I want to attach my RO/DI to my IceMaker?

[WilyGuy]

Well, after moving to my new house, and mounting the RO/DI unit near the laundry, I realized I was a wall away from my freezer and I would LOVE to have clean ice cubes that don't funkify my drinks. I posted in General, on another link where someone was talking about RO output distances.

My last post on this was that I have a shut off valve to my output line (I don't use this one). I use the valve on the supply line side to shut off the whole thing. I can turn that valve on and either flush my membrane or create RO/DI water and it works great with no leaks. When I turn it on and turn off the Output valve, the whole system leaks at all the screwed in fittings.

Do I remember that I can't use the plumbers tape on those unions? I remember that I can't overtighten them, else they may strip.

I don't think that I had any leaks on any of the push-in connections, but I would worry about them if I stopped the leaks elsewhere.

Did I simply have too much pressure and I should back off the supply valve? Or possibly when there are multiple outlets for the RO water, it would not create the same pressure? (though I would assume that once the ice tray was filled, it would once again build up pressure).

WG

[Geoff]

whenever i deal with that 1/4" line i always use the Geist fittings. i have never had a problem with the fittings. i have had problems with the tubing splitting due to UV breakdown, but that should not a problem for where you are putting them.

G~

[dngspot]

When you moved you may have gained more pressure in you water system. My RO unit came with Teflon tape and I used it on all pipe fittings. These are the treaded fittings that go into a housing or auto shut off valve.
You can put Teflon tape on your fittings but you must be careful when tightening, the Teflon is very slippery, this is why it is put on cookware, and does not seem tight when it is. You can try pipe dope; it will work also and does not seem so slippery.
Your system should be able to handle household pressure. Turning down a valve will only slow flow and reduce pressure when the system is running, it will not reduce pressure when your system shuts down. The pressure will equalize across the valve at the household pressure.

Do you manually turn off the supply line each time your ice tray fills? If you do not then water will go across the membrane through the orifice and to the drain. Water would continuously go to drain wile this thing is shut off by the ice maker. I have not read your other post but to make this thing right you must use an auto shutoff valve.

I hope I helped.

David

[WilyGuy]

Where does one get an auto-shut valve? How does it work?

The summation of all posts is, RO unit works fine, turn on supply and I get RO and waste waters. Waste down the Laundry dump, RO into 7 gallo cartboy. When cartboy is full, I manually shut the supply. I hadn't thought of the unit continuing to run with no "requests" being made for RO. I figured I would shut off the RO into the cartboy and the system would "sit". When I did this (without the icemaker in the loop), the water leaked from the screw fittings.

If I turn off the water at the faucet, it doesn't keep running somewhere else, right? How is the icemaker different?

Thanks,
WG

[reefermike1]

my refrigerator has a culligan filter on the water and icemaker... its no rodi but definatly makes it better. mine came like that but im sure they meke them that can be installed. sorry im not answering your question just giving another option.

[Hop]

Whoa! NO, it is not recomended to hook an RO unit up to a ice maker. An RO system does not have the pressure to keep the valve shut on the fridges ice maker/water dispenser. Many companies like sears(Kenmore) will not warranty a fridge hooked to one and the techs are instructed to not touch a fridge that is hooked up to one.

Now if you go talk to someone at the store, they will not have a clue, but if you want to varify what I'm saying call any major appliance makers technical support line and ask a certified tech...

Yes, I used to be a certified sears appliance tech many years ago and have seen first hand what a RO system can do to a kitchen when hooked to a fridge...

[SaltyO2]

what?? why?? I have had 3 fridges hooked to ro/di units at the ro stage and never had a problem. Wouldn't drink any other water. Tap water has been recycled through humans on average at least 6 times. Ewwwww.

Never had a Kenmore though. Mine were newer fridges, they didn,t care what you have hooked in to them. The source has no bearing. A friend of mine did beer!!

But...I did have a storage tank on it. Maybe that made the difference? Held 3 gallons for drinking, FRIDGE, etc... maybe a storage tank and a auto shut off valve will be needed.

I would contact AIR, WATER AND ICE. and ask them. Never heard of it being a problem, and had a veteran tech help me hook up the first one.

