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Here's a tip for RO installtion - don't use the saddle valve.

Vincerama2

Vincerama2

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My tip is ... don't use the saddle valve that comes in most RO kits to tap into your cold water line. If you are installing it under your sink, use this instead;

It's called a 3/8 x 3/8 x 1/4 compression adapt-a-valve

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sioux-Ch...pression-Adapt-A-Valve-909-99100201/300258156

You attach it right onto the "stop valve" that typically your faucet is connected to.

I had to get one because I bought a booster pump for my RO unit and it said that you needed a connection that is NOT a saddle valve. After installing this, I regret ever using a saddle valve, which damages the pipe and doesn't have enough pressure.

Without even installing the booster pump yet, my RO production went from 1 gallon/hour minutes to 4/hour minutes, which is more in line with the 75 GPD rating of my membrane (in theory it should only be 3g/hour, not sure what that's all about except for error in my guessing at rates).

Now I regret that my pipe has two saddle valves poked into it (RO and fridge icemaker) though the icemaker one was in there when I bought the house.

I believe this fitting has less leak potential than the saddle valve as well.

V
 
I like that the one on Amazon has a valve built in. I already have a valve on my input line, but I has to leave one on the saddle valve line to make sure it was not going to leak.

V
 
Vincerama2 said:
I like that the one on Amazon has a valve built in. I already have a valve on my input line, but I has to leave one on the saddle valve line to make sure it was not going to leak.

V
Click to expand...
Pretty easy to replace a section of copper pipe as long as it's accessible Lemme know if you want help
 
Also, do you have a pressure gauge in your ro? If not I highly advise one. Cheap and tells you a lot about the condition of you filters and if you have enough pressure. Sounds like you shouldn't have even been bothering w it given the terribly low pressure you had before. Hope it works much better now
 
The booster pump comes with a pressure gauge, and part of the installation is checking the pre-boost pressure.

Yeah I think I'd have to shut off the water, then remove the "stop valve", slip a copper repair sleeve, then solder it in. Currently it's not a problem so I'm going to leave it, but if it does, then I might need some tips.

The pipe itself sticks out of the wall and it doesn't seem easy to remove and replace the pierced pipe so it would have to be sleeved (or whatever you call it).

Going to install the pump tonight.

V
 
There are a lot of push on fittings now that work w copper if the pipe sweating has you worried. Gotta shot off water briefly tho yeah
 
Last night I went to install my booster pump. I really should have done more research. The pump can boost to a max of 60 PSI, and AWI website recommends that 60-65 is a good operating range for RO units. So step one ... test your water pressure. So I use the gauge that came with the pump and my water pressure from my new fitting is ... 70 PSI. Well that was a waste of money...

V
 
Haha. Guess you really shoulda set it up right a long time ago!
It could still be useful if you want to install another membrane (or 2) in line to get more product water made from your prefilters life and reduce waste water, and speed up production. I highly recommend it. Pays for itself pretty quickly and saves water. Win win
 
Vincerama2 said:
So just put another RO housing in serial after the first one? Does it require a different restrictor?

V
Click to expand...
Exactly, and no. Restrictive goes after the last membrane. Waste from first into input for second. Can combine output into same di or setup a second which is how I roll
 
How would membrane flushing work on this case though? I have a manual flush that open up the drain restriction but not sure what effect that would have on the first membrane when chained.
 
I only turn on the rodi every so often when my reservoirs get low. My ro portion is hooked up to my home drinking water so when I need to make more DI water then just drink a glass of water and it flushes the ro.
 
Flagg37 said:
I only turn on the rodi every so often when my reservoirs get low. My ro portion is hooked up to my home drinking water so when I need to make more DI water then just drink a glass of water and it flushes the ro.
Click to expand...

Eh there is the membrane flush which open up the restriction on the waste line to flush out build up. What you are referring to is wasting the first bit of high TDS water that come out of RO to save DI resin. But you will need to waste a lot more than a glass for it to matter. My RO takes about 10mins to get back down to near 0 after extended offline.
 
Wait so the waste output of one membrane goes into the input of the second. Are the outputs of both going to the same line? Does that cause any pressure differential issues?

V
 
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