Setting up a RO/DI unit

perchpsk

perchpsk

Member
I'm pretty clueless on how to work one of these things. I owned one in the past, was never able to figure out how to use it, so I ended up selling it and buying my RO water from a local water company. After being out of the hobby for a few years, I am getting back in now, and want to have a RO/DI unit set up somewhere in my house.
Any advice on this? Where do most people keep theirs? Can you get somebody to install it for you like a plumber? Is it only hooked up when you use it? Do people use the under sink drinking water purifier RO units for their reefs?
Any advice would help. I'd like to get the best water set up possible going before I move forward.
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
You can find a local company to install a unit for you and you can use it to make RO drinking water and have a additional line for the RO/DI water. I would buy one with a RO membrane of 75 gpd or better. When you call tell them you are looking for a RO/DI unit and if you want the drinking water that too.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Pretty simple to install and a couple options......Not sure on your home, but if you want to be able to hook it up to a faucet and be able to remove it at any time you would just connect this to your supply line going into the RO/DI unit, and it would get screwed directly to your faucet. Now of course you'd need to make a trip to Lowes or HomeDepot and get a faucet adapter to thread onto the faucet first, but again very simple install........

This part connects to the supply line on the RO/DI unit. You can see the threads on the other end....This is what get threaded onto the faucet just as a garden hose gets connected......
The faucet adapter kit as I mentioned earlier. You unscrew what's there and thread the correct adapter to the faucet and then the piece shown above gets threaded to that....

Another option is this.......Your supply (input) line to the RO/DI would slip onto the silver barb fitting sticking out on the side of the adapter.....

Probably a pretty common hook up method is if you have access to your plumbing find yourself a cold water line, and use a self piercing saddle such as this. Once the device is installed on the pipe you thread the handle inward; which in turns pierces the pipe. Your 1/4" line is connected to the other little fitting which in turn is connected to the supply side of the RO/DI unit.
A very simple install job that you can handle.
 
perchpsk

perchpsk

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/390388/setting-up-a-ro-di-unit#post_3456845
Pretty simple to install and a couple options......Not sure on your home, but if you want to be able to hook it up to a faucet and be able to remove it at any time you would just connect this to your supply line going into the RO/DI unit, and it would get screwed directly to your faucet. Now of course you'd need to make a trip to Lowes or HomeDepot and get a faucet adapter to thread onto the faucet first, but again very simple install........

This part connects to the supply line on the RO/DI unit. You can see the threads on the other end....This is what get threaded onto the faucet just as a garden hose gets connected......
The faucet adapter kit as I mentioned earlier. You unscrew what's there and thread the correct adapter to the faucet and then the piece shown above gets threaded to that....

Another option is this.......Your supply (input) line to the RO/DI would slip onto the silver barb fitting sticking out on the side of the adapter.....

Probably a pretty common hook up method is if you have access to your plumbing find yourself a cold water line, and use a self piercing saddle such as this. Once the device is installed on the pipe you thread the handle inward; which in turns pierces the pipe. Your 1/4" line is connected to the other little fitting which in turn is connected to the supply side of the RO/DI unit.
A very simple install job that you can handle.
That is where I had issues last time. I could not hook any adapters to the faucet on my sink. This time I am thinking about hooking the RODI unit directly to the water manifold that controls all the water in my house that is down in my basement. Anyone ever do this?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
I don't fully understand why you couldn't hook it to a faucet.......
What type of manifold are you talking.....Is your house plumbed with Pex tubing, copper........
 
icedtc

icedtc

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by perchpsk http:///t/390388/setting-up-a-ro-di-unit#post_3457286
That is where I had issues last time. I could not hook any adapters to the faucet on my sink. This time I am thinking about hooking the RODI unit directly to the water manifold that controls all the water in my house that is down in my basement. Anyone ever do this?
Hey there,
I am just getting into the sw hobby and picked up an RO/DI unit myself and was originally overwhelmed when I opened the package. But after sitting down for a minute and taking a deep breath, setup was actually quite easy and didn't invole a plumber or anything.
I ended up buying the AquaFX Barracuda. This type of RO/DI unit doesn't come with an adapter for drinking water and as of now I am using it exclusively for my tank filling needs. Luckily I had enough room under my kitchen sink so put it there. All I used to "install" it was two screws I drilled in. Then this unit really just hangs on and if you ever need to remove it or take it out, it's very simple.
I had a hard time finding an adapter to fit my kithen faucet threads and I think this is what you mean tin your post as well. I finally ordered one off of Amazon tha fit perfectly (on my american standard cheapo kitchen faucet. If not, I also ordered a Koala Indoor Faucet to Garden Hose Connector which fits most standard faucets and goes on/off very fast. Check the pics below.

