Reverse Osmosis effect (or is that affect) on water system ;D

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steadypressure

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If one was to use a reverse osmosis system A LOT. What would be the best way to reduce the damage/wear on the well water system. I guess a better way to put it is, how would a proper water system be designed?
 

Reach4

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A bigger pressure tank on the well system will cause your well pump to cycle as little as practical.
 

steadypressure

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I hear that. I wonder if I can get two RO units, a CSV, and a large well tank to slow the cycling. I guess you can't really do it without wearing out a pressure tank.
 

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I hear that. I wonder if I can get two RO units, a CSV, and a large well tank to slow the cycling. I guess you can't really do it without wearing out a pressure tank.
How many gallons of RO water are you looking to produce per hour or day?
 

steadypressure

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Like maybe up to 300 gallons in a day next summer. Not every day, day after day.

I regularly pull out 30 gallons which I am thinking about solving with a big pressure tank.
 

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Not every day, day after day.
I don't follow that sentence.

Is it fair to say that the RO system will be pulling about 12.5 gallons in most of the busy hours spread out to be about 0.21 gallons per minute? In other words, the RO system is working full blast for long periods. A CSV does not match up well with such usage.

I expect that you know that high pressure is better for RO throughput, and that you should soften the feed water.
 

steadypressure

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I mean I am not going to be pulling 300 gallons a day every day 365 days a year.

Yes, the RO system will be running full blast for long periods.

I have read that high pressure is better but have always wondered about softening the incoming water. Why exactly is the softened water an advantage?
 

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I have read that high pressure is better but have always wondered about softening the incoming water. Why exactly is the softened water an advantage?

I think it is because the calcium and magnesium are what gum up the membrane. There are a lot of recommendations for running softened water to your RO unit. A search engine search should turn up many. Here is one: http://www.watertechonline.com/the-effects-of-hard-water-on-reverse-osmosis-filtration-systems/
 

steadypressure

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I think it is because the calcium and magnesium are what gum up the membrane. There are a lot of recommendations for running softened water to your RO unit. A search engine search should turn up many. Here is one: http://www.watertechonline.com/the-effects-of-hard-water-on-reverse-osmosis-filtration-systems/

Ha, I just googled that. I assume by scale they mean calcium carbonate.

Not sure I want to soften all of that water. A little thinking outside of the box will solve my problems I think. It comes down to the economics like everything else.
 

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Is it fair to say that the RO system will be pulling about 12.5 gallons in most of the busy hours spread out to be about 0.21 gallons per minute? In other words, the RO system is working full blast for long periods. A CSV does not match up well with such usage.

That is not necessarily true. Even when using less than 1 GPM the CSV still extends pump run time and reduces cycling. How many GPM does the RO system use? If it uses more than 1 GPM the CSV will keep the pump running steady and eliminate cycling. If the RO only uses .21 GPM, a little larger tank with the CSV can help. With a CSV and as little as a 44 gallon size pressure tank the pump would only cycle 25 times per day.
 

PumpMd

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It would cost some good money this way but fiberglass pressure tanks can be used for storing more RO water, it works for houses but 300gal storage is alot. I would like to see what you come up with that doesn't cost an arm & leg.
 
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Valveman

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It would cost some good money this way but fiberglass pressure tanks can be used for storing more RO water, it works for houses but 300gal storage is alot. I would like to see what you come up with that doesn't cost an arm & leg.

When used as a pressure tank it would take 12 of those 80 gallon size tanks to store 300 gallons of water. And regular WellXtrol tanks work fine with RO water as long as they have a Stainless Steel fitting for connecting the water. Even though it is a steel tank, the plastic liner keeps the water from ever touching metal.
 

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My first thoughts were using the removal air cell tank (PSC) just incase the air cell goes out it doesn't hurt the tank but they don't hold up.

How long can a RO run continuously? maybe you can save money by using a low producing well setup for the RO water.
 

Valveman

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A low producing well would use a vented storage tank and extra booster pump like the one in the following drawing. I have done this before and the booster pump as well as all the fittings will need to be all Stainless Steel or Plastic to handle the RO water. When boosting water TO an RO system the pump and stuff is only handling raw water and doesn't need to be all non-corrosive.

LOW YIELD WELL_ CENTRIFUGAL_PK1A.jpg
 
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