Ratio for making water

[Jason g]

Hi all
I have a Grippatank system full ro etc which is very slow to make water. It’s making about 20 litres per hour but with the booster pump it’s making 60 litres per hour however the waste is 120 litres per hour …. Is this normal and can it be adjusted ? Or is there a filter that will need replaced?
Thank you

 

[Part Timer]

If it's a 40/40 RO them, with a standard booster pump you should be producing circa 200 litres an hour.

 

[Jason g]

So I realise that it’s winter time and it takes longer to produce water but is my issue the ratio between pure and waste at 33/66 and if so can it be adjusted or what might the issue be?

 

[Part Timer]

I don't know the system but usually there's a valve to open / close to adjust waste to pure ratio

 

[Jason g]

It’s a Grippatank 850 ro/di pro system with v3 auto flush …. Anyone else know this system and whether it’s suppose to set the ratio thru the system or whether it can be adjusted manually?

 

[Mattymarske]

If it's anything like the xline system there's an inline gate valve that can be adjusted with flat head screwdriver to find the sweet spot of waste to pure ratio and tds. I've circled it in green. Not sure what yours looks like inside but should be able to trace the different lines.

 

[Jason g]

I’m wondering if this is it … anyone confirm?

 

[ched999uk]

I’m wondering if this is it … anyone confirm?

That tap looks closed but it could have a hole drilled to give the ratio.
If you follow the waste outlet back towards the RO waste outlet you should find an adjustable valve somewhere - unless it is a preset hole in a valve.
If it has auto flush it will have a bypass valve (electric one like @Mattymarske image on left and right) that is triggered to bypass the flow restriction.

Just a thought, have you had the system long? If you have there is a probability that the restrictor hole has worn bigger giving a higher waste ratio.

 

[Jason g]

I’m fairly sure the tap is in the correct position but the system in 7 years old so possibly your on the money with the restrictor hole having worn bigger over the years

 

[Pjj]

It’s a Grippatank 850 ro/di pro system with v3 auto flush …. Anyone else know this system and whether it’s suppose to set the ratio thru the system or whether it can be adjusted manually?

Best bet it to phone Grippatank and ask there advice

 

[Redned]

If it's anything like the xline system there's an inline gate valve that can be adjusted with flat head screwdriver to find the sweet spot of waste to pure ratio and tds. I've circled it in green. Not sure what yours looks like inside but should be able to trace the different lines.

What do you think of the Xline system considering it or the ionic

 

[spruce]

I’m fairly sure the tap is in the correct position but the system in 7 years old so possibly your on the money with the restrictor hole having worn bigger over the years

The auto flush operates a solenoid valve. A solenoid valve is usually either open or closed. Your waste tap is what you can adjust to restrict your water to waste. Grippa sell 2 waste valves; one for soft water (50% waste to 50% pure ratio) and the other for hard water (65% waste to 35% pure ratio.)

https://www.grippatank.co.uk/1-2-push-fit-ro-valve-soft-water-version
https://www.grippatank.co.uk/1-2-push-fit-ro-valve-hard-water-version

 

[Jason g]

Great piece of info … thanks
So if my water is about 180 would you go for a soft or hard version ? It sits at quarter past 3 and I’ve never touched it but if I moved it either clockwise or anti clockwise would that also adjust the ratio?
Thanks

 

[spruce]

Great piece of info … thanks
So if my water is about 180 would you go for a soft or hard version ? It sits at quarter past 3 and I’ve never touched it but if I moved it either clockwise or anti clockwise would that also adjust the ratio?
Thanks

I don't know how their valve works. It will probably have a hole drilled in it. If it has then that hole will be a different size in each valve.

If they work the same way as Purefreedom's gate valve does, then the valve needs to be fully closed as it's the size hole that determines the waste to pure ratio.
As has been stated, over time that hole can wear bigger which will affect this ratio.

When I purpose built my 4040, I purchased a 1/2" gate valve and drilled a small hole in the paddle. I then couldn't close the valve fully as the hole I drilled was too small. This meant that I could adjust the gate valve to where the r/o was working the most efficiently.

I have an inline tds meter which measures the tds of the pure coming out of the r/o before Di. I adjust the gate valve until I'm getting the lowest ppm output from the r/o.
Initially, I found that with 50psi tap water pressure, 125ppm and an HF5 Axeon membrane, my best pure to waste ratio was around 55 waste to 45 pure. But that can fluctuate over time and tap water temperature.
That hole I drilled and the fractionally open gate valve paddle has worn, so atm my valve is closed more than when I first fitted it. Soon I will have to replace the gate valve. My 4040 is 13 years old.

As has been suggested, phone Grippatank. If you get into their website a chat box comes up so you could type your question into that. Don't know how good it is though as I have never used it.

At one time before water meters, a 3 waste to 1 pure was an accepted ratio. If memory serves me, the old Merlins were set at 5 to 1.

 

[Jason g]

I have a new valve ordered and hopefully getting it fitted next week. Does anyone know what the screw is for on the booster pump?
Thanks

 

[ched999uk]

I have a new valve ordered and hopefully getting it fitted next week. Does anyone know what the screw is for on the booster pump?
Thanks

I believe it adjusts the pressure.

 

[Jason g]

Ok thanks so if I adjusted it would that make any difference to the 60 litres per hour that I’m able to produce at the minute ?

 

[ched999uk]

Ok thanks so if I adjusted it would that make any difference to the 60 litres per hour that I’m able to produce at the minute ?

There are a few things that determine you production speed.
The water flow rate from your tap, the pressure from your tap, the type of membrane you have (needs pressure and flow within spec), the waste ratio etc.
If you are having problems you need to measure stuff to work out where the issue is. You can get cheap flow meters from lidl (may not be there always about £6 I think), alternatively Amazon for about £15. You can put that on your tap that feeds the inlet to your RO system and see how many litres per min is going in. If it's only 2 litres a min then there is your issue (60lts pure out and 60 litres of waste per hour = 2lts per min input).
Do you have a pressure gauge on your RO inlet as that will help you to see if there is enough pressure for the membrane to work with?
I use my RO inlet pressure gauge to tweak the waste tap to get enough pressure (80psi) I know I still have enough waste as I have measured it in a jug before.

Hope that gives you some clues.