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Questions about spectrapure 90gpd unit


NanoGeek

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My spectrapure 90gpd unit just arrived today in the mail and my question is if I dont want to hook it up under the sink is there any harm in just taking it outside and hooking it up to the waterhose when I need to use it? Probably once a week to get 10 gallons or so.

 

Also where do I tap in a ball valve to clean out the tds creep each time I use it?

 

Thanks in advance!

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AZDesertRat

You really need to keep it in a climate controlled space out of direct lighting. Membranes are damaged by anything over 113 degrees and it can easily get to that in the sun. They are also damaged by freezing temperatures when water expands and ruptures the membrane and cracks the housings.

 

On top of that bright lighting leads to algae, bacteria and virus growth inside the housings since the carbon removes all traces of residual chlorine disinfectant. Then you add the DI resin to the mix and heat and cold also affect its lifespan and effectiveness.

 

Keep it in the house and use a faucet adapter or my preference is a garden hose type splitter on the washing machines cold water supply. You can also buy a feed water adapter whch fits under the sink and which you can shut off when not in use and disconnect the RO/DI and store it somewhere else or just leave it there. I would not use it outside.

 

For TDS creep you install a 1/4" tee with a ball valve on the side outlet leg between the RO membrane and the DI filter so each time you start the system you open the valve and flush the initial water sitting in the membrane to the drain until the TDS drops.

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You really need to keep it in a climate controlled space out of direct lighting. Membranes are damaged by anything over 113 degrees and it can easily get to that in the sun. They are also damaged by freezing temperatures when water expands and ruptures the membrane and cracks the housings.

 

On top of that bright lighting leads to algae, bacteria and virus growth inside the housings since the carbon removes all traces of residual chlorine disinfectant. Then you add the DI resin to the mix and heat and cold also affect its lifespan and effectiveness.

 

Keep it in the house and use a faucet adapter or my preference is a garden hose type splitter on the washing machines cold water supply. You can also buy a feed water adapter whch fits under the sink and which you can shut off when not in use and disconnect the RO/DI and store it somewhere else or just leave it there. I would not use it outside.

 

For TDS creep you install a 1/4" tee with a ball valve on the side outlet leg between the RO membrane and the DI filter so each time you start the system you open the valve and flush the initial water sitting in the membrane to the drain until the TDS drops.

Well I wasn't planning on keeping it outside, just taking it when I need to use it. My faucet is under a shaded screened in patio.

 

Now that you mention it though, I looked and have easy access to my washing machine plumbing and a place to mount the filter next to it. Plus it will be easy to just put the waste water down the washing machine drain. Thanks for this advice, I think I will go this route.

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AZDesertRat

Make sure you don't just shove the waste line down the drain, that violates health and plumbing codes as it is a direct cross connection. let the waste line hover above the drain and drip into it, an air gap, so there is no chance of sewage getting back to the RO.

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righttirefire

I see where you're going with the concept. But technically it's gray water. If you have sewage coming up your drain lines you have bigger issues

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Make sure you don't just shove the waste line down the drain, that violates health and plumbing codes as it is a direct cross connection. let the waste line hover above the drain and drip into it, an air gap, so there is no chance of sewage getting back to the RO.

Thats no problem to zip tie the waste line above the drain, but I'm a little confused as to what it violates?

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AZDesertRat

The Uniform Plumbing Code and most if not all local and state health and plumbing codes. RO systems sold by large vendors have air gap faucets which mount on the sink and prevent any cross connections or potential cross connections. Health codes consider potable water and non-potable water, doesn't matter if it is gray water or black water, it is non-potable.

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The drain stack of the washing machine goes to the sewer. The drain stack has sewer gas in it, which you do not want accidentally going into the RODI unit. Also, upper story toilets often drain into the washing machine drain stack.

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I get it now, thanks for the replies! I will make sure my waste line hangs above the drain and has an air gap.

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jamescstein

Another important thing to remember is you need to keep the membrane wet. So if you disconnected it, put valves on the in and out to keep water in the unit when its disconnected.

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AZDesertRat

You don't really need valves as long as when you disconnect it you keep the lines up at the bracket height and not drooping down so it siphons out.

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Thanks for all the replies!

 

Well I had a little trouble getting it hooked up to the washing machine cold water side, I will either need some extensions for the water line because it sits back in a little box and I cant fit a tee valve to it, or I can mount it somewhere else.

 

Would on the wall in my garage would be too hot for it? I have another garden hose out by my garage door I could just pull in and hook up as needed, then put the lines up high above it when not in use to keep the water in it? Then I could just let the waste water run out of the garage and not have to worry about the washing machine drain.

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AZDesertRat

My RO/DI is mounted on the wall in my garage over a laundry sink next to the washer and dryer. I do have an insulated garage door so it stays a reasonable temperature inside. The feed is a wye on the washer cold water supply and the waste is suspended above the high water level of the laundry sink to prevent and cross connections.

A 75 GPD RO/DI only uses about a quart a minute at the recommended 4:1 waste ratio so a garden hose feeding from outside in Florida in the summer is going to get pretty warm, easily over 113 degrees which is the maximum for a membrane if it is in the sun. I don't like outdoor feeds no matter how well you try to protect them.

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My RO/DI is mounted on the wall in my garage over a laundry sink next to the washer and dryer. I do have an insulated garage door so it stays a reasonable temperature inside. The feed is a wye on the washer cold water supply and the waste is suspended above the high water level of the laundry sink to prevent and cross connections.

