need more RO

[DSCOTT]

I have updated my automatic to water drive side spiners. And the RO can't keepup. Can I put bigger membranes in and bigger presure pump? Our what do I need to do?

 

[Buzzie8]

I'm assuming you have some type of RO storage. You can add a second tank.

 

[DSCOTT]

Yes I have went from 250 gal to 550 gal. I have the storage now I need to up production. have had a couple big days and ran out of water.

 

[MEP001]

When you increase pump size and add a membrane, you usually need to increase the size of all the plumbing on the system. What size is the membrane now? What size is the plumbing and inlet solenoid?

 

[Buzzie8]

Yes, I have a 550 gallon tank and have considered adding a second 550 gallon tank. If you have more stored away you should not need to increase production. That's if space is not a problem.

 

[soapy]

On big demand days it is easy to run out of spot free rinse water if you are not properly sized. In the past when I have had a problem with my spot free rinse maker I added a hydrominder to the top of my storage tank and fed it with soft water so I could keep washing cars. I never had one complaint of spots on a car when using soft water only as the spot free rinse. I have left the hydrominder on all of my storage tanks as a back up for the spot free rinse system. If the tanks ever get low the hydrominder will add soft water to the tank and let me keep running.

 

[Buzzie8]

On big demand days it is easy to run out of spot free rinse water if you are not properly sized. In the past when I have had a problem with my spot free rinse maker I added a hydrominder to the top of my storage tank and fed it with soft water so I could keep washing cars. I never had one complaint of spots on a car when using soft water only as the spot free rinse. I have left the hydrominder on all of my storage tanks as a back up for the spot free rinse system. If the tanks ever get low the hydrominder will add soft water to the tank and let me keep running.

Soapy,
I considered doing this but would not want the tank to start replenishing with soft water until there is only about 1/4 left in 500 gallon tank. So the customer would be getting fully treated water 98% of the time. I am assuming you could not do this with a hrydrominder. Even in your set up, the tank would be pulling soft water vs. RO water when the level fell just a bit. How do you overcome this? I was thinking a float valve that sits in bottom of tank that has chain that goes to 1/4 way up.
Buzzie

 

[soapy]

Just extend the chain on the float.

 

[bigleo48]

Why are you putting out so much RO water. Can you install a rain arch on your automatic?

Soapy has a good plan. You would need to get above 50 TDS to perhaps notice it on a SS wand. In an automatic I believe you can go much higher, so if you are mixing some soft water with the RO, you may not get to the point that it is high enough to notice.
Another trick you can do is to increase your drying agent so that less water sticks on in the first place.

 

[DSCOTT]

my spotfree cycle on my automatic now uses about 13 gals. my RO makes 1.7 a min. I like the extra water out put and as well my customers. I dont want to add soft water if I dont have to. I,m thinking I need 2 4 by 40 membranes, I,m think going with bigger pump and plumbing will be cheeper then a new system.

 

[Buzzie8]

Just extend the chain on the float.

I am somewhat perplexed by this answer. You have two sources of water coming into the tank. On every tank that I have a hydrominder I only have one source of water so the chain will be somewhat snug when the water shuts off. I am guessing that your float just bobs on top of the water for your soft water supplement?

 

[soapy]

Buzzie8, That is right the float does bob on top of the water until the time the water level gets low enough to trigger the water flow through the hydro.
I tried uploading a picture for reference but can't get it to work.

 

[JustClean]

Just put a manual float valve half way into the tank. If the R/O drops that low it lets soft water in.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Used RO systems are pretty easy to find. How about just buying another production plant to fire up when water drops below a certain level?