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RO system install

15 years ago

I will be installing an RO system in our new construction, and running a line to the refrigerator water/ice connection and to the sink for a side port. Can I mount the unit in the basement and run a tube up into the kitchen? There would be about a 9' height change involved. I'm looking a ~$300 three-filter system. I just don't want to take up an entire cabinet with the hardware which is why I'm looking to do a basement install.

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Comments (8)

User
15 years ago
Yes and use PE (polyethylene) tubing. Copper tubing and RO water don't work and play well together.

Here's a tip... intelligent use of these

will make servicing your RO a lot easier.
biermech
15 years ago
Yes you can make a run that long. I would make the run in 1/2" tubing and reduce to 3/8" or 1/4" where needed. Reducing the 1/2" will give an artificial boost.
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Hi Bob. To be honest I never thought about the waste. I am on a well and septic system so I'm not using a municipal water supply. Any waste water is obviously going out to water the lawn. I paid more than I needed to because I hired Culligan Water to install the RO. I paid extra for the best filters, they are rated to block bacteria and virus. I don't remember the micron size. They put a faucet on the sink so its easy to use. Long story short, I live in an area which is all well/septic and never trusted the well water to drink. I had it tested each year and it was deemed safe, but I am a City girl and prefer the smell of chlorine in my water. Thus the RO system. Plus our well water was high in hardness and acidic and I felt that affected some of my plants. If I empty the reserve tank, it takes a few hours to fill again. I use rain barrels to collect rain water and use that when they aren't frozen. I fill containers with RO water in gallon amounts. I estimate I use approx. 3 gallons with each full watering. So I continually fill one gallon containers throughout the week so I don't deplete the RO in one watering. Now I am using rain water exclusively. When the plants go outside, I use the well water from the hose. I really like the RO system. I feel it was worth the money. I even use it for ice cubes instead of the ice machine. I use it for cooking and drinking. I know there are cheaper ways to install them if you are handy. There are no 'handy-men' in this house. Jane
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RO Tank Size
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Most residential tanks are termed as "three-gallon". This is a bit of a misnomer because typically you will only get around a gallon of down-flow. That's because approximately 60% of the volume contains air pressure which drives the water to dispensers. Adjustment of that air pressure will provide more or less water but less or more pressure, respectively. Too much air pressure, and the you'll be fighting the membrane (reverse reverse osmosis?) and too little and the tank will be full but not able to provide adequate flow to faucets and especially ice-makers. 7-9 psi is standard. A 1/4" line, in most cases, will provide enough water. If there is a distance of more than ten feet, increase to 3/8". I would avoid saddle vale attachments and cut the line and put in a three-way with a ball valve shut off for the source water. Andy Christensen
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Comments (1)
At all stages in the wash cycle the dishwasher makes noise?
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Comments (2)
Only a doc would call one end of a plumbing fitting the "distal" end. Looks like you have PEX water piping there. I haven't fooled with it, but I suspect that you can't take the fittings apart and put them back together. They're generally inexpensive fittings but put together with an expensive crimp tool. If you have a threaded spot on the cold line, that'd be the place to tie in your filter. In your 1st photo, if the PEX tee on the right is the cold line, I'm assuming there's a shutoff valve there somewhere. If the PEX is downstream of that, your choices may be to replace it or get hold of a plumber who can cut in the extra branch you need. If you replace, the John Guest push on tube fittings are super easy to use and available at your local big box. FYI, your piping to dishwasher and fridge is normal and logical- hot to wash dishes and cold to make ice. You only need the one at each. And the boat's already sailed, but unless you have serious hard/well water or other issues, the RO is probably overkill.
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User
15 years ago
a 9 foot rise is not all that much but check the docs for your fridge. Many of the new design fridge water dispensers and ice makers won't work on the low water pressure that an RO provides.
asolo
15 years ago
Ice makers do work better with 50+ psi as opposed to the 8-30psi range of typical RO's. FWIW, I've had two RO-supplied frig/ice-makers running at two locations for almost 17 years. Both frig's replaced 4 years ago. Old and new frig's ice-makers worked and work fine with RO's lower pressure. However the flow from the water dispenser is slower than it would be otherwise.

My installations are at same level. With these lower pressures coming from the RO storage tank I would have some concern about that 9' rise. I suspect you may be on the edge with that. Also suspect it will probably work.
User
15 years ago
I have seen fridge documentaion that specifically mentions that the ice maker may not work with an RO due to the low pressure. I agree with Asolo as my fridge that is 4 years old and works fine but mentioned it as a heads-up for OP as he mentioned new construction.

Certain brands of RO, such as Kinetico, do have a firmer "push" on the RO output.

I have seen many RO installations under the kitchen sink that have a farther run than 9 feet to the fridge/ice maker. Going up is harder than going sideways but I do suspect it will work.
asolo
15 years ago
Thought......

The "nut" in this deal would be delivery pressure outbound from the storage tank. The rest of the components which operate on household line pressure could go anywhere with no worry. Any chance the storage tank itself could remain on same level as frig?
dan_martyn
15 years ago
Will this be on City water or Well water? If on a well, you can slightly adjust the pressure switch higher. If on city water call the water department and ask what is the delivery pressure at the sight. You are not changing the elevation of the termination point so there would be no additional pressure loss due to elevation. The pressure loss you would be concerned about is the dynamic pressure loss due to resistance in the small diameter tubing to the icemaker. Keeping the tubing length from the filter to the icemaker to a minimum would help. The RO filter data sheet will tell you what the pressure loss is through the system.

Hope That Helps,

Dan Martyn
asolo
15 years ago
Dan, you are incorrect. The RO pressure/storage tank is more-or-less isolated from household pressure. It is independently pressurized. If the pressure/storage tank resides below the delivery-point there certainly is pressure-loss with elevation.

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