A 75 GPD RO/DI only uses about a quart a minute at the recommended 4:1 waste ratio so a garden hose feeding from outside in Florida in the summer is going to get pretty warm, easily over 113 degrees which is the maximum for a membrane if it is in the sun. I don't like outdoor feeds no matter how well you try to protect them.

I got it hooked up tonight inside using the washer faucet. I put an extension and a splitter on it so both can work, plus the splitter works as a regulator too I found out. Max water pressure was close to 80, so I dialed it back down to 60 per the instructions, and am letting it make its first few gallons and check for leaks right now. Also I am timing how long it takes to make 5 gallons, so I can set a timer each time I use it to keep from having any floods.

 

I also put a tee and a couple valves between the ro and di filter so I can flush it before I use it. I suspended both the waste water and the flush drain above the washer drain.

 

Everything is looking great right now! Thanks for all the help!

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AZDesertRat

Crank the pressure up, the higher the better. Membranes love pressure and the higher it is the more efficient the membrane becomes making your DI last longer. The 60 psi is a liability thing vendors use but membranes are rated at 150 psi working pressure and name brand ANSI/NSF and UPC rated housings and fittings have a 125 to 150 psi working pressure rating. I have run at 95-100 psi with a booster pump for over 7 years now and get 150+ GPD out of a 75 GPD RO membrane at 99.4% rejection rate.

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Crank the pressure up, the higher the better. Membranes love pressure and the higher it is the more efficient the membrane becomes making your DI last longer. The 60 psi is a liability thing vendors use but membranes are rated at 150 psi working pressure and name brand ANSI/NSF and UPC rated housings and fittings have a 125 to 150 psi working pressure rating. I have run at 95-100 psi with a booster pump for over 7 years now and get 150+ GPD out of a 75 GPD RO membrane at 99.4% rejection rate.

That I didnt know. Ok next time I turn it on I will just turn it up all the way to 80.

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AZDesertRat

Where did you find an adapter with a pressure regulator? I have never seen one.

Did you remove the filters, disconnect the line to the membrane and the DI and flush each filter individually so they didn't contaminate the things downstream? This will make everything last longer since you flush the glues, binders, carbon dust and antimicrobials down the drain and not in to the next filter in line and to the DI. I have done many posts and threads on proper set up, disinfection and filter replacements on all the popular reef forums.

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I also I'm planning the temporary thing because I don't have a garage, and my washer and dryer are located outside under a hut.

 

Where did you find an adapter with a pressure regulator? I have never seen one.

Did you remove the filters, disconnect the line to the membrane and the DI and flush each filter individually so they didn't contaminate the things downstream? This will make everything last longer since you flush the glues, binders, carbon dust and antimicrobials down the drain and not in to the next filter in line and to the DI. I have done many posts and threads on proper set up, disinfection and filter replacements on all the popular reef forums.

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Where did you find an adapter with a pressure regulator? I have never seen one.

Did you remove the filters, disconnect the line to the membrane and the DI and flush each filter individually so they didn't contaminate the things downstream? This will make everything last longer since you flush the glues, binders, carbon dust and antimicrobials down the drain and not in to the next filter in line and to the DI. I have done many posts and threads on proper set up, disinfection and filter replacements on all the popular reef forums.

Its not exactly a regulator, it was just a splitter that had a ball valve on each side. Found out it can kind of act like a regulator by closing off the ball valve a little and watch the pressure drop in the rodi unit to 60psi, but from now on I will just run it at full pressure.

 

Unfortunately no I didnt take out each filter and flush them individually. I just read the instructions from spectrapure and followed them to hook it up. When I change filters though I will be sure to flush each filter as you say from now on. Thanks for that advice!

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AZDesertRat

Restricting the flow(volume) is not the same as restricting the pressure. Open it up all the way always, you never want to starve a membrane.

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Restricting the flow(volume) is not the same as restricting the pressure. Open it up all the way always, you never want to starve a membrane.

 

What would you recommend I do? I am renting at my place and my washer and dryer are outside, and I really can not mess with the plumbing in the bathrooms. I was planning to just hang it somewhere outside by the hose when I need to use it, and make sure I flush it out when I finished

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AZDesertRat

One option is buy a faucet adapter and hook it to a back bathroom faucet that does not see much use. RO membranes are slow, 24 full hours or more under perfect conditions to make 75 gallons of treated water so hook it up somewhere you can tie up the faucet for hours at a time.

My personal preference would be a feed water adapter you would install under the sink next to the wall valve on the cold water supply and which can be removed with no evidence it was ever there. This does not tie the faucet up so you can still wash your hands etc.

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One option is buy a faucet adapter and hook it to a back bathroom faucet that does not see much use. RO membranes are slow, 24 full hours or more under perfect conditions to make 75 gallons of treated water so hook it up somewhere you can tie up the faucet for hours at a time.

My personal preference would be a feed water adapter you would install under the sink next to the wall valve on the cold water supply and which can be removed with no evidence it was ever there. This does not tie the faucet up so you can still wash your hands etc.

 

Yeah I would use way less then 75 gallons. A Feed Water adapter? I wouldn't have to make any holes on the pluming or take anything apart?

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You'll have to disconnect the cold water supply under the sink to add the tee, but it is all reversible. Go to your home improvement store and tell them that you need to add an ice maker line to the sink. Do not use a self piercing saddle valve. The part you need, I believe, is a 3/8" x3/8" x 1/4" tee. I tried to find one online, but am drawing a blank on the exact terminology

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