RODI Pressure!

tjw00 · 04/15/2011, 01:56 PM

So I decided to upgrade my RODI unit from my ancient coralife system to a BRS 5 stage unit. I live on the 10th floor of a 52 story building with the water tank on the roof, so I've always had amazing water pressure, but never knew how much PSI. So the BRS RODI has a pressure gauge, and when I hooked it up today and turned on the water, the needle was pinned all the way , way off the charts past the 100 psi limit.

So , can anyone recommend someplace online to get a glycerin filled pressure gauge that read max of 200 or 250 psi so I can replace the 100PSI gauge.

Thnx

jeff@zina.com · 04/15/2011, 02:13 PM

Might want to look for a pressure reducer instead. Most RO membranes have a maximum pressure too. I know Grainger sells water pressure gauges in that range, might find one locally.

Jeff

tjw00 · 04/15/2011, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff@zina.com

Might want to look for a pressure reducer instead. Most RO membranes have a maximum pressure too. I know Grainger sells water pressure gauges in that range, might find one locally.

Jeff

thnx, I'll check out grainger. The membrane has a max operating pressure of 300 psi. Given the height of my building, the max static pressure should be somewhere around 200 psi. Guess I'll go with the 250 psi gauge from grainger.

kc350twin · 04/15/2011, 03:31 PM

Most people would love to have that much pressure. I had to use a booster pump to get the pressure up for the dual membrane. Lucky dog.

tjw00 · 04/15/2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kc350twin

Most people would love to have that much pressure. I had to use a booster pump to get the pressure up for the dual membrane. Lucky dog.

Yes, I've been lucky with the pressure and also for NYers in the hobby like me we're also blessed with tap water with a tds out of the faucet of 38.

Buckeye Hydro · 04/16/2011, 07:58 AM

Let's back up a little...

Jeff hit the nail on the head above. The max pressure you should be exposing your system to by plumbing code is 80 psi. Best if you don't expose clear housings to over 60 psi. So you need to reduce the pressure reaching the system, rather than worry about measuring the high pressure accurately. You need a pressure reducing valve:

Recommend you DO NOT run the system with the current high pressure - you're playing with fire...

Russ

Buckeye Hydro · 04/16/2011, 08:02 AM

If you are going to run it with the high pressure, think about placing it in the bathtub. If you get a failure at over 100psi it will make a big mess in a big hurry.

Russ

Harry_Y · 04/16/2011, 08:29 AM

I would say over 100 is defiantly over the top.

I have 80 psi and I thought that was on the high end of the scale

Buckeye Hydro · 04/16/2011, 09:33 AM

The membrane can handle much more. The clear housings are the "weak link in the chain" in terms of being able to handle high pressure.

Russ

ChuckLawson · 04/16/2011, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFS

Let's back up a little...

Jeff hit the nail on the head above. The max pressure you should be exposing your system to by plumbing code is 80 psi. Best if you don't expose clear housings to over 60 psi. So you need to reduce the pressure reaching the system, rather than worry about measuring the high pressure accurately. You need a pressure reducing valve:

Recommend you DO NOT run the system with the current high pressure - you're playing with fire...

Russ

What he said. I've been having problems the last ten years or so with faucets, toilet fill valves, etc. wearing out very fast, and with leaks around the cartridges of my RODI, float valves failing, etc. Never put two and two together until I added a pressure gauge to my my RODI and found I was at 95psi. Apparently the city bumped up the water pressure when a bunch of new houses went in nearby.

Long story short, I ended up paying a plumber to come in and put a pressure regulator on the water main to drop the whole house to 65psi. My RODI no longer runs quite as fast, but I've got a whole lot fewer problems with my RODI and plumbing in general. As a bonus, running water has gotten a lot quieter -- you can no longer hear three rooms away when the RODI unit is on.

tjw00 · 04/16/2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFS

If you are going to run it with the high pressure, think about placing it in the bathtub. If you get a failure at over 100psi it will make a big mess in a big hurry.

Russ

Thanks. I think I will do that from now on.

Been running the old coralife unit for almost 4 years on the same pressure and never had a problem. But this BRS unit, while well built, has more stages and connections, so more points to fail at. I never thought of the clear cylinder as a weak point. I always thought it would be a pressure fitting that would pop off.

Thnx.

Buckeye Hydro · 04/16/2011, 01:03 PM

Nope. The fittings, tubing, membrane, and membrane housing can all take higher pressure than the clear housings...

beatle · 04/16/2011, 02:10 PM

I didn't know the canisters needed to be limited in their pressure. I run my booster pump in this configuration:

Pressure measured between my final carbon block going into the membrane is around 95 psi. House pressure is ~60psi.

Buckeye Hydro · 04/16/2011, 02:56 PM

Best to put the booster pump in this position:
prefilters->strainer->pump->RO->DI

04/15/2011, 01:56 PM	#1
tjw00 Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 66	RODI Pressure! So I decided to upgrade my RODI unit from my ancient coralife system to a BRS 5 stage unit. I live on the 10th floor of a 52 story building with the water tank on the roof, so I've always had amazing water pressure, but never knew how much PSI. So the BRS RODI has a pressure gauge, and when I hooked it up today and turned on the water, the needle was pinned all the way , way off the charts past the 100 psi limit. So , can anyone recommend someplace online to get a glycerin filled pressure gauge that read max of 200 or 250 psi so I can replace the 100PSI gauge. Thnx

04/15/2011, 03:31 PM	#4
kc350twin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Severn, MD Posts: 1,579	Most people would love to have that much pressure. I had to use a booster pump to get the pressure up for the dual membrane. Lucky dog. __________________ 112g Cube 36x36x20= Custom 12x39wPower Module (Par Monster)= Neptune Apex=ATB 840v2=BM Doser= 2 MP-40's

04/16/2011, 08:29 AM	#8
Harry_Y Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: NY Posts: 454	I would say over 100 is defiantly over the top. I have 80 psi and I thought that was on the high end of the scale __________________ . 180 Gallon Reef with Basement Sump, Apex Controller, Hamilton Cebu Sun Light, Lifereef Skimmer and Calcium Reactor.

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04/15/2011, 02:13 PM	#2
jeff@zina.com Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 3,345	Might want to look for a pressure reducer instead. Most RO membranes have a maximum pressure too. I know Grainger sells water pressure gauges in that range, might find one locally. Jeff

04/16/2011, 07:58 AM	#6
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	Let's back up a little... Jeff hit the nail on the head above. The max pressure you should be exposing your system to by plumbing code is 80 psi. Best if you don't expose clear housings to over 60 psi. So you need to reduce the pressure reaching the system, rather than worry about measuring the high pressure accurately. You need a pressure reducing valve: Recommend you DO NOT run the system with the current high pressure - you're playing with fire... Russ

04/16/2011, 08:02 AM	#7
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	If you are going to run it with the high pressure, think about placing it in the bathtub. If you get a failure at over 100psi it will make a big mess in a big hurry. Russ

04/16/2011, 09:33 AM	#9
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	The membrane can handle much more. The clear housings are the "weak link in the chain" in terms of being able to handle high pressure. Russ

04/16/2011, 01:03 PM	#12
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	Nope. The fittings, tubing, membrane, and membrane housing can all take higher pressure than the clear housings...

04/16/2011, 02:10 PM	#13
beatle Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 295	I didn't know the canisters needed to be limited in their pressure. I run my booster pump in this configuration: Pressure measured between my final carbon block going into the membrane is around 95 psi. House pressure is ~60psi.

04/16/2011, 02:56 PM	#14
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	Best to put the booster pump in this position: prefilters->strainer->pump->RO->DI