AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
I think it gets hotter and the monsoons last longer each year. Either that or I'm gettin old and soft!
RO/DI Unit recommendations?
- Thread starter Sheni Angel
- Start date
Hi everyone. I am very new to this hobby and have been doing tons of reading and research. I know I need to do tons more but lately I am trying to get a handle on how reverse osmosis systems are installed in your house.
My husband says you have to have a plumber to hook them up since neither one of us is handy with tools.
I just read jumpingcatus post and he was saying he hooks it up to his faucet as needed. This sounds great to me....but how does that work?
I guess my real question is...in order to have an RO/DI unit do I have to install it in my house? Because we are seriously not handy with tools AT ALL....i mean which is the phillips screwdriver again? the one with the star hahahaha .....there is an example of how bad off I am with tools. My husbands fairs slightly better but not much.
Anyway I am very confused as to how these are installed in your home. Perhaps I should just buy my water? Would be nice to be able to hook it up to the sink but what kind works like that?
Please try not to laugh too hard over my ignorance
But all this waste water sounds like it could be costly to me. Is it actually less expensive to get an RO/DI unit or buy the water at the grocery store?
Thanks in advance for any help
My husband says you have to have a plumber to hook them up since neither one of us is handy with tools.
I just read jumpingcatus post and he was saying he hooks it up to his faucet as needed. This sounds great to me....but how does that work?
I guess my real question is...in order to have an RO/DI unit do I have to install it in my house? Because we are seriously not handy with tools AT ALL....i mean which is the phillips screwdriver again? the one with the star hahahaha .....there is an example of how bad off I am with tools. My husbands fairs slightly better but not much.
Anyway I am very confused as to how these are installed in your home. Perhaps I should just buy my water? Would be nice to be able to hook it up to the sink but what kind works like that?
Please try not to laugh too hard over my ignorance
But all this waste water sounds like it could be costly to me. Is it actually less expensive to get an RO/DI unit or buy the water at the grocery store? Thanks in advance for any help
Sheni Angel
New member
Thanks, Pnosko. I think i will most likely give Brian a call on my next day with free time. Sounds like a good idea.
THANKS for all the help and thoughts of different ways to do this, guys!
My garage is insulated, AZDesertRAt.
jumpincactus, I'll let you get away with it since you gave me so much useful information beforehand.
Glimmer2, that is exactly the thoughts going through my head! Different methods and trying to figure what's right for my home, when I DON'T have any sinks besides the kitchen and bathrooms, FAR from the garage. jumpincactus sounds like it might be what I have to do as well.
I would DEFINATELY get an R/O Unit though! I have been using 2-3 gallons a day in evaporation and already paid Safeway a fortune in R/O Water. :lol: It is ABSOLUTELY the cheapest way to go. ~Sheni
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
An RO or RO/DI unit can be installed under your kitchen sink or in your laundry room/garage in less than 30 minutes with a very few simple tools like a screwdriver, utility knife or scissors and maybe a 1/4" or similar sized drill bit. Most come with a self piercing valve that you install on the cold water pipe that goes to the faucet using a screwdriver. You just attach it and turn the handle so it pierces the copper or poly tubing to allow water to flow. Next you attach a drain saddle to the sink drain again with the screwdriver and drill a small hole for the waste line to dump in to. If it has a drinking water kit you install the faucet in one of the predrilled holes in the top of your sink like your sprayer or maybe soap dispenser fits into. That may be a problem for some people here as not all sinks have an extra hole, fortunately mine did.
Finally you attach all the 1/4" lines, normally these are color coded and you just cut the length to fit and push them in, they seal on their own with most units while some still have a nut that needs to be tightened. Good vendors provide clear directions and can be easily contacted if you need support. Run about 5 gallons to waste to rinse everything and you are done.
You can also get the portable type mentioned above that have no permanent connections. You use a faucet adapter that screws on to the kitchen faucet or to a hose bib or the washing machine cold water feed and run the waste line to a nearby sink drain or other collection point if you want to use the water for other purposes. You just disconnect it when not in use.
They really are pretty simple and I much prefer the permanent type as we use it for drinking water and the ice maker too. www.airwaterice.com has some pretty easy to read installation directions on their website you can look at before deciding.
Finally you attach all the 1/4" lines, normally these are color coded and you just cut the length to fit and push them in, they seal on their own with most units while some still have a nut that needs to be tightened. Good vendors provide clear directions and can be easily contacted if you need support. Run about 5 gallons to waste to rinse everything and you are done.
You can also get the portable type mentioned above that have no permanent connections. You use a faucet adapter that screws on to the kitchen faucet or to a hose bib or the washing machine cold water feed and run the waste line to a nearby sink drain or other collection point if you want to use the water for other purposes. You just disconnect it when not in use.
They really are pretty simple and I much prefer the permanent type as we use it for drinking water and the ice maker too. www.airwaterice.com has some pretty easy to read installation directions on their website you can look at before deciding.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Don't test salt water. Its probably really reading 2000 not 20 after adding salt. Your meter has probably switched to the high mode so only show 20 rather than 2000.
I'll bet you can fill a bucket with RO or RO/DI and stick your arm in it and get a reading of 20 or thereabouts. DI water is very agressive and wants to attract anything it can to get back to its natural dirty state.
I'll bet you can fill a bucket with RO or RO/DI and stick your arm in it and get a reading of 20 or thereabouts. DI water is very agressive and wants to attract anything it can to get back to its natural dirty state.
