RO/DI filter hook-up in apartment?

[grimlykindo]

I'm in the process of buying a small RO\DI filter and am starting to worry about hooking it up to the pipes in my apartment. I would like to put it under the sink in my bathroom - Its obvious that I'm going to be damaging pipes when hooking it up so what happens when I move out and disconnect it? Will I need to replace the pipes? How common are leaks with ro filters? Any input would be appreciated!

 

[NirvanaFan]

I never damaged pipes when I had mine under my kitchen sink. My RO/DI came with a brass T. All I had to do was unhook the flexible cold water line where it connects to the copper pipe, put the T in, and then hook the flexible line up to the top of the T. Every time I wanted to make water I would stick the waste end of the RODI tube into the sink, and put the good end in my 5 gallon bucket. It worked for the year I was in the apartment.

 

[jenglish]

I have an attachment to hook it up to the faucet.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have an attachment to hook it up to the faucet.

That is what I do too

 

[grimlykindo]

Awesome guys - thanks! It is settled - I will use a faucet adapter! Thanks for the pics! Now to order my RO unit - no more carrying buckets in the snow and up the stairs for me!

 

[fooseball08]

You might want to install a float valve in your bucket or trashcan you are using so you don't forget about it and run water all over the floor

 

[grimlykindo]

You might want to install a float valve in your bucket or trashcan you are using so you don't forget about it and run water all over the floor

Thanks for the tip - the unit I ordered does come with a spot to attach a float valve - I plan on using it in my bathroom and filling the buckets in my bathtub so any overflow will go down the tub drain. When I get a larger storage container I will definitely be using a float valve.
Thanks again to everybody for their input!

 

[DC_40gallon]

Grimlykindo - My 2 cents and additional to all the great advice above....

I did the same thing not but a week ago when setting up my unit in our apartment. I bought 30 feet of tubing for the RO/DI water and that way I put all my buckets in the bathtub and if I forgot about it, ohwell down the drain.

I also noticed your in MN. Here is a solution that I learned from another site that will impress the hell out of you for simplicity and common sense. Get a small 2-3 gallon bucket at any hardware or dollar store. Buy 30 feet of tubing of the tap water line. Coil it all up and put it in your 2-3 gallon bucket. Then go and buy a cheap $10 heater at walmart or wherever nearby. You have to use cold tap water as it will destroy your membrane if you use hot water due to the 100-120 degree heat. Soooooo, throw in that heater in your small bucket, fill it up with enough water to cover the heater and tubing and crank on that cold water line. In MN I bet you are getting SUPER cold water in the winter. The colder the water the slower your output is on your unit.

Now you have a contraption that when you turn on your cold water line, it goes through 30 feet of tubing coiled up in 80-85 degree water heated by your heater, by the time it goes through that 30 feet of line it will be 60-70 degrees or so (back to cold water temps on those summer days). This will greatly increase your output during the winter on your RO/DI unit.

 

[bmw-legend]

I hook it up to the faucet in my apt...

 

[csal1-175]

Home depot has an adator that you can clamp to your copper pipe and has a valve with a 1/4 tubing connection..
http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Plumbing-Pipe-Fittings-Valves/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xh7Zbbl6/R-100638013/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[super six 5]

You might want to install a float valve in your bucket or trashcan you are using so you don't forget about it and run water all over the floor

Haha, I've done that like four times now. :crazy1:

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Here's a great solution , especially in situations where you don't want to make any permanant changes to the plumbing:

Russ

 

[stevek480]

Thanks for the tip - the unit I ordered does come with a spot to attach a float valve - I plan on using it in my bathroom and filling the buckets in my bathtub so any overflow will go down the tub drain. When I get a larger storage container I will definitely be using a float valve.
Thanks again to everybody for their input!

Good idea! I need to get some longer tubing so I can run it in the bathtub as well. I've flooded the bathroom a few too many times.

 

[ttsNJreef]

I did the same thing not but a week ago when setting up my unit in our apartment. I bought 30 feet of tubing for the RO/DI water and that way I put all my buckets in the bathtub and if I forgot about it, ohwell down the drain.

i've made this mistake a few too many times, leaving the RO unit on and flooding the kitchen floor. the tub is a great safety net.

i use the valve recommended by BuckeyeFS. its the perfect solution in a bathroom or kitchen where there is a flexible line to a faucet. now i just need to move it from the kitchen to the bathroom...

 

[HKAVR45]

I too am in an apartment and didn't want to make any permanent changes to the plumbing. In the past I've gone the faucet adapter route, but this time I wanted something a little more stationary.

I was able to hook the ro/di up in the laundry room using the water feed for the washing machine. A brass Y adapter splits the cold water line. One side to the washer and the other to a garden hose adapter and then to a JG fitting. The waste can either go down the washing machine drain, or be used to fill the washer.

 

[lewk]

I too am in an apartment and didn't want to make any permanent changes to the plumbing. In the past I've gone the faucet adapter route, but this time I wanted something a little more stationary.

I was able to hook the ro/di up in the laundry room using the water feed for the washing machine. A brass Y adapter splits the cold water line. One side to the washer and the other to a garden hose adapter and then to a JG fitting. The waste can either go down the washing machine drain, or be used to fill the washer.

I'm not in an apartment, but I use this same method. Fill the washer with the waste water and use that to wash my clothes.

 

[Daniel Reef]

Nice tank.

 

[scarolina01]

I'm in a single level condo and would like to add an RO/DI unit to my setup. Thanks for the helpful info. I never considered just having the RO/DI unit "mobile" and not have it mounted and connected permanently.

 

[grimlykindo]

Grimlykindo - My 2 cents and additional to all the great advice above....

I did the same thing not but a week ago when setting up my unit in our apartment. I bought 30 feet of tubing for the RO/DI water and that way I put all my buckets in the bathtub and if I forgot about it, ohwell down the drain.

I also noticed your in MN. Here is a solution that I learned from another site that will impress the hell out of you for simplicity and common sense. Get a small 2-3 gallon bucket at any hardware or dollar store. Buy 30 feet of tubing of the tap water line. Coil it all up and put it in your 2-3 gallon bucket. Then go and buy a cheap $10 heater at walmart or wherever nearby. You have to use cold tap water as it will destroy your membrane if you use hot water due to the 100-120 degree heat. Soooooo, throw in that heater in your small bucket, fill it up with enough water to cover the heater and tubing and crank on that cold water line. In MN I bet you are getting SUPER cold water in the winter. The colder the water the slower your output is on your unit.

Now you have a contraption that when you turn on your cold water line, it goes through 30 feet of tubing coiled up in 80-85 degree water heated by your heater, by the time it goes through that 30 feet of line it will be 60-70 degrees or so (back to cold water temps on those summer days). This will greatly increase your output during the winter on your RO/DI unit.

Thanks for the info! Yes, the water does get pretty cold in the winter here in MN - I have tons of 5 gallon buckets and an extra heater so I will probably be trying that in the next couple months! I'm just so glad to not have to be carrying buckets up the stairs anymore - I live on the 3rd floor and there is no elevator...plus my LFS charges $.45 a gallon for RO and $1.00 a gallon for premixed salt. I will be saving alot of money on waterchanges now

 

[cbrewer9]

That is what I do too

Did u get that at home depot

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