RO Flush Valve added - How long to flush?

[joe-ejs]

Hello.

I am adding a flush valve to my RO unit. I have added it to the waste line as instructed. What I am not sure about is how long do I need to leave the flush valve open when getting ready to make RO water?

Thanks in advance for advice...

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

About 10 minutes or so is what I aim for

 

[WVNed]

I only do it about a minute every hour it's on.

 

[WVNed]

If you do the auto flush from BRS this is what it says
Membrane flushing is a maintenance task that commonly gets overlooked and forgotten about, but consistent flushing of your reverse osmosis membrane can dramatically improve its life and production rate. The Aquatec Auto Flush Flow Restrictor Kits include everything you need to incorporate automated membrane flushing on almost any RODI system. The system will be flushed when the unit turns on for a few seconds, and then for 15 to 20 seconds per every hour of use.

SO I considered this and what other people say like 10 minutes and decided on 1 minute every hour or so.

 

[Opus]

Hello.

I am adding a flush valve to my RO unit. I have added it to the waste line as instructed. What I am not sure about is how long do I need to leave the flush valve open when getting ready to make RO water?

Thanks in advance for advice...

I'm probably in the minority, but IMO the flushing of the membrane does nothing significant in our consumer units. There are no studies that I know of to back up any of the claims that I see. You should get 5 to 7+ years out of your membrane without flushing.

 

[Saltyreef]

Agreed.
Id spend the money for a DI bypass valve instead. Flushing the TDS creep out of the permiate before it flows through the resin will save you more money

 

[Roosterjack]

On a sort of related note, started flushing once, got majorly distracted, and flushed for about 18 hours. It didn’t seem to mess anything up, but felt bad wasting lord knows how much water.

 

[Reef.]

I flush when first turning on till my tds drops from 30 to 1 this takes about 10 mins, then I flush every hour for 5 mins, then 5 mins at the end.
Remember a new membrane needs flushing for 1 hour when new.

 

[terraincognita]

excuse me if this is ignorant, but doesn't just opening the tap and letting it run for 5-10 minutes first accomplish the same thing? (this is for creep that is after initial install)

 

[Reef.]

excuse me if this is ignorant, but doesn't just opening the tap and letting it run for 5-10 minutes first accomplish the same thing? (this is for creep that is after initial install)

not sure what you mean but the idea is the big particles on the membrane get blocked before the membrane, flushing helps dislodge these, helps the membrane Work more efficiently.

 

[Saltyreef]

not sure what you mean but the idea is the big particles on the membrane get blocked before the membrane, flushing helps dislodge these, helps the membrane Work more efficiently.

In theory....

 

[KStatefan]

not sure what you mean but the idea is the big particles on the membrane get blocked before the membrane, flushing helps dislodge these, helps the membrane Work more efficiently.

They are getting flushed continuously with the waste water.

 

[terraincognita]

not sure what you mean but the idea is the big particles on the membrane get blocked before the membrane, flushing helps dislodge these, helps the membrane Work more efficiently.

There we go, it was ignorant.

I guess there's a reason for a flush valve, I've never heard of that though until just now. I have 0 problems with TDS, I just let it run for 3-4 minutes before I take my fish water. (I generally fill up my drinking water honestly with that first 4 minutes lol) , so I guess I had no reason to research.

If people are manufacturing and selling a flush valve for those purposes then I guess it's valid.

 

[Reef.]

They are getting flushed continuously with the waste water.

just giving the theory wether it works I don’t know, if it does I suppose the tds would be bypassing the resin too.

 

[Opus]

There we go, it was ignorant.

I guess there's a reason for a flush valve, I've never heard of that though until just now. I have 0 problems with TDS, I just let it run for 3-4 minutes before I take my fish water. (I generally fill up my drinking water honestly with that first 4 minutes lol) , so I guess I had no reason to research.

If people are manufacturing and selling a flush valve for those purposes then I guess it's valid.

Or marketing!

 

[Reef.]

There we go, it was ignorant.

I guess there's a reason for a flush valve, I've never heard of that though until just now. I have 0 problems with TDS, I just let it run for 3-4 minutes before I take my fish water. (I generally fill up my drinking water honestly with that first 4 minutes lol) , so I guess I had no reason to research.

If people are manufacturing and selling a flush valve for those purposes then I guess it's valid.

remember the waste water will have more TDS than the tap water, so if your tap water is high I probably would use it for warering flowers etc probably fine to drink though, but I believe in general these systems are not recommended for drinking at all.

 

[terraincognita]

remember the waste water will have more TDS than the tap water, so if your tap water is high I probably would use it for eating flowers etc probably fine to drink those.

??? I'm not drinking my waste water?

My RODI system has a separate line built in that continually sends the waste water into my drain piping. Until my reservoir is full.

Does every RODI unit not have that?

I've got a black line taking the water in, yellow line sending it to the reservoir, and a red line sending the waste water to my drain pipes.

Why would I drink the waste water from an RODI unit XD?

Im saying when I run my unit, I'll turn it on, fill up 3-4 gallons of my drinking water, then once it's been running for awhile and the reservoir's almost empty I'll then check the TDS (which is always 0 by then) and then use it for my fish water.

When I first turn it on, even if it's coming from the reservoir i always get 3-4 TDS. Doesn't bother my stomach....

 

[Opus]

remember the waste water will have more TDS than the tap water, so if your tap water is high I probably would use it for warering flowers etc probably fine to drink those, but I believe in general these are not recommended for drinking at all.

I think he meant he captures the first few minutes of good water to lower tds creep and uses that as drinking water.

 

[Opus]

??? I'm not drinking my waste water?

My RODI system has a separate line built in that continually sends the waste water into my drain piping. Until my reservoir is full.

Does every RODI unit not have that?

I've got a black line taking the water in, yellow line sending it to the reservoir, and a red line sending the waste water to my drain pipes.

Why would I drink the waste water from an RODI unit XD?

Im saying when I run my unit, I'll turn it on, fill up 3-4 gallons of my drinking water, then once it's been running for awhile and the reservoir's almost empty I'll then check the TDS (which is always 0 by then) and then use it for my fish water.

When I first turn it on, even if it's coming from the reservoir i always get 3-4 TDS.

He thought you were talking about flushing the membrane, which means sending all the water down the waste line.

 

[terraincognita]

He thought you were talking about flushing the membrane, which means sending all the water down the waste line.

In my original post I said AFTER initial flushing of the membrane but I guess w/e