RODI setup/installation questions

[Wonf]

(not sure if this is the right forum...)

Hi guys,

Finally getting around to getting a RODI system (had to wait until my RO water cooler/heater contract ended). Before I even get into which RODI system to get, I've got some questions about installation. Sorry in advance if some of these questions are stupid, and of course tia for your responses.

Couple things in advance:
I want to have RO water filled into a pressurized 5 gal tank under the sink for RO water via a sink faucet AND have RO water run into my refrigerators water/ice maker. RODI water will fill a large tank in the garage.

The RODI system that'll eventually fill up a large water container in the garage:
- Is the setup different for a "fill as you go/need" setup vs a automatically filled container with an ASO (is that even the right acronym for automatic shut off?) sensor installed?

- Is there a limit to the length/distance I can run the 1/4" rigid tubing? Can it travel up and down?

- I'm contemplating where I should install the RODI...

a) in my garage. My water heater tank is in my garage. Is it difficult to tap into the line going into the water heater? If not, I would have the RODI there, filling my water container in the garage. I would have to tee off the RO water into my kitchen (about a 15-20 ft run to the bottom of sink and 10-15 ft to fridge). Can I just tee off/split the RO water line into 2???

b) under sink - this might be the easiest as I could probably re-use some/all of the water connections that are already there feeding my RO Water cooler/heater. If I could install the RO filters and 5 gallon tank under the sink, then I would need to run it from there to the fridge and the DI filters in the garage. Or just install the entire RODI under the sink, run the RO in the tank and fridge, and run the RODI to a tank in the garage...

- how is the RODI water output controlled? is it just a valve that can be manually turned or automatically via a aso sensor?

Sorry for super long post.... I'm fairly handy, work on mostly everything in the house, but plumbing is probably what I'm least experienced at... Want to do as much research ahead of time as possible and make sure I order the right parts needed as well...

Now to start looking into which RODI system to buy... I see some people with 4, 5, even 6 canisters. Are the extra canisters worth it? I'm ashamed to say I don't know what TDS my tap water is... I live in SoCal, just north of LA in Valencia/Santa Clarita... know I have very hard water, but does that necessarily mean its high TDS water???

 

[Spooky_Whizz]

Hopefully someone can answer most of your questions. I can help with couple of them. Your water has a lot of contaminants (I live not too far) so I would recommend getting a minimum of 5 or possibly 6. My RODI system got delivered yesterday which I will setup this weekend. I got a 6 stage Deluxe Plus unit from BRS and cost about $290. It has dual DI resin canisters and has TDS meter and pressure gauge.

 

[Ocelaris]

I have a similar set up. There's a lot of questions, but it's not that complicated. Just tee off the output of the ro line for your under sink pressurized tank (no di for drinking as it's not biologically safe?). Take one of the lines for the di system and hook that to an aso on your fresh water system. You will need a pressure sensing shut off on the ro line (it can be mechanical or electric if you get a booster pump).

It might help to make a drawing so we can critique your proposed design. And yes, ro output is pressurized so you can run a significant distance up or sideways. Figure you lose about 15 psi for each story you go up in a house. If you get a booster pump this isn't an issue. I added a little pressure to my faucet tank to compensate for having it in the basement. Brs sells a good kit, and I'm sure if you give them a ring they'll help you out with any questions.

 

[Wonf]

Thanks. Here's a drawing... (I am a horrible artist.....)

At this point, I "think" this would be the best/easiest design... Any/all opinions welcome! In case it's not clear, the drawing has the RO unit under the sink with the 3 gal (?) pressurized tank for RO water via a sink faucet. RO would also be fed into the fridge and the DI unit which would be in the garage by the water container. One major question is if I fill my RODI container manually, do I just turn a valve between the RO and DI units? If I want it done automatically, do I install a sensor in the RODI water container and have it electrically shut a valve between the RO and DI units?

 

[Ocelaris]

That's correct, the mechanical auto shut off valve goes before the three way split. The pressure shut off looks like this

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/1-4-auto-shut-off-valve.html

The ato for the storage container looks like this:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/ro-float-valve.html

 

[Ocelaris]

I've never run 30 feet for the rodi, but I don't think that would be a problem, but I use a diaphragm pump hooked up to a float valve on my tank. So I have my salt and freshwater storage, then a separate ato top off container which holds about 20 gallons. That 20 gallons uses the diaphragm pump to get the water through 1/4" tubing like 35 feet and works great.

 

[Wonf]

Sorry for the confusion, the ~30 ft to fish tank was really an unnecessary piece of info on the drawing... Maybe at one point, I'll try and get an ato going, but at this point, prolly not. the location of my tank (on an outside wall as you walk into my house just

So, the mechanical auto shut off valve (which is the same things as the pressure shut off) goes in after the RO, but before the 3 way split... Then I can put a float valve shutoff in the RODI container which will stop the flow to the DI portion of the RODI.

Quick question about the RO running to the fridge. I think there's one RO connection to the back of my fridge for water and ice making. Assuming the fridge will have some sort of auto shut off internally, right? (sorry, sounds like a dumb question as I'm typing it and after too, but you never know... just want to try and get everything designed correctly so I can purchase everything once [hopefully] haha)

 

[JoshH]

@Buckeye Hydro your thoughts on this setup? To me i would be concerned about the pressure in the line to the fridge and it might be worth it to T the fridge off ATFER the pressurized tank for your faucet instead of after the RO itself. Your fridge will have an internal storage tank for water to chill and it will shut itself off as well when full.

