Help with RO system wastewater

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AndyNAC

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Hello.

I work at a cigar store. We run a humidifier/mister in our humidor that's fed with water from a reverse osmosis unit. Long story short, I'm watching (and have been for a few years) a strong, steady stream of water & money run right down the drain from the brine outlet and I'd like that to stop! The brine outlet is constantly running and our water bills are sky high... Am I right in assuming that the brine outlet shouldn't run unless water is flowing into the system?

We unfortunately have no worthwhile documentation on this system. It was purchased, before I started working here, from a guy who went from trade-show to trade-show selling a whole setup. I have attempted to contact him via phone and email (that info is on a sticker attached to the underside of the metal bracket) with absolutely no luck.

I'm including a diagram of the current set-up. All filters, the 75GPD membrane, tubing, inline check valve and 75GPD flow restrictor are brand new. I tore apart the ASV and everything looks clean and in working order with no tears or punctures. The only thing not shown is that it runs upstairs into the humidifier/mister (and how that inlet is operated on a float valve) and the water pressure which I don't know because I don't have a way to test it.

Again, just in case I'm not clear: everything is functioning properly aside from a constant stream of water coming from the brine outlet. It's like an open faucet. The humidifier fills properly and quickly, the water seems to be properly clean of impurities (there's no residue in the humidor), and from what I've seen in countless online videos, from reading aquarium forums and from viewing other RO company's documentation, it seems like everything is installed properly... Of course, I didn't install this, nor had I ever used one before, and I've had to learn what I've learned (if anything) as I've worked with it so things may be put together incorrectly.

Thanks for your time and help!

RO_SYSTEM.jpg
 

Reach4

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Your system should have either an Automatic Shut-Off Valve and/or it should have a Permeate pump. http://purewateroccasional.net/permeatepump.html The water should shut off when the tank is full. The water use could have stopped, but it may take a while to replenish the tank.

Units with a permeate pump use less water.

Sometimes people who say constant really mean frequent. But if you mean constant, then your automatic shutoff valve or permeate pump has a problem. If your RO system does not have a permeate pump, you might consider replacing the system.
 

AndyNAC

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Thanks for the reply!

I've seen Permeate pumps mentioned in a few places, but I only saw them mentioned when people were having issues with water pressure at the end outlet (faucet, aquarium, etc). I'll look into that.

We do have n Automatic Shut Off Valve (the ASV in my diagram) which I guess I will replace. As I said, I tore it apart and made sure there was nothing obviously damaged. When I activated the bladder with my finger and tried to gently blow into the ASV it completely stopped the flow of air on the In-Out side, so I assumed it was working properly. I know that I'm confused as to how it's supposed to help stop the flow of water when it seems to me like the water pressure coming in would be greater than the back-pressure to keep it closed... But, I'm not a plumber, nor an engineer!

And, when I say constant stream of water I mean constant! Even when the humidifier reservoir is completely filled the brine line is pushing a steady stream of water down the drain, to the point where I could fill up a glass in just a minute. It runs like this 24 hours a day and only lets up (a little) when the humidifier is on and refilling.
 

Mialynette2003

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Where is the pressure tank? I don't believe the auto shut off will not work unless you have a pressure tank. Once the tank is full, the pressure from it will be greater on that side of of the ASV than the incoming side shutting off the main feed.
 

AndyNAC

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Maybe that's the missing piece to this equation, and a reason that I would have skipped buying this from what was basically a door-to-door salesman... I've already told our owner that future purchases on this scale need to be through a proper business.

The humidifier has a reservoir that holds probably 5 gallons or so, but it's not contained in a bladder. If that's the only way to attain the necessary pressure I'll start shopping for a tank!

Thank you!
 

ditttohead

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If you have an atmospheric tank, the Permeate pump wil have no function since that is what it is suppsed to mimic when you have a bladder storage tank. ASV's and atmospheric tanks make miserable friends. I usually recommend a small bladder tank when a customer wants to use an ASV with atmospheric, for whatever reason, it eliminates a lot of problems. Be sure to use a good ASV, most of them are absolute junk. Hydronamic is one of the best. It is also made in the USA.
 

AndyNAC

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Sorry for my technical idiocy but I'm not sure what an atmospheric tank is. What I'm seeing for sale is 3-4 Gallon bladder tanks that operate under pressure. Is that what you're talking about?

Just so I'm clear, where in my diagram would a tank go? I'm guessing on the "blue" line after the ASV using a T connector?
 

ditttohead

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Correct, a tee on the blue line would go to a bladder tank. We have found many brands of ASV's do not like dead heading, they work much better with a gradual pressure build up like what a pressure tank would allow. We see all kinds of problems when the ASV's when they are run on solenoids, mechanical shut-offs, etc.
 

AndyNAC

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Thanks, dittohead! My biggest concern was having one of the other components out-of-order with the addition of a tank.
 
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