They sell all the parts, including auto shut off valves.

http://www.airwaterice.com/


good luck...

salty

Originally Posted by Hop

Whoa! NO, it is not recomended to hook an RO unit up to a ice maker. An RO system does not have the pressure to keep the valve shut on the fridges ice maker/water dispenser. Many companies like sears(Kenmore) will not warranty a fridge hooked to one and the techs are instructed to not touch a fridge that is hooked up to one.

Now if you go talk to someone at the store, they will not have a clue, but if you want to varify what I'm saying call any major appliance makers technical support line and ask a certified tech...

Yes, I used to be a certified sears appliance tech many years ago and have seen first hand what a RO system can do to a kitchen when hooked to a fridge...

[Hop]

I searched the whole site and could not see where they recomended to hook it up to a fridge... I doubt they will, because they don't want the liability.

If you have a pressure tank and a pump to keep a constant minimal pressure of I think it's 30 some lbs, it would be ok, but loose that pressure and the valve can fail on the fridge. It causes it to stay in the open position and then it will leak.

Not sure what you meant about newer fridges, sears sells and works on nearly all of them. Their policy if a fridge is hooked up to any RO system is to pick up you tools and leave. It will either void the warranty and service contract or the owner needs to hook it back up properly befor eit can be worked on again.

Usually the biggest complaint is that the ice cubes are hollow, but on several I found massive damage from a slow steady leak

It's just not something I would risk. I have RO on my sinks, but not on the fridge. The entire house goes through 3 sediment filters and then the fridge goes through a carbon filter also, in addition to a softener.

[Hop]

After searching the net, I have found several companies, none of them fridge makers selling kits for the application... But I have to say, until I see it from a manufacturer I would not hook one up myself.

Hope I didn't give bad info, but rather something to think about

[Hop]

OK, I searched some major appliance companies and seem to have found some mixed results. Some say no and some say only with X unit, the popular one being a GE RVkit. To take one manufacturer’s wording it stated that, in regards to any other ro system other then the HD unit is “this water line installation is not recommended, nor warranted by the refrigerator or icemaker manufacturer”. It later alludes to following a set of specific guidelines even with their ro unit to “minimize the risk of expensive water damage”.

So I was close, but it looks like technology has improved in the last um…. Few years.

[WilyGuy]

Wow, you all have been busy....

I will check out airwaterice.com.

Seems like we have added a whole new area of concern. My concern was my unit leaking when under pressure and so far we've added:
- Waste water when nothing is requesting RO
- Ruin icemaker or fridge because lower pressure of RO unit will cause valve in icemaker to not shut off

Yikes!

[frankandmaura]

Ok...now I am freaked out. I have my RO unit hooked to my Amana fridge. It only has the ice maker, not a water dispenser. I don't understand why this in not the same as hooking it up to a regular 1/4" line??? I do have a 4 or 5 gallon holding tank so when the icemaker calls for water it has water.

I am so confused...my friend had his hooked the same way and that is why I hooked mine up!! I have not had any leaks except for when I first hooked it up I had trouble getting the plastic line to seal. All I needed was a spacer to put in the end of the line which was sold at my local hardware store and it has not given me any issues since.

Can someone explain to me why this is a bad set-up..."An RO system does not have the pressure to keep the valve shut on the fridges ice maker/water dispenser. " ... I don't understand what the issue is here...

Mine has been hooked up for about 3 months now and no issues...should I be worried that something is going to go bad?

[dngspot]

If a slow steady leak is concern hook a bladder tank up to the unit and you will get a specified volume, enough to fill an ice tray. These units have been used for ice and drinking water for years. Not only have they been adapted for this use but they have been sold for this specific purpose.

[frankandmaura]

Wow...we have some seriously varying opinions here!!

[dngspot]

How much pressure does it take to close a valve? Flow may be the issue. Water pressure on each side of the ro system will be what shut off is set at. I think mine is 30 psi. The outlet line holds pressure until the float or valve opens. You will see a differential pressure drop when the system is running. Now if you are talking about flow then I see the point. This can be corrected, as I said before, with a bladder tank. They can be ordered in different gallon sizes. These tanks hold water at pressure and can fill a fridge ice maker. I feel make a general statement that all fridge valves will fail with a ro system is pretty bold. What specs is this being taken from? Water pressure is different all over the country; I get 45 psi on a good day. This is when no other faucet is open; it will drop to 25 when I use the utility sink. I think the question is how much flow does it take to close the valve and then how much pressure does it take to keep it closed.