Need help increasing RO output!!

ReefJunkie · 01-06-2002, 08:13 PM

Hi Everyone, My RO unit takes forever to produce any amount of water

I know what the problem is but I don't know how to fix it.

My drinking water is from glacier run off and the temp at the tap is 42F. I know better than to use hotter water from my water heater but I need to get the temp up some how. Does anyone know of a inline heater I could use to raise the temp off my water to 60-70f before it gets to the RO unit?

I am thinking of getting a heater for a hot tub. It is stainless...but I don't know if it can handle 65psi.

Any thoughts on this? I can't believe that any of the RO manufactures haven't come up with a inline heater yet!

Thanks,

Doug1 · 01-06-2002, 08:44 PM

Scott when I set mine up I put a Tee in the cold water line that the washer feeds off of, then added a 2 ft piece of pipe running over closer to the RO. Then wrapped that with heat tape and insulation to raise the incoming water temp. My groundwater temp is a bout 55 and that raised it about 10deg. It makes a difference in the output

Fishaholic · 01-06-2002, 08:48 PM

I do not know where your set up is so I will assume it is in the house. Go to Home Depot or whatever place you have availiable and buy a completley closeable 55 gallon poly drum. Tap in a fitting from you plumbing on the top side of the drum. About 1/4 from the bottom tap in a line to your RO unit. Make sure the drumm is filled before putting the bung on to and then allow it to have water pressure all the time. The water pressure (unless there is a leak) should stay constant to your RO and the amount of time that the water stays in the drum should allow it to become ambient. Allow the water to set a day or so the first time before turning on the RO.

Good luck.

FishDaddy · 01-06-2002, 08:49 PM

Scott,
You must have ice crystals forming on the RO Membrane!!!

There are electronic units that are made for showers that "flash" heats the water as it goes to the showerhead. I'm sure they are spendy and don't know how safe they are, but here is one:
http://www.oikos.com/products/mechanical/envirotech/

A better, and probably less expensive, option might be a pre-pressured inline water tank that could be installed inside the house, allowing the water to rise to room temperature. I had one like this on a house I once owned to supplement the water pressure from a well. The metal tank had a flexible internal container and the metal tank was filled with compressed air to maintain set pressure. Well drilling & supply companies should have these.

**I forgot about the Fireplug Heaters for aquarium use. Don't know about the pressure, but my PetSolutions catalog says the $300 one can handle 1500gph.
HTH,
Dick

Fishaholic · 01-06-2002, 09:10 PM

The Metal Tank FishDaddy is talking about is a pressureized resevoir tank for use with a well pump. I have one on my well and is about the best set up you could do. It is going to cost a little bit but it is for a reef tank, I guess that can justify it a little.

ReefJunkie · 01-06-2002, 10:17 PM

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I have seen fiberglass well tanks and I am going to try and check into a small one of them and hopefully it raises the temp enough to get the RO to stop spitting ice crystals.

Doug., I should have though of the heat tape setup since I install them all the time during the winter. I am going to tty this setup also and see how it works!