Saddle valves and Low pressure to RODI unit

[jason2459]

where should the PSI be at?

Sorry, wanted to be a bit more detailed but I've been really under the weather the past few days. There are different kinds of booster pumps and some are made for slower GPD membranes and may only boost up to 50psi. Do you know what kind of booster pump you have?

If trying to get the rated output from a membrane they have multiple factors in place which includes pressure and temperature. Being in the winter the lower temp water really hurts the production of a membrane and combine that with low pressure and you have a double wammy.

Like a 75GPD Dow filmtec membrane which is pretty common is rated to get 75gpd with 250 ppm softened tap water, 77°F (25°C), 50 psi (3.4 bar), and 15% recovery.

But a 150GPD Dow filmtec membrane is rated to get 150gpd with 550ppm soften water, 65 PSI, 77 degree F water, 15% Permeate Recovery, Data taken after 30 minutes of operation

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Feeding a booster pump from a self-piercing saddle in a non-starter.

Pola0502ds - if you'd like, give us a call when you are in front of your system. Be happy to help get the situation squared away.

Russ
513-312-2343

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

We do have a booster pump, it won't increase the pressure which is why I believe there is something wrong with the unit itself.

What is the make/model of that booster pump?

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

If it is that PJ-V 6010... that's a bit of a low end booster pump - vendors of that thing claim you're likely to see only a 20 psi boost in pressure on membranes up to 100 gpd. Ugh. There's a work-around we can try...

 

[Pola0502ds]

This is the booster pump we were told to buy:
https://airwaterice.com/booster-pump-power-station-for-reefkeepers.html

and this is the RODI unit we got

https://airwaterice.com/reefkeepers-rodi/typhoon-iii-extreme-150.html

ANY help would be appreciated.

is there any feedback on this air water ice company????

The RODI unit is at the school and i'm rarely there but next time I will call you.

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

Ugh. Yes - please give us a call!

 

[LostInTheDark]

This is the booster pump we were told to buy:
https://airwaterice.com/booster-pump-power-station-for-reefkeepers.html

and this is the RODI unit we got

https://airwaterice.com/reefkeepers-rodi/typhoon-iii-extreme-150.html

ANY help would be appreciated.

is there any feedback on this air water ice company????

The RODI unit is at the school and i'm rarely there but next time I will call you.

I have this unit and had that booster pump and 52psi is more than enough to get water moving through it. Did they install everything for you?
The first thing to check would be the pressure by pass valve after the pump. It is the metal Bridge going between the input and output from the pump Make sure it is in the closed postion. If it is open at all the water is just going around in circles and not through the pump.

 

[LostInTheDark]

The next thing would be to check to make sure all the valves are in the right position:
https://airwaterice.com/media/pdf_files/t/h/the_valve_positions_on_typhoon_iii.pdf

I'm sure if you give them a call they can walk you through any issues. I've modified my system to add an additional carbon stage and an additional DI stage. I use it for drinking water and a large tank and it has worked great for the last 6 years or so.

 

[reef-freak]

How much is the Gapper?

 

[reef-freak]

Isn't the spectrapure a 1:1 ratio.they wanted around 800

 

[jason2459]

How much is the Gapper?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-gapper-400gpd-light-commercial-ro-from-buckeye-hydro.290479/

 

[jason2459]

Isn't the spectrapure a 1:1 ratio.they wanted around 800

The spectrapure base commercial unit is $1,200.

Spectra pures residential 1:1 ratio starts at $600 for 100gpd.

Spectra pure 200gpd 1:1 for $1300

Spectrapure 400gpd 1:1 for $2400


All very nice systems.


Buckeye hydro light commercial unit comparable to the Spectrapure 400gpd 1:1 minus one DI stage is $768.

But its more then just the waste ratio but that is a big savings down the road. Less usage on all the filters and less DI used.

