RODI float/reservoir issues

[bkweibley]

Every since i got into saltwater ive seemed to have issues with RODI water. Not the water itself, but having overflows and making messes! I used a saddle valve to tap into the water line and put a valve about a foot down the line from the saddle valve as an extra way to turn the water off because I was told that using the saddle valve as an on/off would wear it out and have leak issues. When I first set the RODI system up I didnt have a float yet, so I would just close that second valve off to stop water flow when my reservoir(32 gallon trash can) was full.

1). My first water mess happened when the water line somehow came out of the saddle valve spewing water all over the floor.

2). My second water mess... You guessed it, I forgot to turn it off.... Which led to me buying a float valve for the system.

3). My 3rd water mess came right after I added a faucet to the trash can. Making a very stupid mistake, I forgot to close it, and turned the RODI on... Man did I feel like an idiot for that one....

4). My 4th water mess, I just discovered tonight, which is why I am making this post.

I have had the float installed for probably a month now and it has worked flawlessly! Not so fast... I come home from work tonight to find that the trashcan had overflowed! The float is not caught on anything, it looks to be in full up position, but it didnt stop the water running in for some reason, has anyone else had this issue? What could I do to stop this from happening again? I considered adding an overflow pipe at the top of the reservoir as a saftey net incase it happened again, but that seems like a good bit of work. Any better options?

 

[bkweibley]

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Your float valve is bad. Is it one of those rectangular black floats?Russ

 

[bkweibley]

yes russ

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

You might want to take it out and inspect it outside the brute. Those have a reputation for filling with water.Russ

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Also - on a different topic that came to mind in looking at your pics (this is cut/paste from our FAQ's):Horizontal DI housings are a design intended to minimize the original cost of the system - you should be prepared for the tradeoffs. Horizontal DI units typically contain 8 oz. to 16 oz. of resin. Typical vertical DI cartridges contain 20 oz of resin. Obviously the more resin contained in the housing the longer it will last and the better treatment it will provide. Some horizontal DI housings are not refillable - you'll therefore have to pay for a new housing every time you need to replace the DI resin. The cost of repeatedly replacing the horizontal housing will far outweigh any money saved up-front in purchasing the unit. Perhaps most importantly, horizontal DI housings are a less than ideal arrangement for water treatment. DI resin beds shrink through normal use over their life span. You'll note that a cartridge that was full when new can sometimes have a ¼ inch of empty space in it when fully expended. When DI resin settles in a horizontal housing, it leaves a pathway (of least resistance) along the top of the housing where water can flow while coming into minimal contact with the DI resin.You’ll note that the output from the DI housing is at the center of the end of the housing. Depending upon how your system is configured, RO water may enter the DI housing in port, fill up the housing until the water level reaches the out port (i.e., fill up the bottom half of housing), and then exit the DI housing. Your RO water has been in contact only with half the resin in the housing.If you want to keep those DI housings, remove them from their clips and orient them vertically with flow moving in at the bottom and out at the top. They are likely 2" in diameter (compare them to for instance the 2.5" diameter RO membrane housing), and there are clips available that will do a nice job if you want to mount them vertically. They look just like the clips holding your RO membrane housing.Russ

 

[bkweibley]

Ive actually tried a second float (same brand) and had the same issue where it filled up with water and caused a mess. There has to be a better float out there that woulnt fill up like this?

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Yes, there are much better floats available. 1/4" on up, with straight, or adjustable arms. Can't say too much more w/o risking a commercial post.