how SHOULD my RODI tubes be hooked up?

areze · 09/19/2006, 03:54 PM

this is what I got

the labels are for the only 3 labeled places; just so its easier for you to see.

basicly Im pretty sure when I use this Im getting the waste water instead of the filtered water. due to volume that comes out.

so what is hooked up backwords?

Im thinking the 3rd horizontal filter from the top; 2 tubes on the left are switched? waste water line should be the bottom output, and the other on top?

areze · 09/19/2006, 04:04 PM

the seller has their set up the same way...

but then why when I close the valve does the output shoot water out at high flow with nothing out the waste. and opposite when I open it and it should be flushing the membranes(lots out the waste, low flow on the output)

theatrus · 09/19/2006, 05:07 PM

Looks like its backwards. Using the flush valve should cause all of the water to go out the drain line. Closing the main RO output should cause the waste line to stop (autoshutoff switch).

areze · 09/19/2006, 05:41 PM

so switch the 2 tubes on the left of the 3rd filter? or somewhere else?

areze · 09/21/2006, 05:15 PM

emailed the manufacturer, and he gave me the general instruction on how the valve works. but Im not an idiot... I got that part.

disconnected my waste line from the drain just to see. sure enough, when the valve is "closed"/perpendicular. a very very fine spray of water comes out of it, while the output tube is pouring water out of it. forget about 4:1 waste:clean; I have a 50:1 "clean":waste.

I hate to toss it, it was 100$. might not be the cadillac of RO/DI, but it should work better than that...

RichConley · 09/21/2006, 05:26 PM

probably just has the wrong sized flow restrictor on it, or if its adjustable, it needs to be tightened.

RichConley · 09/21/2006, 05:28 PM

also, that last canister is a carbon block to add back in flavor or some sillyness like that. Get rid of it, or T off before it. Its not needed for reef.

areze · 09/21/2006, 05:35 PM

is that adjustable? or... and tightened? or do you mean loosened? it needs to let more waste water through yeah?

areze · 09/21/2006, 05:35 PM

dont see any external screws, but the 2 ends have socket ends on them, I could unscrew it I think, would the adjustment be inside?

seattlerob · 09/21/2006, 05:39 PM

I believe that when a flush kit is used, there is no other flow restrictor...that the flush kit itself is the flow restrictor. At least that is how my purelyh2o.com unit is. But what Rich said could certainly be true, it could be the wrong rated flush valve kit.

areze · 09/21/2006, 05:47 PM

hey ummmm....

this might be stupid.

couldnt be this stupid. but...

the 3rd canister from the top. should there be... anything IN there? some sort of filter media perhaps? I mean, this is a 6 stage filter right? so, yeah? cause ummmm there isnt. its definitly 100% empty. perhaps thats the problem? or am I not that lucky and thats how its supposed to be?

areze · 09/21/2006, 05:48 PM

ummm yeah, I think thats supposed to be the RO membrane. and there sure isnt one in there. and Im sure as hell getting ready to go get really mad at the ebay seller.

areze · 09/21/2006, 05:50 PM

ok now Im mad at myself, found an RO membrane with the other filters(the others were replacements) perhaps this was some assembly required and I didnt know it....

seattlerob · 09/21/2006, 05:52 PM

yep, that should be where the RO membrane is.....I guess it all makes sense now, no membrane would certainly let the water flow out the good side in a hurry. Probably using up your DI resin at an alarming rate!

areze · 09/21/2006, 06:13 PM

well; it appears to be working, the flow through output and waste is lower, but more in the waste than output for once. and I could believe 75gpd for the output now.

perhaps this is why I had horid tank conditions for the past year... I didnt even use dechlorinator when I did water changes.

how do you know when the DI is "used up"? it still has the little brown balls in it; looks like the same amount as it started with, is that right?

AZDesertRat · 09/21/2006, 06:42 PM

If you didn't have the membrane in it the DI was probably used up the very first day you used it. The only way to tell is by purchasing a TDS meter, DI does not wear down or go away, its plastic beads with a negative or positive electrical charge. Its guaranteed to be way past wore out.

areze · 09/21/2006, 08:42 PM

alright, Ill swap that out then.

out of curiosity, how important is DI? I mean, I understand deionized, so I guess thats removing the heavy metals and such? copper I guess? is it also what removes chlorine?

AZDesertRat · 09/21/2006, 08:57 PM

DI is very important, it removes what the carbon and RO miss. Carbon removes the chlorine. If you don't have one already get a TDS meter and you can easily see how important it is.

