Hooking up buddy booster pump

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Wicked5oh

Wicked5oh

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So I picked up a 100gpd RO/DI and booster pump. It wasn't hooked up when I got it.

Tried to watch videos on how to hook it up but just didn't make any sense because the to/di unit used in the video was different..

I believe I finally figured it out... The original owner had the line coming off second carbon into membrane, from membrane through tds OUT into DI last... Didn't make sense to me since the tds out is off of membrane.

I have it set up so water goes through two carbon filters, into DI, then too booster pump, from booster pump into membrane, then back too booster pump and into my holding tank.

My tds reads 036 IN and 000 OUT. Do I have this hooked correctly? Or do I need to go back to - water through two carbon too booster, then to membrane then too DI then back to pump then to holding tank?
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
Here is a simple diagram that applies to about any basic RO booster installation
http://spectrapure.com/huds/NEW-MO-BPK.pdf

Here is one that is more elaborate and includes a pressure switch, DI and drinking water kit.
http://spectrapure.com/huds/NEW-BPK-PS-DI-DWK.pdf
As far as the dual inline TDS meter, normally the IN probe goes between the RO and the DI and the OUT probe goes after the DI. That is one big problem with the inlines is they don't monitor the tap TDS which is important when you are trying to calculate how well your RO membrane is working. I let the batteries die on both of my dual inlines and use only a handheld, much more accurate and you can test anywhere.
 
The first link does not show a DI filter?

If the IN tds is between filters then it doesn't show tds monitoring going in? I'm confused.

Also my pump is different.

Tap water > through TDS>sediment > carbon > DI > booster pump > membrane > through TDS > booster pump > holding tank.

My pressure gauge also reads after pre filters (sediment/carbon/DI) on the line that feeds membrane.

If I understand correctly you are saying that my TDS in should be after my sediment and carbon, and then to membrane then to di then to my holding tank? My tds out is after membrane.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
No. The TDS IN is after the RO membrane so you are reading RO only water and the OUT probe goes on the tail end so you read final RO/DI.

Do you have a link to that pump? Most pumps have a suction and a discharge and they slip inline between the sediment or carbon block filter and the RO membrane, never seen anything like you are describing.

It doesn't need to show the DI, it is always going to be the last thing in the filtration process with nothing except the OUT probe after it if you are using an inline TDS mete rwhich I do not recommend.

Sediment filter, carbon block filter, RO booster pump In and Out, RO membrane, IN TDS probe, DI filter(s) and OUT probe in that order. It gets more complicated if you have a pressure switch controlling the pump or a level control on the storage to start and stop things automatically.
 
The DI should be the last thing before the holding tank. Booster pump is often right before the membrane. I have this pump, bought like a year ago or so. The video was very simple to follow....
 
It's a buddy pack booster pump.

The video wasn't so easy for me to follow because my ro/di unit is different.

Well my TDS IN reads the tap water coming in, but I guess would make sense if that was taking readings after pre filters to be able to see if pre filters needed to be changed. I'm going to re route my houses so that DI goes to holding tank. Just weird to me that the tds out is after membrane but before DI filter.

This is the unit I am using
http://www.barrierreefaquariums.com/productcart/pc/Barrier-Reef-s-100-GPD-Deluxe-RO-DI-549p10746.htm

And this is the booster pump.
http://m.marinedepot.com/products/a...-buddie-booster-pump-50-to-100-gpd-ro-systems

Thanks for all the replys, going to switch up my lines.
 
Tidal Gardens
No. Sediment and carbon filters have very little to absolutely nothing to do with TDS removal. The remove big floaty stuff and chlorine. They are like 1, 5 or 10 microns, TDS is 0.0001 microns, thousands of times smaller so pass right through them.
The IN probe goes AFTER the RO membrane which removes 90-98% of the TDS and the OUT probe goes after the DI where the remaining TDS is removed.
 
Holy Cow! I hope you didn't pay anywhere near that for that RO/DI? Way overpriced for what it appears to come with. And the booster pump has not been out long enough for me to even comment on it but the Aquatec has been around and built in the US for decades and decades so has a proven track record for about the same price.
 
No I paid about $150 for the unit and booster pump with barrel and float switch.

Came in a bundle of stuff I bought. Paid $350 for what was mentioned above and 4 power heads, dual carbon and GFO reactor, auto top with pump, two doesing pumps with a box of additives from bulk reef supply. A few pumps, large mag float. Refugium. And two boxes full of other random saltwater hobby stuff coral food fish food and so on.
 
Tidal Gardens
The booster buddy is more than just a pump and it ties into the RO unit in several places.

There are 3 pairs of .25" fittings on the buddy, each pair is input and output.

Take the water coming out of the last filter and send that to the fitting labeled FROM Pre Filter.

Take the water from the SUPPLY to membrane and send that to the RO membrane. The pump is between these two fittings. Also there is a solenoid to shut off the water when it is not making any.

The membrane has 2 outputs. One is waste and one is RO water. The water from the membrane waste goes to the FROM membrane waste fitting.

OUT to drain is the waste water and it goes to the drain. In between these two is the flow restrictor, that keeps the pressure that forces the water through the membrane up. When the buddy starts it opnes the flow restrictor to wash the membrane to remove some of the crud that it stopped from going through to help the membrane last longer. Then it closes down to restrict the flow and force water through the membrane.

The water from the RO side of the membrane goes to the FROM membrane.

The OUT float valve solenoid goes to the DI cartridge. between these two fittings is a pressure switch that closes and shuts the whole thing down when the output water has no place to go.

The RO unit has a couple of things on it you have to remove to use the buddy. There is a flow restrictor, lowers the amount of water that can go through, on the waste output of the membrane. There is also a place where 2 of the hoses pass in a fitting. The output of the membrane and the input. This thing shuts the input when the pressure in the output gets high. Both of these things have to be taken out when you replumb the unit. Remember the buddy has a flow restrictor, that it opens to rinse at the start of the cycle, a pressure switch on the output, and a solenoid on the input.
 
image.jpg


or head to lowes.
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
Link for pump? I may be considering selling this one and going that route, also adding a second membrane to cut down on waste water.
 
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Tidal Gardens
Hmm my buddy booster hits 110-120, I think I have pretty good water pressure in my house.

I think my waste line has an internal flow restrictor, I didn't remove that..

It takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes give or take to make 30 gallons.
 
Tidal Gardens
Mine starts at 80 and then increases, as long as nothing else is running in the house mine averages 100psi.

My biggest complaint is waste water. I'm going to add a second membrane to run off of first filters waste water.
 
The pressure is so strong, you need to watch it because any of those hoses connected to the front of the booster are pull out all the way and ready to pop out if you are not doing a good job in connecting them...Mine was 110 PSI for a while but lately, I see it is about 90 nowadays. I have had it for about a year and it has been at 90 psi for a while like 2 months or more....It still works great. I make about 10 gallon a week.

Wicked5oh said:
Mine starts at 80 and then increases, as long as nothing else is running in the house mine averages 100psi
Click to expand...
 
Tidal Gardens

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