Primo RO Water Refill at Walmart

[day_trippr]

what does the DI in RODI stand for?

Deionizing. Strips the very last teensy bit of minerals that get through the membrane. Results in highly caustic H2O that is excessively "pure" for brewing purposes...or pretty much anything else, aside from maybe aquariums...

Cheers!

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

we installed an RO system and it was busted within 6 months, because the municipal water was so hard the membrane just got destroyed. @Buckeye_Hydro it was a GE system

Yep - just like hard water leave deposits at your faucets, and pretty much any where else it touches, that same scale will be laid down by hard water INSIDE an RO membrane. It clogs the membrane. When this happen we say the membrane has been "scaled." You can use an acid based cleaned to remove it but that process not practical for residential-scale membranes.

Water hardness and RO membranes don't get along. On commercial RO systems where the membranes can be very expensive, hardness is removed with a softener before it reaches the RO system.

Russ

 

[RufusBrewer]

Deionizing. Strips the very last teensy bit of minerals that get through the membrane. Results in highly caustic H2O that is excessively "pure" for brewing purposes...or pretty much anything else, aside from maybe aquariums...

Cheers!

Is deionize water different from distilled water? If so, how.

I assumed that deionized water & distilled water were the same (H2O - nothing else) the difference was the process that got the water to that condition.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

For the purposes of beer brewing, in most circumstances, yes, the water quality is the same.

 

[rallenhall]

I mentioned in another thread that I once brought home supposed RO water from a Walmart machine, and it immediately turned milky-white when StarSan was added. I've never had that happen with water company kiosks such as Culligan.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

In our experience talking with customers over the last ~25 yrs, the quality of water from kiosks is hit or miss. Bottom line is if that is where you get your water, take a handheld TDS meter with you to the kiosk.
https://www.buckeyehydro.com/handheld-meters/

 

[soccerdad]

I had it tested. Sent a sample to Ward Labs. Checked out as real RO water.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

Good. The issue though is system maintenance. Some of the kiosks are maintained, some... not so much. So you have to use your TDS meter every time you go.

 

[MaxStout]

YMMV with those machines in stores. The water from those is only as good as the periodic maintenance done on the machines (i.e., timely replacement of filters). I have measured some of that water, showing TDS levels up in 3 figures ppm.

Most supermarkets can't even be bothered to fix their shopping carts. You think they have time to carefully watch their water machines? Especially with so many places being short-handed on help these days?

Get a home RO filtration system. Around $150--it'll pay for itself in a year or so, and you'll know what's in your water. Plus you won't be schlepping jugs of water from the store.

 

[rallenhall]

The latest Ward Labs report for my tap water showed 600 TDS, so I'm assuming that affordable home RO is out of the question. I did send a sample from the local Culligan kiosk to Ward which came back with a TDS of 17. As Buckeye_Hydro mentioned above, I assume that this figure may fluctuate a bit according to the maintenance schedule but I've been happy with their water. Just wish I didn't have to schlep jerrycans up and down the basement steps.

 

[marc1]

The latest Ward Labs report for my tap water showed 600 TDS, so I'm assuming that affordable home RO is out of the question. I did send a sample from the local Culligan kiosk to Ward which came back with a TDS of 17. As Buckeye_Hydro mentioned above, I assume that this figure may fluctuate a bit according to the maintenance schedule but I've been happy with their water. Just wish I didn't have to schlep jerrycans up and down the basement steps.

If you get a 97% rejection rate, your RO water would have a TDS of 18, which is fine.

The water from the machines is fine as long as they are serviced; you can check that every time when you fill up with a cheap handheld TDS meter.

 

[agentbud]

One day I'll break down and get me an RO system. In the meantime I am just happy to be involved with a forum post that has used the word schlep/ schlepping twice in one day.