The basic setup, at least for my RO/DI unit is simple. When you want to make RO/DI water just connect this onto your faucet then put on the black connector that comes with the unit. That hose goes into the "inlet" of the RO/DI Unit. Then you have 1 hose for waste water (I just put in down my sink drain) and finally of course you have your "outlet" line which is the RO/DI water. Just run that hose to a bucket, etc. and your good to go.
Just a few more notes...always use cold water! Warm water could ruin your RO membrane. Also you need at least 40 psi from your faucet to produce the RO/DI water. The unit itself has a nice gauge on it. I also purcahsed an inline TDS meter which basically shows the TDS level of your tap water, and the outlet of the RO water. So when your TDS starts to get high, you know to replace filters, etc.
This may still seem overwhelming but it really is a simple setup. Once installed, within 2 minutes I can begin making my water. Just pop that baby onto my faucet, hook up my 3 lines, and turn on the water!
If you need more help or are interested in a unit like mine just send me a pm. I can try to take a quick video walkthrough for you which would make things even simpler!
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
I hooked mine up on the back wall by my laundry machine. I used a garden hose splitter hooked one side to laundry machine (left open) the other side to RO (turn on and off as needed). If you are interested I can get a picture and post tonight.
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
I hooked mine up in the basement beside my washing machine. I simply split off the cold water line, hooked my washer into one, then use a garden hose to 1/2 adapter, then a 1/2 to 1/4 adapter for the feed line, ran the waste line to my grey water line, and hooked the rest of following the directions. It was very simple.
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by xandrew245x http:///t/390388/setting-up-a-ro-di-unit#post_3458517
I hooked mine up in the basement beside my washing machine. I simply split off the cold water line, hooked my washer into one, then use a garden hose to 1/2 adapter, then a 1/2 to 1/4 adapter for the feed line, ran the waste line to my grey water line, and hooked the rest of following the directions. It was very simple.
We have the same setup, I ran the discharge from the RO into the discharge of the laundry machine and sometimes discharge the water directly into washer then do laundry.
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
I have a new washing machine that has the weight sensing thing, so I don't really know if I could add water in ahead of time.
 
perchpsk

perchpsk

Member
I am kind of plumbing illiterate, so I have always had a hard time setting up my RO units. I even watched a video on how to unscrew the faucet on the sink and hook it to that and failed miserably at that.
Here is what I'd like to know if it is possible or not. I have a PEX manifold in my basement that supplies hot and cold water to all of the house. It looks like this:

I have a few spots on there that are currently unused. I am wondering if it is possible to run a pex line from the manifold right into a RO/Di unit. I have absolutely no idea how to do this, but if it is possible it would make my life 1000 times easier as I am building my tank in a wall adjacent to the utility room where this thing is housed. Any advice on this????
 
perchpsk

perchpsk

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Icedtc http:///t/390388/setting-up-a-ro-di-unit#post_3458465
Hey there,
I am just getting into the sw hobby and picked up an RO/DI unit myself and was originally overwhelmed when I opened the package. But after sitting down for a minute and taking a deep breath, setup was actually quite easy and didn't invole a plumber or anything.
I ended up buying the AquaFX Barracuda. This type of RO/DI unit doesn't come with an adapter for drinking water and as of now I am using it exclusively for my tank filling needs. Luckily I had enough room under my kitchen sink so put it there. All I used to "install" it was two screws I drilled in. Then this unit really just hangs on and if you ever need to remove it or take it out, it's very simple.
I had a hard time finding an adapter to fit my kithen faucet threads and I think this is what you mean tin your post as well. I finally ordered one off of Amazon tha fit perfectly (on my american standard cheapo kitchen faucet. If not, I also ordered a Koala Indoor Faucet to Garden Hose Connector which fits most standard faucets and goes on/off very fast. Check the pics below.

The basic setup, at least for my RO/DI unit is simple. When you want to make RO/DI water just connect this onto your faucet then put on the black connector that comes with the unit. That hose goes into the "inlet" of the RO/DI Unit. Then you have 1 hose for waste water (I just put in down my sink drain) and finally of course you have your "outlet" line which is the RO/DI water. Just run that hose to a bucket, etc. and your good to go.
Just a few more notes...always use cold water! Warm water could ruin your RO membrane. Also you need at least 40 psi from your faucet to produce the RO/DI water. The unit itself has a nice gauge on it. I also purcahsed an inline TDS meter which basically shows the TDS level of your tap water, and the outlet of the RO water. So when your TDS starts to get high, you know to replace filters, etc.
This may still seem overwhelming but it really is a simple setup. Once installed, within 2 minutes I can begin making my water. Just pop that baby onto my faucet, hook up my 3 lines, and turn on the water!
If you need more help or are interested in a unit like mine just send me a pm. I can try to take a quick video walkthrough for you which would make things even simpler!
That little adapter you show there is exactly what I was looking for. Right now my options are either A: hook up the ro/di unit to my basement sink every time I need to make water and then wheel the can full of water to the other room to where my tank is, or find a way to tap into my PEX Manifold and run that right into the Ro unit which would be much more convenient as I stated above.
 
xandrew245x

xandrew245x

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by perchpsk http:///t/390388/setting-up-a-ro-di-unit#post_3458866
I am kind of plumbing illiterate, so I have always had a hard time setting up my RO units. I even watched a video on how to unscrew the faucet on the sink and hook it to that and failed miserably at that.
Here is what I'd like to know if it is possible or not. I have a PEX manifold in my basement that supplies hot and cold water to all of the house. It looks like this:

I have a few spots on there that are currently unused. I am wondering if it is possible to run a pex line from the manifold right into a RO/Di unit. I have absolutely no idea how to do this, but if it is possible it would make my life 1000 times easier as I am building my tank in a wall adjacent to the utility room where this thing is housed. Any advice on this????
I don't see why that wouldn't work, all that basically is, is a splitter for your water supply, so hooking into a cold line shouldn't be a problem I don't think.
 
southern wolf

southern wolf

Member
Since folks brought up waste water.... any idea how much there is compaired to RODI water. I don't really want to just flush it down the pipes.
 
perchpsk

perchpsk

Member
I believe it is 2x as much waste water and good water produced. You can save the waste and water your lawn/plants with it.
 
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