 

[brownsalt92]

Asides from taking the saddle valve off and tee to 3/8" he also upped the size of the feed line so 2 variables changed, the test would have been to test it with a saddle to the 3/8" line and you would know if it indeed was the tee or the saddle or diameter of line

 

[jason2459]

Asides from taking the saddle valve off and tee to 3/8" he also upped the size of the feed line so 2 variables changed, the test would have been to test it with a saddle to the 3/8" line and you would know if it indeed was the tee or the saddle or diameter of line

Actually no the feed line was still 1/4". The same one used to the saddle valve so all that was the same.

 

[jason2459]

Note the 3/8" to 1/4" reducing union. I then took the 1/4" line I was using before to the saddle valve and pushed into that union. So if anything the feed line is longer and I potentially have even more running pressure ability. You want the supply line as short as possible.

 

[Pola0502ds]

I have this unit and had that booster pump and 52psi is more than enough to get water moving through it. Did they install everything for you?
The first thing to check would be the pressure by pass valve after the pump. It is the metal Bridge going between the input and output from the pump Make sure it is in the closed postion. If it is open at all the water is just going around in circles and not through the pump.

Thank you, the bridge is closed..

 

[Pola0502ds]

The next thing would be to check to make sure all the valves are in the right position:
https://airwaterice.com/media/pdf_files/t/h/the_valve_positions_on_typhoon_iii.pdf

I'm sure if you give them a call they can walk you through any issues. I've modified my system to add an additional carbon stage and an additional DI stage. I use it for drinking water and a large tank and it has worked great for the last 6 years or so.

I have called Chris many times. I know he is a busy guy and a few times he had forgot we just talked the day before and what the problem was. We have been dealing with this since May of last year because once it was installed, and at the time we thought the pressure was only 30psi, he recommended that we purchase a booster pump. Well, we are a school and it takes a while to get the funds. Once we got the booster pump and found out that it didn't work we tried working with Chris multiple times over phone and e-mail but he finally told me to pound salt. He said that he had never spent so much time "dealing" with a customer and gave us a deadline to get it fixed, assuming so that he didn't have to deal with us anymore. He sent that email on Wednesday 2/1/17 and the deadline was 2 days after Friday 2/3/17. It's a school and the people working on this volunteer their time in the evenings and weekend, so we couldn't meet his deadline. His products look great but I have yet to see them work. His customer service was great in the beginning but after all the testing he had us do to make sure we had enough pressure in the lines and after all the "Try this and get back to me" emails, he got upset and left us hanging by giving us a deadline we weren't able to hit.

@Buckeye Hydro has offered to help troubleshoot this over the phone for us and we are going to take him up on the offer. Just need to find a time when it works for both of us. This is the type of thing that separates companies apart. There are tons of places to buy good RODI units but the customer service is what sets them apart.

 

[LostInTheDark]

Wow. Very sorry to hear about the poor service. I've never had to call them with any problems so I can't vouch for them. I wonder if they know how much one post about poor service influences customers. It's awesome that a competitor is willing to help you out. Great endorsement of their customer service.
Do you have any local reef club where you can ask for help? Sometimes a different set of eyes helps.

 

[jason2459]

For any RODI related questions there are only two vendors I have trust in the most. Buckeye Hydro is one of them and Spectrapure is another. With Buckeye Hydro having the least "hype" and giving down to earth expectations and explanations I would go to them first.

 

[Pola0502ds]

Wow. Very sorry to hear about the poor service. I've never had to call them with any problems so I can't vouch for them. I wonder if they know how much one post about poor service influences customers. It's awesome that a competitor is willing to help you out. Great endorsement of their customer service.
Do you have any local reef club where you can ask for help? Sometimes a different set of eyes helps.

I didnt intend for what i said to ever come out, i dont like giving negative feedback because i dont like burning bridges but the conversation went that way. And all i did was tell the absolute truth..

A few sets of eyes have been on it, some that have had years of experience and been very successful in the hobby. Buckeye sent me a message and they have a good idea of what the problem is.. flow restrictor in the ro housing... Will find out soon hopefully.