Reverse osmosis auto shut off

[GrowTek]

Hi friends! I was curious what you all are doing if you are using a RO system. Please share! I installed a cheap $70 unit that would produce a gallon in 35 minutes. So my routine would be to set the output tube into my jug, set a timer on my phone for 35 minutes and then turn on the valve. When my timer went off I would then turn the valve off. It worked, but was kind of annoying to interrupt what I was doing 35 minutes later to turn the valve off. Then once, I didn't hear the timer going off and the system overflowed 10 gallons on my carpeted floor! So then I came up with this.....use a microcontroller to read a digital scale, and turn an electronic valve off automatically after the desired weight was achieved. Now I can dispense anywhere between .1 to 3 gallons at a time in .1 gallon increments and it will automatically turn off when done.

 

[Vegan4life]

Hey welcome to 420magazine! I use a 1/4" solenoid valve that I plug into a timer to control when reservoir fills. I have a 1/4" mini float valve that that stops water flow when reservoir is full. I use a RV pump to use water from reservoir to water plants. My RO is different than yours, mine is a 5 stage with auto shut off, my RO unit will shut off and stop making water and stop draining to waste when my reservoir is full. I do not see the auto shut off in your pic?

I install and service RO units, part of my job...

 

[GrowTek]

In the first pic you can see the solenoid valve mounted on the wall. The microcontroller turns on/off the valve based on the weight it reads from the scale. I thought about using a float switch to turn it off like you but I don't have room for a reservoir. I fill 1 or 2.5 gallon jugs directly. Thanks for the warm welcome

 

[Sangmang]

I have the same unit. It fills a 45gallon tote with a float valve & solendoid to auto shutoff both the product & waste water. I also have a booster pump on there that about doubles the output rate and supposedly increases efficiency/reduces waste.

I plumbed the 45gallon tote with a 1/2" bulkhead and use a 1/10hp transfer pump & garden hose for moving water. Could get away with a smaller pump but I like how quick it fills things. Ball valve between the res and pump and ball valve at the end of the hose where water exits.

 

[GrowTek]

I like the idea of a booster pump, 35 minutes is a long time for 1 gallon

 

[Sangmang]

The pump cost more than the r/o unfortunately but it's been well worth it.

 

[GrowTek]

Are you tracking how many gallons you have produced since you started using it? I heard that with this particular model the membrane and filters need to be changed out around every 500 gallons produced. The membrane and filters are pretty much the same price as what I paid for the whole system

 

[Sangmang]

Are you tracking how many gallons you have produced since you started using it? I heard that with this particular model the membrane and filters need to be changed out around every 500 gallons produced. The membrane and filters are pretty much the same price as what I paid for the whole system

Lol yeah roughly. It's just about time for the first replacement of those for me.