 

[deuc224]

Honestly man, this site is very very helpful and the people on here genuinely want to help. Ive been on another site that has to do with DE-STIHL-ING and god so many egos and people who just know it all. This is a refreshing site to be involved in

 

[BrewersVocation]

So I custom build and install RO systems In Nebraska. TDS is usually around 800ppm. Super hard too.

RO machines can run fine on this water. If you have a water softener the membrane can last 3-5 years. If you don't, change your membrane every year.

It's not about how much a system is, the main things that matter are the type of membrane and pressure. The Dow Filmtech BW60-1812-75 is my go to. Lots of research and calling companies. If anyone wants to upgrade or change out their membrane I can send you a free flow restrictor to match it.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

Good choice! The (now) DuPont Filmtec 75 is a good one - low testing pressure (50 psi) and high rejection (99%). Nothing matches it. The trick to getting a reasonable life span in the presence of high hardness is 1) softening the feedwater if possible, 2) or running it with a ~4:1 waste water to purified water ratio. That's where that flow restrictor BrewersVocation mentions comes into play.

Russ

 

[soccerdad]

I had home RO water and changed it out for a good filter. It takes out solids Ang chlorine but leaves minerals. The waste from RO water is ridunculous and the pressure tank is destined for the landfill.

 

[BrewersVocation]

I had home RO water and changed it out for a good filter. It takes out solids Ang chlorine but leaves minerals. The waste from RO water is ridunculous and the pressure tank is destined for the landfill.

Water waste can be helped with a Permeate Pump like this one Aquatec Permeate Pump - Buckeye Hydro It makes it close to a 1:1 Waste ratio and improves rejection rate. I know a lot of people don't have a tank and just use a float on there kettle, turn the system on the night before.

 

[soccerdad]

That's good. But even at 1:1 you dump a gallon for every gallon you use.

 

[BrewersVocation]

Yea, I totally agree it's a waste. Just depends on your goals. I know my stouts & dark beers always do better starting from hard water too!

 

[soccerdad]

I have a few beers that I want to start with RO. I can get it for 30 cents a gallon when that is the case. For me it beats having a home system. I have no objection to anyone having a home system. It just isn't for me.

 

[rallenhall]

I've never investigated, but is a low volume, tabletop softener/RO system a possibility? May be units on the market for all I know. I'd be willing to run with a 1:1 waste ratio, but 4:1 was always a deal breaker.

 

[deuc224]

As someone said, use a permeate pump in the system. I used to run water thru my system and it would take so log to get water until i got the pump and changed the RO filter, now it pushes about 4 gallons an hour of RODI water to my kettle and sparge tank.

 

[MaxStout]

That's good. But even at 1:1 you dump a gallon for every gallon you use.

That's an important consideration, as many people live where water isn't so cheap (e.g., CA and desert SW).

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

For context: a single 12 minute shower with a typical 2.5 gpm showerhead uses 30 gallons of water.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

As someone said, use a permeate pump in the system. I used to run water thru my system and it would take so log to get water until i got the pump and changed the RO filter, now it pushes about 4 gallons an hour of RODI water to my kettle and sparge tank.

Permeate pumps work only on systems equipped with a pressurized storage tank.

I wonder if you're talking about a booster pump?

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

I've never investigated, but is a low volume, tabletop softener/RO system a possibility?

A tabletop softener? Nothing on the market that I'm aware of. There are some manual softeners but even then they are bigger than "tabletop."

 

[agentbud]

For context: a single 12 minute shower with a typical 2.5 gpm showerhead uses 30 gallons of water.

And for additional reference, a teenage boy getting ready for a date with his new girlfriend uses about 80 gallons

 

[soccerdad]

Beide sind richtig. Both are correct.
Also correct that folks who are committed to less water usage can save 30% or more with a low flow shower head. About 10 of those 30 gallons. Further conservation by wetting yourself - turning the water off and soaping up - then turning water back on to rinse. Not for everyone, but may become a need if water scarcity prevails.