 

[cracker]

I teed off the clothes washer . Also I gotta sat your going to need a refractometer .

 

[Ocelaris]

I have a one way check valve after the ro before the tee, sorry forgot to mention that. But I'm not sure it's strictly necessary. The pressure tank is strictly to add pressure for the faucet/fridge, and it shouldn't really matter where it goes as there is only one fitting for it. Ie it's not going in and out, it goes both ways, so wherever there is a pressure drop the storage tank will push water to it. I would recommend plenty of shut offs to separate the systems when you need to clean or swap out filters. I must have 4 or 5 at various locations. I even have an ato running to a humidifier that runs all winter.

 

[Wonf]

having the pressurized tank feed the faucet AND fridge makes total sense. is that as easy as just teeing off after the pressurized tank and feeding the faucet and fridge?

@cracker uh, i have a refractometer. but y would i need one for this rodi setup???

what's a check valve and what's it for? so the water doesn't go backwards back into the RO filters? i love the idea of having multiple shut offs for like you said, in case I need to do maintenance to any part of the system. are these just like tank plumbing where it's a turn valve? so they have these tiny turn valves for 1/4" lines???

 

[Ocelaris]

The storage tank should really just be called a pressure regulator, because that's what it is. It has a rubber diaphragm in the tank and a bicycle pump type air fill valve. Basically it will fill up with water and the air side of the storage/pressure tank holds the pressure at like 40 psi. They're called expansion tanks in boiler systems, exactly the same thing.

A one way check valve keeps the water going in one direction. Oh, one more thing, you need a carbon filter before the storage tank as ro water tastes nasty. So after the mechanical auto shut off I split to the di stage for the tank storage, and then go to the carbon for polishing, then a one way check valve. Otherwise when you switch the polishing filter the storage tank will squirt you.

 

[Ocelaris]

It's a mess, but maybe these help

 

[Wonf]

thank you Ocelaris. its making much more sense now....

although I have more questions now... lol

so what you have labelled "polish" before the 3 way drinking water split is basically carbon, right (thank you so much for taking the time to do a drawing... seriously...). does this "polish/carbon" filter come with a RODI unit? i'm currently leaning towards a 6 stage from BRS...

On that note, the whole sediment/carbon1/carbon2 and to input etc section is now confusing me... i get the waste part (usually plumbed into the garbage disposal section), but where exactly is the connection from the cold water supply under the sink?

again, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions....

and just to clarify, you are NOT showing a float valve shut off on the tank water container to stop DI production, right? the "auto shut off" you're showing in your drawing the little 4 connector shut off valve right?

 

[Wonf]

thank you Ocelaris. its making much more sense now....

although I have more questions now... lol

so what you have labelled "polish" before the 3 way drinking water split is basically a carbon filter, right? (thank you so much for taking the time to do a drawing... seriously...). does this "polish/carbon" filter come with a RODI unit? i'm currently leaning towards a 6 stage from BRS... or is a separate piece I should buy?

On that note, the whole sediment/carbon1/carbon2 and "to input" etc section is now confusing me... i get the waste part (usually plumbed into the garbage disposal section), but where exactly is the connection from the cold water supply under the sink? is the "to input" arrow pointing to where I connect to the cold water pipe, not necessarily showing the water direction, right?

and just to clarify, you are NOT showing a float valve shut off on the tank water container (labelled tank storage) to stop DI production, right? the "auto shut off" you're showing in your drawing the little 4 connector shut off valve right?

 

[Wonf]

oops.. totally double posted, but not really. didn't think the 1st one posted so edited my response/questions on the 2nd one...

 

[Wonf]

@Ocelaris - after studying your pics more, the 2 plastic containers on the bottom left of ur pic with the black insides are your 2 DI's right? Do you have them plumbed in serial vs parallel? I thought the RO water would go into the 1st DI then the 2nd DI. It looks like you have from the RO, one line with a valve to one DI, then another to a tee, one to the 2nd DI and another to ? via a white tube. I thought maybe the drinking container (pressurized tank/storage tank), but that has a blue line going in....

 

[Ocelaris]

The lines are really hard to follow in the pictures, the di is in series. Hopefully this clarifies it. I circled the two questions you had. The tank water (di) uses a mechanical float to provide pressure for the shutoff after the ro stage. Basically the shutoff after the ro senses a small back pressure and shuts off the much greater house water pressure. Otherwise you'd eventually get the house pressure downstream to your storage tank which is too high. Also the polishing can be a single standard cartridge or some disposable one (that's what brs and most places sell).

 

[Wonf]

thank you. makes much more sense now (except the pressure stuff.... still not fully grasping that, but.... hopefully will at some point).

this carbon polishing, is it usually an add on filter/cartridge or is it usually included in the "packages"?

 

[JoshH]

thank you. makes much more sense now (except the pressure stuff.... still not fully grasping that, but.... hopefully will at some point).

this carbon polishing, is it usually an add on filter/cartridge or is it usually included in the "packages"?

It would be an add on, for a system like this I would recommend you take a serious look at Spectrapure. They even have drinking specific cartridges.