How can I fill a 55 gal barrell with out loosing all my RO/D

[mweber]

I use a 55 gal barrell to prepare my changeout water. It takes about 3 days to fill it and in the mean time I have no pressure to use for evaporation replenishment.

One Idea I have is to put a pressure reducing valve on the inlet to the 55 gal float. It would close on fall of upstream pressure at about 10 PSI. This would insure that I always have at least 10 PSI avaliable to my evap drip. The problem is I haven't been able to find a plastic PRV with these specs.

1. Where can I get a valve like this?
2. How do you accomplish this feat?
3. Other suggestions????

 

[AquaFxIrene]

I am not exactly sure what you mean, so be patient. Are you saying that all the water goes into you 55 gallon holding tank, and when that happens there is an shut off that feeds make up water to your tank?

If so, you should not put anything to obstruct the pressure leaving your RO system. The whole system is SOOOO pressure sensitive that you could create a monster.

Instead of this, why not upgrade you membrane output. To, lets say, a 100 GPD membrane (just make sure you change your flow restrictor) and then you can fill up your 55 gallon drum in a matter of hours.

It seems like a good fix to me. If your system is brand new, you may want to wait. But if it is a couple of years old it is about time to change your membrane anyway.

Just a thought!

Irene

 

[mweber]

Thanks for the reply.
Basically I have a Tee on the outlet of my RODI. Because I have a lot of surface area and I have an exchaust fan venting the area above my tank, sump, refugium, and surge tank my evaporation rate is about 5 gallons per day. When my 55 is needing water it takes all the pressure and my evap replenishment line gets none. What I don't like about a big RO is that if something goes haywire, such as a float sticking or skimmer going crazy I don't want any chance of my evap float adding that much water to mess up my salinity while I'm not looking.

 

[Anonymous]

You won't have a problem if your 55 gal tank is abouve your sump. The pressure will go to the lowest float valve. If you cannot raise your 55 gal. then take the feed tube above the elevation of your sump and then let it feed by gravity to your storage tank. There must be an air break at the top or you will just siphon the water going back down to the tank, and not create a pressure difference. I have a setup similar to yours and my storage tank is lower than my sump. My storage tank fills up first as well. Once a day while my storage tank is filling, I turn off the water to it and let my sump refill.

 

[Anonymous]

Call SpectraPure. The unit I got from them have a pressure regulating valve (in-line).

 

[mweber]

Seven

Thanks for the reply. I called Spectrapure and they are sending me a 4lb check valve and a 24 volt solenoid valve. I think it will work.