Need help with RODI Booster pump

B

biglurr54

New member
I have a 75 GPD RODI unit. My supply is from a well with a shallow well pump. The pump kicks on at 35lbs and it kicks off at 60lbs. I have a 55 gallon barrel that I keep full of RODI water. It takes me about 48 hours to fill the barrel. Clearly I am not near the correct output. Luckly my well is actually a natural spring and whatever water is not used ends up going down a stream so the waste water is not really wasted as I have my waste water line feeding a dry well in the front yard. I still would like to make water faster and be more efficient. (Use less water to make RODI water)

I am looking to get a pressure pump and I have seen some with pressure switches and some without. Do I need a pressure switch? I turn the supply water on and off manually. I do plan to put a solenoid valve on the supply line with a float switch in the barrel but I can also wire a relay in to turn the 110v outlet off for the pump as well. Do these pumps run constantly when making water or do they cycle like the well pump? I feel like a pressure tank would be needed in order to cycle like the well pump.

Please let me know so I can make an informed purchase and save some water!



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Adjusting the pressure switch wouldn't work well. You want a constant 60lbs or greater. To have the well pump at 60 minimum would over run the pump and have too high of pressure on the appliances.

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My well runs 45-60 psi from the pressure tank. I've never bothered with a booster pump, but I'm sure I'm not getting the production the RO/DI is supposed to get. Like you, I don't consider waste water much of a waste... during the summer, it feeds my swimming pool. During the winter, goes back into ground water, which is where the water is being pumped from in the first place.

I've considered a booster pump, but it's never seemed cost effective for me. I did assist a friend recently with a booster pump driven system from AirWaterIce. The pressure switch was adjustable, and worked just fine.

If you're going to have a float valve and an ASOV on your RO system, I wouldn't skip the pressure switch. I'd be afraid I'd burn up the pump, or break something... those booster pumps can produce quite a bit of pressure!
 
I am doing a float switch so it will all be electrical. No asov. I don't trust those. I agree it is hard to justify the cost of a booster pump but everyone who has them swears by them. I hate running the rodi for 48 hours to get 55 gallons. It's supposed to do 75 gallons a day! It seems wasteful. If we have a drought in the summer I worry about the well running dry. It never has but that doesn't mean it won't.

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biglurr54 said:
Adjusting the pressure switch wouldn't work well. You want a constant 60lbs or greater. To have the well pump at 60 minimum would over run the pump and have too high of pressure on the appliances.
Click to expand...

Can't you just move the kick on point up?
 
I JUST finished making some water to open RC and read this thread and first thought that came to mind is I LOVE MY BOOSTER PUMP! Best tank investment I've ever made, EVER!
I'm not on well water and my tap is around 190 TDS with temp around 78-82F and with feeding it at ~90 psi I will get more out of a booster pump than most, but I'd still recommend it to everyone. The lower you are from 70F and 60psi the more you'll get out of one, besides extending the life of your well pump and DI resin. They are not even that expensive when compared to other items/livestock we get for our tanks yet probably have a bigger/better impact.
 
I am on well water as well. Our pressure is normally between 30-50 psi. I have a 75gpd rodi and bought the aquatic life smart buddie. It's a booster with high and low pressure switches and auto flushes the membrane. I get 1-2 gallons of waste per gallon of rodi with this beast. I can fill my brute trash can in a few hours.
 
Im on well water too and our pressure is set to kick on once it gets below 40 PSI and to turn off at 60 PSI. Sure I could adjust the pressure on the well pump but why even take the risk? You will use more electricity, your well pump will have a shorter life, and maybe some pipe in the house will leak! Not worth it! Buy the booster pump. I lose 5 PSI from the pipes to my RO unit. So my pressure swings anywhere from 35PSI to 55 PSI which sucks big time on production and burns resin fast. So this week I ordered a booster pump but havent had the time to get it setup yet... Im sure it will pro bally double my water production from currently 2 gallons/hr to maybe 4! Booster pump is well worth the cost IMO!!
 
biglurr54 said:
I have a 75 GPD RODI unit. My supply is from a well with a shallow well pump. The pump kicks on at 35lbs and it kicks off at 60lbs. I have a 55 gallon barrel that I keep full of RODI water. It takes me about 48 hours to fill the barrel. Clearly I am not near the correct output. Luckly my well is actually a natural spring and whatever water is not used ends up going down a stream so the waste water is not really wasted as I have my waste water line feeding a dry well in the front yard. I still would like to make water faster and be more efficient. (Use less water to make RODI water)

I am looking to get a pressure pump and I have seen some with pressure switches and some without. Do I need a pressure switch? I turn the supply water on and off manually. I do plan to put a solenoid valve on the supply line with a float switch in the barrel but I can also wire a relay in to turn the 110v outlet off for the pump as well. Do these pumps run constantly when making water or do they cycle like the well pump? I feel like a pressure tank would be needed in order to cycle like the well pump.

Please let me know so I can make an informed purchase and save some water!
Click to expand...

We have set booster pumps up with pressure tanks, but that is an unusual/job specific configuration.

The typical set up has the DI going to a float valve, and a pressure switch on the tube leading to the float switch. There are many ways to set it up to keep the pump from short cycling every time the reservoir evaporates an 1/8".

This might be helpful:

Buckeye-Hydro-HP-Booster-Config_zps372b9df8.png


Russ
 
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