Just got my 1st RO/DI unit quick ?'s

Ok, so I just got my SpectraPure ProPlus 90gpd RO/DI unit last night. I'm excited to finally start making my own water & stop lugging buckets home, score! I am currently renting so I won't be plumbing the unit in, but rather using it weekly to make my water batch and then putting it away.

Well, I'm a 100% noob when it comes to working an RO/DI unit, it looks easy enough but I hadn't hooked it up yet. My unit comes with a pressure gauge and inline TDS meter, although I was confused as it said dual inline TDS meter but I only saw one packaged, looks to plug into a bracket of sorts.

Ultimately, what I'm going to do is plug in the TDS meter, screw the hose adapter to my sink and torn the cold water on full. I know the first initial several gallons or so shouldn't be used. After that I was going to run the waste hose into my drain and the pure hose into a Brute RM container.

The main part of the unit I think I will have trouble in is adjusting the "flow rate" or something to that effect. I've heard I need to have at least 30psi to have the unit function and 60psi is optimal for performance.

Does anyone possibly own this same unit or give me any tips so I don't make mistakes early on.

Thanks!
Joe

 

I have that same unit dude, it's just as simple as plug in and play. Sweet system....I love mine BTW.

 

cool man, so you didn't have to make any adjustments, just plugged it in, checked for leaks, let it gooooo?

I'm worried the pressure on my faucets won't be enough, crossing my fingers on that

 

The only way to fix low pressure is to get a booster pump. In most cases, this is not necessary.

Otherwise, sounds like you are headed in the right direction.

 

The dual-TDS meter is just that. It has a IN/OUT switch on it more than likely to show you the input and output tds reading. (This is how mine is, though not a spectrapure).

As for the pressure gauge, that should already be pre-installed otherwise you can install it either on the INPUT to measure your feed pressure or you can place it between the first two chambers to verify pressure within the unit. As for hooking it up, the unit should have a "INPUT" that you feed straight tap water to, a "OUTPUT" which is the clean ro/di water, and lastly a "WASTE" output.

Being that you rent I would personally mount it somewhere like under a sink (kitchen perhaps?) and tap the input off of the piping going to the faucet with a saddle valve. When you move out you can just cap off the valve. Id put a 1/4 ball valve going to the RO unit from the saddle valve so you can control when its 'on' and 'off'.

As for flow rate you want the upward side of that 60PSI. Personally I have 67PSI going to mine and it works like a champ. When I originally hooked it up I didnt put it on a main water line and for some reason was getting 40-50PSI...

Hope that helps.

 

The dual meter should have (like mentioned) an in/out switch. Those are the two sides - the dual. One is measuring TDS from the RO and the other is measuring it from the DI. Let's you know how much the RO and DI are each filtering to. Once you start seeing one or the other creep up over time, you'll know that needs replaced.

I don't see renting as being a blocker to plumbing this. It is pretty easy to unplumb them and leave everything just like you had it. I'd recommend that.

The pressure is probably fine from your faucet like you suggested you would use and from just plumbing it. 50-60psi is fairly standard in my area at least. Unless it's a really old building, should be fine. Just check your built in guage If it's below 50, you'll need a booster pump. Don't freak out though if you see it dip below 50 for a second when it turns on/off. Just watch where it is most of the time.

I don't think flow rate is adjustable on that unit... it's just hook up the water source and let it run. Will need a shut off valve of some sort so it doesn't just run continuously. (probably came with one)

 

Thanks so much for the wealth of info Peredhil, bje, & Jon. Taking notes, on the TDS, that makes sense I did see the "in/out" switch, got it.

I was worried about weak pressure because when I used to run my Python vac in my FW days, the suction was horrible, hoping it doesn't translate over to the psi through the unit.

Will definitely look into some DIY plumbing to mount it somewhere, unfortunately under my sink is pretty cramped so I'll have to figure it out.

There was a section of the manual dedicated to adjusting some type of flow, I don't have it handy but I was a tad confused when I read it. I'll have to take a look again tonight. Plug and play would be great though!

Thanks again!

 

The RO/DI unit is not quite plug and play, if you will take just a few minutes to do a few things spelled out in the written manual that comes with the system it will save you money and greatly extend the system and filters lives.
As the manual states on page 7 you need to flush two gallons of water to waste and then following the directions on pages 8 and 9 you need to measure the waste to permeate ratio and trim the capillary tube flow restrictor so you obtain a 4:1 waste ratio. These few things are all that is required to set it up and are worth the time it takes.


The dual inline TDS meter has two probes, one installed after the RO membrane (IN) but before the DI filter which measures RO TDS and a secondone after the DI which measures the final TDS (OUT). Slide the switch from one to the other to get both readings.

If you have any other questions i am on my third Spectrapure system myself having started with a MaxCap, then a dual membrane MaxCap and now the top of the line MaxCap UHE 1:1 system. Not much i don't know about them!

They can be hooked up most anywhere, if you have a clothes washer you can screw a wye fitting on to the cold water line and feed the washer from one side and the RO from the other, thats how mine is presently as the wife wanted her kitchen sink area back!

Instructions on how to trim the flow restrictor plus anything you would ever want to know about RO/D in general can be found on Spectrapures Sponsors page found here on 3Reef:
http://www.3reef.com/forums/spectrapure/

There is a wealth of info available there.

 

Thanks AZ, that is what I had meant I was a little confused on, "measuring the w to p ratio & trimming the capillary tfr". Appreciate the clarification, I skimmed through the manual last night, tonight will be the full run through with test phase.

BTW AZ, your posts are what led me to choose a SpectraPure unit, your knowledge on RO/DI makes me feel like I have a seasoned expert one-click away.

best,
Joe

 

Hrmm my unit had no such instructions for fine tuning the waste ratio. Which capilary did you have to trim?