ro/di newbie

[kartro]

Hi - I need some tips/advice!

I finally ordered and received my new ro/di unit. It's a spectrapure maxcap ro/di with an add-on drinking water kit. I figured that since the fish will get good water, we may as well too! Anyway, my husband and I couldn't figure out how to install it since we are the opposite of handy so we had someone come out and do it. The unit is located in a cabinet under the sink and it appears to be making water since the water drinking kit canister fills up. But, I have some questions and the directions that come with it are difficult to read and don't go over everything.

First, do you have to turn it on or does it constantly make water unless there's no room for new water to go? The sink always sounds like it's trickling.

Second, how do I make the water for the fish? Connected to the water drinking kit canister is what looks like a check valve. Would I disconnect it there and put that end into a bucket then reconnect it when I have enough water?

Third, I've read about water pressure boosting. How do I know if I need that? How do these TDS monitors work?

If anyone out there wants to share how their water unit is set up, I'd appreciate it!

Thank you!

 

[das75]

If you have a reservoir and you draw from it, you'll hear it drip away for awhile until the res fills back up and the unit shuts off.

For filling a jug, what you could do is just Tee into the output (between the unit and the counter tap) and run a line with a valve on the end. Coil up the line under the counter when not in use. One caution, if just using a jug or pail, you won't have a shutoff when full, so might want to leave the jug in the sink rather than water on the floor so you don't get a flood if you forget about it.

Booster pumps are used if you have low pressure from the tap as the output rolls off with lower pressure. Tables in the link give an idea. Measure you taps pressure but if 50psi + probably not worth the bother.

TDS meter to give an idea when to change the DI resin. In-line is handy but a handheld is easy also.

Below is my unit, drawing from supplier Aquasafe. I've by-passed the 6th stage as using the unit only for the fish. If I was to use for drinking would Tee for the tank between the 6th Stage and the reservoir.

 

[gatorrx98]

My DI chamber is vertical. Should the water level fill the entire canister? I'm getting water, but the canister is only partially filled with water.

I'm a newbie as well and just hooked one up as well.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15501400#post15501400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gatorrx98
My DI chamber is vertical. Should the water level fill the entire canister? I'm getting water, but the canister is only partially filled with water.

I'm a newbie as well and just hooked one up as well.

Mine (( vertical )) has never been filled up. Normally it is only about 1/4 of the way filled up. However it starts to fill up more when my pre-filters are dirty and the pressure drops. So, it is perfectly normal.

 

[gatorrx98]

Thanks for the information. Should I check the TDS prior to using the water?

I really appreciate the information.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15501681#post15501681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gatorrx98
Thanks for the information. Should I check the TDS prior to using the water?

I really appreciate the information.

If you haven't in a while I would. I would test the tap's TDS, the post RO TDS, and then finally post DI TDS. That will give you an indication how all the filters are working.

 

[SpectraPure]

To chip in our opinon-
Some trapped air is normal (as much as 1 inch) , although I would still recommend you "bleed" the excessive air out by either tilting the unit on end while running, or slightly loosening the DI stage having air trapped in it until the air is "belched" out then retighten. (always monitor any system after install/maintenance for at least 72 hours to insure you have not induced a leak somehow. Better to be safe than sorry later).
The amount of air you experience during operation can be effected by a number of variables (souce water, duration of use, pressurized/unpressurized dispense etc).
In general, you want to have your water contact as much of the DI resin within the housing as possible to obtain the most removal of contaminants and longer caridge life.
As others have pointed out, you should be using your dual TDS meters to determine the efficiency of your ro membrane, and subsequently the quality of your product water post DI. If you have any questions on how to do this, give us a call and we can walk you though the process.

If you did not install an auto shut off unit with your system (??) it is likely that the sound you hear is the drain as the unit waste does not shut off unless some isolation valve scheme is employed (auto shutoff, soleniod and presssure switch etc etc). Feel free to call us to review what you bought and get you one if that is a feature you would want.
Just an experience note regarding horizontal DI filters-
most horizontally oriented DI filters tend to suffer from channeling- an effect resulting from horizontal orientation (unlike vertically oriented ones) , wherein the water bypasses the media as the media segragates onto one side of the horizontal chamber (housing) from gravity. You can search elesewhere on the forum and see other r/c members discuss this undesirible effect. In general, vertical orientation of DI cartrdiges is most desired as you will produce better water more reliably than with a horizontal chamber such as described.


bruce
spectrapure

 

[SpectraPure]

Oops-
Mondays are killing me! After posting, I realized you had bought a spectrapure system and I had made an incorrect assumption regarding your system. The DI stages in the spectrapure system are "upflow" and varying amounts of air visible is normal in an upflow orientation as Toddrtrex pointed out correctly. What I failed to point out is in the upflow operation you cannot see is that the water inside the DI cartridge is a column which does have the contact time for proper operation. It is not necessary to bleed the air out in this type of system.
Sorry for the confusion on my part, its off t the coffee brewer for me!
bruce

 

[kartro]

Ok,
So, I would have to Tee in on the blue line that is running from the unit to the canister. How do you do that - what equipment would be needed? The blue line has a check valve in the middle and then connects to the canister. Instead of putting another line on it would it be easier to disconnect it from the check valve or the canister? I'm not sure if that's easily done or not. Also, the unit doesn't "look" like water is flowing through it - it doesn't move or anything - but maybe that's normal. The psi on the gauge is 40 so something must be flowing through, right?
Thanks!

 

[SpectraPure]

I will post a diagram tomorrow on our website showing a possible or typical configuration using a MaxCap and a Drinking Water Kit.

I'll let you know it's available by posting to this thread.

Scott
SpectraPure, Inc.

 

[kartro]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

 

[SpectraPure]

You can find a connection diagram here:

http://www.spectrapure.com/huds/MC-DWK.pdf

Print it out and then compare it to your installation.

Call us, or take this discussion to our forum with any questions you may have.

Scott
SpectraPure, Inc.

 

[shikhyung]

I have a question. I recently moved the system to different location, and disconnect the check valve , the pressuried tank...and connect the DI output to a reservoir tank with a float valve. After the reservoir tank filled, the waiste drain line never stop draining...Do (I need) have to put the pressuried tank back? Thanks.

 

[SpectraPure]

You absolutely need a check valve and an ASO valve to work properly with a float valve. The pressurized tank helps these parts work most effectively.

Scott
SpectraPure, Inc.

 

[shikhyung]

ASO is still there, actually everything still there except the line that go to the pressurized tank which is the tank and the check valve.
1- Where should I place the check valve?
2- Must I put the tank back, since I really not use it?
Thanks

 

[gatorrx98]

After getting my system hooked up, I took samples of my tap, ro and the RODI water. The readings seemed a bit off compared to what I have read. Let me know if this makes since.

Tap: 265 TDS
RO: 115 TDS
RODI: 1 TDS

The final number seems good, but I was expecting >10ppm from the ro filter. Should I assume that the test was off since the RODI reading was 1 ppm?

I really appreciate the feedback.

 

[Mike31154]

RO TDS seems a bit high based on your Tap TDS. My tap TDS is just over 200 and my RO membrane produces 1 to 2 TDS after running for about 5 minutes. The DI stage takes the TDS down to 0. So my RO membrane rejection rate is 98% or better, which is in line with what a 75 gpd membrane should produce. Your figures yield an RO rejection rate of roughly 57% which appears rather low.