RIgging a RODI Auto-Shutoff with a booster pump and ASOV/solenoid

gobyvin

Non-member
Hi All,
Looking for a hand here, as this is making me nervous...
How long does a ASOV/float/pressure valve take to shut the booster pump off when the float stops flow of product water into your storage vat? I am afraid the pump will get damaged. It seems to take too long (over a minute and I give up) maybe I have s defective part? Or I rigged it wrong?
 
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This is what I have. I installed the switch on the line going to the storage vat, wiring is correct (only one way to connect wires). I have it connected to this RODI from Spectrapure:
I did not modify plumbing of the included ASO valve, I only changed out the flow restrictor according to instructions for my source water TDS conditions.
Any help much appreciated. Trying to get my dream water station finished. It has been a tough road...!
 
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Apparently still having issues. I rigged it just as suggested, same parts, although my pressure switch looks different than the Bum's and it trips constantly. I have a green flow restrictor, not the red. Checking with Spectrapure next, after I check one more possibility here about my float switch on the storage tub, see if that is the problem
 
I might have to reach out for sure, lots of incomplete and confusing info out there on this rig for sure!
 
You would want to have the pressure switch after the RO membrane and before the DI chamber. It looks like you have it after the DI and that could be the problem. If you have a pressure gauge, you can verify the pressure out of the RO and after the DI to confirm.

When the float stops, the booster will pump should shut off without much lag (usually in less than 2 seconds).
 
Well, Reefbum was wrong. Bulk Reef Supply was right. I bought the kit from AMAZON for best price at the time. It comes with minimal instruction, except it did mention placing it in the blue product line after the ASOV, so I placed it at the end of the line after the DI cartridge originally. It did not work there. Now, just after the ASOV valve, as directed by BRS link above, the pressure switch and the ASOV work as it should, repeatedly, and instantly as soon as the float tilts and blocks the water inlet to my storage container. Boy, not simple. Trial and error. Internet is full of great information eh?
 
You would want to have the pressure switch after the RO membrane and before the DI chamber. It looks like you have it after the DI and that could be the problem. If you have a pressure gauge, you can verify the pressure out of the RO and after the DI to confirm.

When the float stops, the booster will pump should shut off without much lag (usually in less than 2 seconds).
Thanks Man, got it now! Happy Holidays!
 
Interesting where he installed the pressure switch. I have mine after DI on a 6 stage unit.
I originally had mine there too, and it did not function. I figured that it should anywhere in the output side on the line to the storage tank, after the ASOV. From other online complaints about the pressure switches I read trying to solve this problem it seems that there are different switches with high (80 psi) and low (40 psi) available. I have a low range that came with the booster kit. It also seems that some had to adjust the pressure threshold on these switches to get them to function properly within the system they had. I bet mine is just set a little high, as it works between the DI and ASOV, not after the DI. The extra pressure at the end of that run from the tank back through the DI must just be enough to trip it? Glad it is working. I only run my RODI when physically around the house, as I don’t trust them farther than I could throw it not to bust sometime, never had one do it, but this is only my second unit.
 
Just as a final thought, make sure you have a really good float valve in your container. When i put the booster pump on my system, it was the float valve that let go and did not stop the water enough to put enough back pressure on the system for the shutoff to work and I ended up overflowing my container (Lucky I have the container in a big copper pan for just such situations), I also only run it when im home but i got busy and did not check so it kept running. I replaced the float valve with one of the good ones from bulk reef supply and no more issues, the booster pump shuts right off.
 
You should get this leak detector also. If it sense any water, the valve will automatically close if your float valve or pressure switch fail and start to overflow your container. It run on battery.
20201222_143235.jpg
 
I’ll look at it but I don’t leave mine running all the time and I have a big copper pan under my barrels that holds a good amount of water so even in an overflow I have time to get to it. But I do like the idea of that depending upon the price
 
You should get this leak detector also. If it sense any water, the valve will automatically close if your float valve or pressure switch fail and start to overflow your container. It run on battery. View attachment 153228
It seems that one is out of production. Bummer as it looks like a great unit, compared to other current Amazon and BRS offerings. I think I will be getting a couple of screamers at the very least.
 
Not the same product, but better than a mechanical float valve (or can be used in addition to):


Can be rigged with the ASOV to shut down the supply line. I love this unit and can’t believe I hadn’t discovered it (many floods) earlier.

If the placement of the reservoir allows for it, I’d consider a drain line on the container that acts as a fail safe. I have my RO barrels drilled with a 1/2” drain about an inch from the top, well above the usual fill level, so that IF any of the components controlling the fill were to fail, it can still prevent a flood.

For shutting down the supply line, you can also use a solenoid either controlled by an aquarium controller or controlled by a smart home setup (or both). I have the XP flood guardian plugged into a smarthome outlet, so if leak sensors pick up water under the RO unit, it shuts down the outlet, shutting off the solenoid. I don’t have a floor drain where my sump is so I’ve set up a bit of redundancy to prevent flooding (hopefully...).
 
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I like your idea of the drain line. I had not thought about that and since me barrels are right next to my sink it would be easy to do. I also have the copper pan under them but that only holds so much water since I could not install a drain in it
 
The emergency overfill drain is in the works. I wanted to get my other plumbing sorted out and working/leak tested first. Excellent idea. Any remotely filled or auto filled container should have one. My whole tank/sump area will have one that shares the same drain line to my basement sump pump. I want to keep leaks contained, in the future!:D
 
My sump also has a drain drilled up near the top so that in the event of a siphon after a power outage, the sump won’t overflow into the floor, but rather straight into the drain. Maybe overkill, but for the price of a bulkhead and a few plumbing parts, a little peace of mind.
 
I originally had mine there too, and it did not function. I figured that it should anywhere in the output side on the line to the storage tank, after the ASOV. From other online complaints about the pressure switches I read trying to solve this problem it seems that there are different switches with high (80 psi) and low (40 psi) available. I have a low range that came with the booster kit. It also seems that some had to adjust the pressure threshold on these switches to get them to function properly within the system they had. I bet mine is just set a little high, as it works between the DI and ASOV, not after the DI. The extra pressure at the end of that run from the tank back through the DI must just be enough to trip it? Glad it is working. I only run my RODI when physically around the house, as I don’t trust them farther than I could throw it not to bust sometime, never had one do it, but this is only my second unit.
Unearthing an old thread to ask a shut-off switch question: does the 80/40 psi rating refer to the back-pressure, or the overall system pressure?

With the booster pump, I’m running my system at 75PSI. When the float switch engages, the pressure runs up to ~90PSI.

Does that mean I want to purchase the 80PSI switch because that’s the max system pressure to trigger (just 5PSI over normal), or the 40PSI because that’s the amount of back-pressure on the system when the float switch triggers (75+40=115) but I would then tune it lower?

I hope I’m making sense to someone.

Thanks
 
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