Hi reefers, just got brs 200 gpd rodi and a smart buddies booster pump from local reefer. The description says that the Smart Buddie pump is used for 50-100 gpd rodi. Anyone know where this restriction comes from? What happened if I use it for 200 gpd rodi? The guy I got it from removes one membrane from rodi to make it “100 gpd”, and hook it up with the smart buddies booster, does that work?
Smart Buddies booster pump for 200 GPD rodi?
- Thread starter rongy
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We have a Smart Buddie hooked up to our 180 GPD RO System here in the office. The limit is due to the flow restrictor and pressure sensors. I tried hooking the system up to our 180 GPD with the membranes plumbed in series and the pump would not start because the pressure sensors that trigger the unit would error out. Something about the waste from the first membrane feeding the second caused the pump to error out and not pump. After replumbing the unit so that the membranes are parallel I had no issues. The other potential issue is the included flow restrictor. If you are worried it is the wrong size then you can take the pump apart and swap out the flow restrictor.
This is my first time seeing a 200 gpd rodi. I was actually surprised that it’s two 100 gpd membranes connected in serial that makes it 200 gdp.
Is there any difference between using two parallel membrane and one membrane? If they’re the same, I might just take one off.
Your production rate will be higher with 2 membranes so you can make water faster. This is really the only difference.
Aquaboys
Active Member
You should be fine running it in series ... if you were to run them parallel then the pump won't give you enough flow/gallons per minute... The second membrane will also have a shortened life due to feeding it concentrate... but you will have less waste and you can use the smart buddie
If you are super concerned check out our AquaFX Octopus or every the Afishionado both units offer the same auto flush options but are capable of doing up to 300 gallons per day
Why would running them parallel shorten the life of the membrane? Do you mean running them serial (connect second membrane to waste line from first)? I think that’s how you achieve 200gdp with two 100 gpd membranes.
What do you think is the best way to connect the 200gdp rodi with the booster pump given its limitation?
I just finished doing something similar and I use an RO buddy booster pump tho 75 gpd membranes not 100. I had a single 150 gpd membrane and and making RODI was painfully slow. I used two 75 gpd membranes and ran the waste drain from the first to the input of the second. I've never gotten RODI this fast. I haven't measured flow rate but it's a nice steady stream vs a drip like I was getting. I'm getting 2 TDS out of the second membrane. Not sure if the second membrane will fail prematurely connected this way but to be honest I don't care. The speed I'm getting RODI makes it worth the cost if that turns out to be the case. Also I bought cheap membranes.
o2manyfish
Valuable Member
I've built several very custom RO Systems for friends. These monitor water production and TDS Rates at different stages and set off alarms when Prefilter, Membrane or DI Resin needs to be changed.
You can barely see in this photo that there are 2 membrances stacked in this photo running in parrallel. These are 150 gpd membranes.
I've used a Smart Buddie Booster on all the RO Systems I have built going back 10+ years. These are great devices and they do a great job of increasing production and efficiency at the same time.
I have run on Smart Buddie for 2 membranes in this kind of board, and also tried 1 smart buddie for each membrane on the same board. There was not a significant enought difference in water production to justify the additional complication of a second Smart Buddie.
Dave B
You can barely see in this photo that there are 2 membrances stacked in this photo running in parrallel. These are 150 gpd membranes.
I've used a Smart Buddie Booster on all the RO Systems I have built going back 10+ years. These are great devices and they do a great job of increasing production and efficiency at the same time.
I have run on Smart Buddie for 2 membranes in this kind of board, and also tried 1 smart buddie for each membrane on the same board. There was not a significant enought difference in water production to justify the additional complication of a second Smart Buddie.
Dave B
Muffin87
Active Member
Can you use a smart buddy, 50-100 GPD version, on two 150 GPD membranes running in parallel then?
Or do you use the 150 GPD version of the Smart Buddy in that setup?
Thanks a lot for the information! Trying to max out my water production speed here!
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