve I've only measured the backpressure at the input of the RO and not at the shutoff valve.

 

[Slickdonkey]

I tried another ASV just for kicks, same problem. I'll see if I can find what these are rated for.

I may just have to get a shutoff solenoid, that would solve all my problems.

 

[DonW]

I tried another ASV just for kicks, same problem. I'll see if I can find what these are rated for.

I may just have to get a shutoff solenoid, that would solve all my problems.

I would guess you have a very small leak some where. My pressure goes up to 98 just before the asv shuts down.

Don