Does heat affect RODI water?

ILikeFish! · Jul 12, 2023

I make my rodi water in my garage but it’s been so hot recently that it’s like 90-100 degrees in my garage. Could the heat affect my rodi water and rodi machine? Also i have rodi buddy in case that helps.

Lbrdsoxfan · Jul 12, 2023

Others will chime in, but I know the ro membrane hates the heat and will come apart internally if its too hot.

twentyleagues · Jul 12, 2023

Yes. I dont know how adversely or in which direction. Typically warmer water is going to flow easier then cold so pressures could be higher. Like stated above ro membranes and micron filters have a do not exceed temp rating on them typically ro membranes are like 70f.

ILikeFish! · Jul 12, 2023

twentyleagues said:
Yes. I dont know how adversely or in which direction. Typically warmer water is going to flow easier then cold so pressures could be higher. Like stated above ro membranes and micron filters have a do not exceed temp rating on them typically ro membranes are like 70f.

So should i just replace my ro membrane? But I really need to change my fish tank water so can i just add some seachem prime to the water to make it safe?

exnisstech · Jul 12, 2023

Most likely the water going through membrane will be coming from the supply source which is typically underground, at least around here so it should not be that hot. Unless you are pumping water from a storage container to the rodi system which is not common

ILikeFish! · Jul 12, 2023

exnisstech said:
Most likely the water going through membrane will be coming from the supply source which is typically underground, at least around here so it should not be that hot. Unless you are pumping water from a storage container to the rodi system which is not common

The water isn’t hot my garage is.

exnisstech · Jul 12, 2023

ILikeFish! said:
The water isn’t hot my garage is

That shouldn't affect the RO membrane as it will be cold water flowing through it. These rodi units are stored in warehouses prioir to sales so I would expect they reach temps at least as high as your garage or more while they are being stored and riding around in trucks for delivery.
I do not know if it will have any effect on the rodi water being stored there.

exnisstech · Jul 12, 2023

Double post

ILikeFish! · Jul 12, 2023

exnisstech said:
That shouldn't affect the RO membrane as it will be cold water flowing through it. These rodi units are stored in warehouses prioir to sales so I would expect they reach temps at least as high as your garage or more while they are being stored and riding around in trucks for delivery.
I do not know if it will have any effect on the rodi water being stored there.

Yeah but the ones in storage have never been exposed to water. I dont think the rodi machine drains when i turn it off so there’s probably water in there that gets up to the surrounding temperature.

exnisstech · Jul 12, 2023

ILikeFish! said:
Yeah but the ones in storage have never been exposed to water. I dont think the rodi machine drains when i turn it off so there’s probably water in there that gets up to the surrounding temperature.

I'm sorry. Now I understand your concern. Maybe @Buckeye Hydro can help out?

EDIT: I do support them

twentyleagues · Jul 12, 2023

ILikeFish! said:
Yeah but the ones in storage have never been exposed to water. I dont think the rodi machine drains when i turn it off so there’s probably water in there that gets up to the surrounding temperature.

That's my concern. As for stored rodi it won't be a problem. Unless you put it directly in your tank at 90f. Let it cool before you use it. Probably make mixing salt easier.

GlassMunky · Jul 12, 2023

Can you just move the RODI unit itself inside your house and run a line out to the garage?
Then you don’t gotta worry at all.
That’s how my setup is. RODI in laundry room with a 50ft line that run through the ceiling into my 55g drums in the garage.

ILikeFish! · Jul 12, 2023

GlassMunky said:
Can you just move the RODI unit itself inside your house and run a line out to the garage?
Then you don’t gotta worry at all.
That’s how my setup is. RODI in laundry room with a 50ft line that run through the ceiling into my 55g drums in the garage.

No, i dont have a water supply in my house that my rodi unit can connect to

GlassMunky · Jul 12, 2023

ILikeFish! said:
No, i dont have a water supply in my house that my rodi unit can connect to

You don’t have a sink or a water hookup for laundry?

n2585722 · Jul 12, 2023

I have been using a RODI system in my garage for over 8 years. So far I have had no issues with using it. It does run a flush every 4 hours when it turns on to refill the RO bladder for the ice maker in the fridge, but the flush was just added this year. It was It got up to 104.5 degrees today but it has been hotter this year in the garage. The hottest is usually August though.

A_Blind_Reefer · Jul 12, 2023

Most will tell you that heat kills membranes. That has not been my experience. Mine is in a garage as well, in Phoenix where it gets plenty hot, over 110 in the summer. The incoming water temperature (cold) is 90-105 at times. After my first year I replaced the membranes and cut them open just to see. They were perfectly fine. I’ve been running the same membranes for three years now without issue. That said, they are Dow membranes and not generic. There’s a lot of us here that have rodi with hot incoming water, some have the units in the garage like me, others have them inside. Either way, there’s no way around having hot water going through the membrane during the summer and I haven’t heard of anyone chilling thier incoming water yet. Your results may vary

Gtinnel · Jul 12, 2023

Most membranes can withstand heat up to 113 degrees and that is the point where it damages the membrane. It sounds like you’re probably getting close to reaching that limit which would make me nervous, but if it’s already in the garage and hasn’t been damaged yet then it may be okay permanently.

On the positive side warm water going through your membrane will produce water quicker, but it also has a lower rejection rate and will allow more contaminated through the membrane depleting your di quicker.

Justdrew · Jul 12, 2023

Ive had my R/DI in my garage in Vegas for 9 years. Hot afternoon sun on the door gets hot in the garage. I've only replaced my membrane once and it lasted the normal 5-6 years.