RO/DI Waste Line Auto Shut Off

jasonrusso · Nov 17, 2016

revhtree said:
I should have explained better. After my fresh water container is full I want all the water to shut off coming in to the RO unit.

My air/water/ice unit came with one. As soon as the barrel fills up, the mechanical float closes the line and creates back pressure. This triggers the ASO to close and it also shuts down the waste. I don't worry about shutting down the inlet line.

radiata · Nov 17, 2016

Can someone please post the brand and model number of any solenoids they've successfully used for these RO/DI applications?

Thanks...

AquaticLifeProducts · Nov 17, 2016

Have you seen our Smart Buddie? It's a booster pump with high pressure switch, low pressure switch and flush valve. It also has a shut off valve that activates when the high pressure switch is activated. This would stop the water supply to the RO.

Bill Bolton · Nov 17, 2016

I have a shutoff valve in the water inlet side of the RO unit. if the water is shut off going into the unit.....it will not flow out the outlet. I seldom shut it off since we also use RO for our drinking water cooler.

Ryan Hunter · Nov 17, 2016

I'm using three of these guys controlled by my apex. One is on the water supply two the RO unit. On the outlet side I have a Y installed splitting the output in two with another valve on each leg. One leg goes to my NSW tank and one to my ATO tank. Depending what floats trigger the virtual outlet on the input solenoid opens and one of the two outlet valves opens.

Areseebee · Nov 18, 2016

This thread is confusing. ASO's need a solenoid to actually be effective or else you'll kill your membranes. That usually shuts it off just after the carbon. No more water will run through the system that way. Are you looking for something more than that?

revhtree · Nov 18, 2016

So the water supply inlet line goes into the solenoid first and then to the RO unit correct?

Areseebee · Nov 18, 2016

The solenoid has two sets of input/output ports. One of them goes between your final DI stage and the shut off valve. when the valve is floated up, it blocks the output and pressure builds in that line. The solenoid will shut off the other line running through it which will be the one between your carbon and RO. With the solenoid it prevents any more water from traveling through the system (pinched off just after the carbon filter) when the float switch is up. Here's a diagram: http://spectrapure.com/huds/ASO-SYS.pdf

evolved · Nov 18, 2016

revhtree said:
So the water supply inlet line goes into the solenoid first and then to the RO unit correct?

Correct, it's before the membrane, but after the carbon block (to prevent any junk in the city water from clogging it).

gus6464 · Nov 19, 2016

Areseebee said:
This thread is confusing. ASO's need a solenoid to actually be effective or else you'll kill your membranes. That usually shuts it off just after the carbon. No more water will run through the system that way. Are you looking for something more than that?

That's not true. An asov is supposed to shut off waste water caused by the increase in pressure when you stop the product water. It doesn't matter if the product water is shut off by a float valve or solenoid.

Areseebee · Nov 19, 2016

How? A float just blocks the product line, the waste line will remain open and continue to run. You need the solenoid to shut off the line before the ro.

I'm sure another technology can do the same thing but simply stopping up the product line won't stop the waste line.

gus6464 · Nov 19, 2016

Areseebee said:
How? A float just blocks the product line, the waste line will remain open and continue to run. You need the solenoid to shut off the line before the ro.

I'm sure another technology can do the same thing but simply stopping up the product line won't stop the waste line.

Exactly an asov works by shutting off the waste water created from the back pressure of the product line being closed. If you put a solenoid on the source water then an asov is not needed at all.

jasonrusso · Nov 19, 2016

I have no solenoids, just an ASOV. Trust me, if properly installed and functional it shuts off the waste water as well. I use the wastewater to fill a barrel to water plants so I monitor the flow. I put a shutoff valve on the line to my storage barrel and I shut it off until I want to make more water. This way the rodi doesn't turn on due to evaporation.

Areseebee · Nov 20, 2016

gus6464 said:
Exactly an asov works by shutting off the waste water created from the back pressure of the product line being closed. If you put a solenoid on the source water then an asov is not needed at all.

What is your definition of "an asov"? Usually it's a combination of the float switch to build pressure in the product line and a solenoid to transmit that signal to cut the supply. That's how spectrapure, BRS etc use the terminology so I don't understand your statement. How would the solenoid know when to close the supply line without a float of some sort?

Likewise, the pressure alone won't do it, the water will stay open and continue to run. The supply line y's at the top into waste and product, simply closing down product will not close waste from running.

jasonrusso · Nov 20, 2016

I really don't understand why there is so much debate over this.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/instructions/article/Installing-an-auto-shut-off-valve

Areseebee · Nov 20, 2016

Right, this is the same as all the others: float valve + solenoid = shutting off supply line when product is full.

I guess the confusion is that solenoids in asov kits werent being called solenoids?

Paul B · Nov 20, 2016

I didn't know anyone let the water keep running after the container was full.
I installed an electric valve on the supply water and made a float switch from an old mercury thermostat. When the bucket fills, the float floats lifting the mercury switch which kills power to the electric valve.
While the thing is running my waste water goes into my blackworm tank keeping the worms fresh.

gus6464 · Nov 20, 2016

Areseebee said:
What is your definition of "an asov"? Usually it's a combination of the float switch to build pressure in the product line and a solenoid to transmit that signal to cut the supply. That's how spectrapure, BRS etc use the terminology so I don't understand your statement. How would the solenoid know when to close the supply line without a float of some sort?

Likewise, the pressure alone won't do it, the water will stay open and continue to run. The supply line y's at the top into waste and product, simply closing down product will not close waste from running.

Yes it will because that's what an asov is exactly designed to do. It's designed to shut off waste water when product water is shut off. Source water doesnt need to be shut off.

jasonrusso · Nov 20, 2016

Areseebee said:
Right, this is the same as all the others: float valve + solenoid = shutting off supply line when product is full.

I guess the confusion is that solenoids in asov kits werent being called solenoids?

Maybe because solenoids are thought to be electric?

gus6464 · Nov 21, 2016

An ASOV is not a solenoid. Also if you have a booster pump with an auto pressure switch installed in the RODI system you can't put a solenoid on the source water as then the booster pump will not shut off by itself. You need the back pressure created by shutting off the product water in a booster pump pressure switch for it to shut off.