09/19/2006, 03:54 PM	#1
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	how SHOULD my RODI tubes be hooked up? this is what I got the labels are for the only 3 labeled places; just so its easier for you to see. basicly Im pretty sure when I use this Im getting the waste water instead of the filtered water. due to volume that comes out. so what is hooked up backwords? Im thinking the 3rd horizontal filter from the top; 2 tubes on the left are switched? waste water line should be the bottom output, and the other on top? __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/19/2006, 04:04 PM	#2
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	the seller has their set up the same way... but then why when I close the valve does the output shoot water out at high flow with nothing out the waste. and opposite when I open it and it should be flushing the membranes(lots out the waste, low flow on the output) __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/19/2006, 05:07 PM	#3
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	Looks like its backwards. Using the flush valve should cause all of the water to go out the drain line. Closing the main RO output should cause the waste line to stop (autoshutoff switch). __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

09/19/2006, 05:41 PM	#4
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	so switch the 2 tubes on the left of the 3rd filter? or somewhere else? __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 05:15 PM	#5
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	emailed the manufacturer, and he gave me the general instruction on how the valve works. but Im not an idiot... I got that part. disconnected my waste line from the drain just to see. sure enough, when the valve is "closed"/perpendicular. a very very fine spray of water comes out of it, while the output tube is pouring water out of it. forget about 4:1 waste:clean; I have a 50:1 "clean":waste. I hate to toss it, it was 100$. might not be the cadillac of RO/DI, but it should work better than that... __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 05:26 PM	#6
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	probably just has the wrong sized flow restrictor on it, or if its adjustable, it needs to be tightened. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

09/21/2006, 05:28 PM	#7
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	also, that last canister is a carbon block to add back in flavor or some sillyness like that. Get rid of it, or T off before it. Its not needed for reef. __________________ NO TANKS!!!

09/21/2006, 05:35 PM	#8
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	is that adjustable? or... and tightened? or do you mean loosened? it needs to let more waste water through yeah? __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 05:39 PM	#10
seattlerob Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 464	I believe that when a flush kit is used, there is no other flow restrictor...that the flush kit itself is the flow restrictor. At least that is how my purelyh2o.com unit is. But what Rich said could certainly be true, it could be the wrong rated flush valve kit. Last edited by seattlerob; 09/21/2006 at 05:50 PM.

09/21/2006, 05:47 PM	#11
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	hey ummmm.... this might be stupid. couldnt be this stupid. but... the 3rd canister from the top. should there be... anything IN there? some sort of filter media perhaps? I mean, this is a 6 stage filter right? so, yeah? cause ummmm there isnt. its definitly 100% empty. perhaps thats the problem? or am I not that lucky and thats how its supposed to be? __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 05:48 PM	#12
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	ummm yeah, I think thats supposed to be the RO membrane. and there sure isnt one in there. and Im sure as hell getting ready to go get really mad at the ebay seller. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 05:50 PM	#13
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	ok now Im mad at myself, found an RO membrane with the other filters(the others were replacements) perhaps this was some assembly required and I didnt know it.... __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 05:52 PM	#14
seattlerob Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 464	yep, that should be where the RO membrane is.....I guess it all makes sense now, no membrane would certainly let the water flow out the good side in a hurry. Probably using up your DI resin at an alarming rate!

09/21/2006, 06:13 PM	#15
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	well; it appears to be working, the flow through output and waste is lower, but more in the waste than output for once. and I could believe 75gpd for the output now. perhaps this is why I had horid tank conditions for the past year... I didnt even use dechlorinator when I did water changes. how do you know when the DI is "used up"? it still has the little brown balls in it; looks like the same amount as it started with, is that right? __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 06:42 PM	#16
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	If you didn't have the membrane in it the DI was probably used up the very first day you used it. The only way to tell is by purchasing a TDS meter, DI does not wear down or go away, its plastic beads with a negative or positive electrical charge. Its guaranteed to be way past wore out.

09/21/2006, 08:42 PM	#17
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	alright, Ill swap that out then. out of curiosity, how important is DI? I mean, I understand deionized, so I guess thats removing the heavy metals and such? copper I guess? is it also what removes chlorine? __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

09/21/2006, 08:57 PM	#18
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	DI is very important, it removes what the carbon and RO miss. Carbon removes the chlorine. If you don't have one already get a TDS meter and you can easily see how important it is.