reverse osmosis filters?

[VW Drew]

after looking at the reverse osmosis filters for spot free rinsing I'm interested in building a system for myself to save some $$ for other detailing items. Have you since your reading this built one yourself? Any tips, tricks or places to buy filters from?
Thanks!
Drew

 

[GSKR]

I bought the system from griots like 6 years ago for 149.00 and didn't help,looked into real systems too much money.

 

[Muddyoldgoat]

I checked with my father in law who has a system for his reef. He suggested a system from one of the reef suppliers online. It's a water saving system with 2 RO membranes that capable of producing up to 150 gal a day. They also sell individual parts.

I went with the kit and couldn't be happier with it. I made 175 gal for my mobile tank and now make 35 gal+ a day to replace what I use. It's awesome to have clean water and no spots. City water is above 480ppm so water spotting was terrible.

Check out all the reef supply sites and you should be able to find what your looking for.

 

[swanicyouth]

Unless your running a business and need a huge amount of DI water, I can't see how building a system makes much sense.

A couple people have done it, it seems like they've saved a few bucks. But, for the hassle I'd just get a proven CR Spotless.

 

[2black1s]

I built a system about a year ago (see link below). I don't use this for a business but rather for personal use on my own vehicles. Works great for me. If you're doing multiple cars/bikes per day this would never work in it's current configuration, although if you added an auxiliary atmospheric storage tank the system will produce about 100 gallons per day.

Here's the link to the thread... http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-garage-accessories/88759-spot-free-rinse-systems.html

 

[Danny9447537]

I built a system about a year ago (see link below). I don't use this for a business but rather for personal use on my own vehicles. Works great for me. If you're doing multiple cars/bikes per day this would never work in it's current configuration, although if you added an auxiliary atmospheric storage tank the system will produce about 100 gallons per day.

Here's the link to the thread... http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-garage-accessories/88759-spot-free-rinse-systems.html

Do you mind sending me a build list?

Love how you set it up BTW!

 

[Muddyoldgoat]

Unless your running a business and need a huge amount of DI water, I can't see how building a system makes much sense.

A couple people have done it, it seems like they've saved a few bucks. But, for the hassle I'd just get a proven CR Spotless.

I was running duel 20" DI filters... Just like the big CRspotless but homemade. With my city water I was getting about 200 gallons out of a batch of resin. $80 to replace the resin or .40 a gallon.
For the money I spent on that system, I could have got the RO/DI system I have now. I went from pushing 480 through the DI to pushing 8 through it. This should mean the resin will last 60 times longer.
Waste water from the RO is a factor but that water is pumped out to my lawn so I'm not running the sprinklers out there.
CRspotless is nice and easy but gets expensive quick in areas with high TDS.

 

[Ricorocks]

You can almost do as well, with a water softener. On the softener out, I installed a hose bib so now, wash buckets, rinse off are all soft water. I've tested the water before & after the wash, 0 ppm hardness both.

Mostly water spotting is from CA++ & Mg++ (calcium & magnesium) in hard water. Softeners exchange CA & Mg with Na++ sodium, which comes from NaCL salt.

Also if you pre-treat your water going to RO unit etc., you will get more gallons from the resin, before they become exhausted. Pre treat = soft water, which would remove the bulk, of junk so, the RO resins would not have to.

Culligan may swap out used RO bottles for fresh.

 

[2black1s]

Do you mind sending me a build list?

Love how you set it up BTW!

I don't have a parts list readily available but it's essentially a RO drinking water system with a 50 gallon per day rating, a 20 gallon storage tank, a DI cartridge, and misc. hoses, fittings, gauges, etc. The output is a Harbor Freight 3/8 in retractable hose reel and I modified an old pressure washer gun that I had laying around as a nozzle. The stand is built from 2x4s and plywood.

 

[Danny9447537]

I don't have a parts list readily available but it's essentially a RO drinking water system with a 50 gallon per day rating, a 20 gallon storage tank, a DI cartridge, and misc. hoses, fittings, gauges, etc. The output is a Harbor Freight 3/8 in retractable hose reel and I modified an old pressure washer gun that I had laying around as a nozzle. The stand is built from 2x4s and plywood.

Awesome, thanks for the helpful tips. I've been having issues with hardwater spots from the town I live in and would like a system similar to what you built.

I also live in the same town as MuddyOldGoat and 480 PPM is unacceptable to me.

 

[Muddyoldgoat]

Here's my unit.
I have since put the duel 20" DI between the RO and the small DI. I have it running into a 35 gallon tank with a auto shutoff valve. I pump into my trailer and let it fill back up when I'm working. 35 gallons takes about 5 hours to make.
I couldn't be happier with setup. Plug and play right out of the box and the cost per gallon is excellent.

 

[Hoytman]

You can almost do as well, with a water softener. On the softener out, I installed a hose bib so now, wash buckets, rinse off are all soft water. I've tested the water before & after the wash, 0 ppm hardness both.

Mostly water spotting is from CA++ & Mg++ (calcium & magnesium) in hard water. Softeners exchange CA & Mg with Na++ sodium, which comes from NaCL salt.

Also if you pre-treat your water going to RO unit etc., you will get more gallons from the resin, before they become exhausted. Pre treat = soft water, which would remove the bulk, of junk so, the RO resins would not have to.

Culligan may swap out used RO bottles for fresh.

Thirteen (13) years ago when we built my dad's house we put a line/valve to the garage so that all we had to do to get soft wash/rinse water was go down stairs and turn the valve.

I have an RO system under my sink. Soon I am planning on putting in a new water heater and a softener. I was told I shouldn't soften the supply line to my RO system or try and drink the softened water even if not going through that RO system. I'm not sure what to do, but I am going to add a softener for the rest of the house and I may even add some other type of filtration as well. Would be nice to filter and soften at least one outside faucet as well for wash/rinsing the car, but I was also told I shouldn't soften any water that may be needed for plants in the garden. Don't have a clue if the guy who told me those things knows anything about it, but rest assured I will research it more.

 

[Ricorocks]

Hi Bill,

The reason for not drinking 'soft water' is, Calcium & Magnesium have been removed, & replaced with Sodium. Ca & Mg are important minerals for the body & hardwater is a great source. Softwater the good minerals have been replaced by Sodium Na, which we all get way too much of.

Softwater is not good for plants & is a waste.

Most homes and or a plumber can install a bypass (softener) for sprinklers.

RO water, is also unhealthy, from the mini under the sink to bottled water Or not as healthy & safe as ordinary tap water.

At the power plant I worked as a (stationary engineer), in order to meet Air Quality Std., we injected very pure water into the 'jet engines' combustion chamber. To make this water we did:

#1 water softener > filtered > RO unit > DI water bottles > storage tank approx. 10' diameter x 20' height > pumped back to the plant, for injection.

Any impurities in the injected water would end up baking onto the jets turbine blades, which would then result in uneven heating of the blades, & eventually cracking.

Also the more pure the water is, it becomes more aggressive. If you run pure water, through copper piping, you will end up with copper in the water. Choice for aggressive water is pvc.

I believe RO or DI water both (aggressive), would have a stripping effect, on the finishes we put on cars, much more than hard water, but hard water, is prone to water spotting. So a compromise is soft water, which is damn near water spot free.