Regenerate di resin

[Aqua-pure Portadown]

I don't know much about the technical side of it but it takes approx 5 hrs to fill my tank (500ltrs) and my tap water reads approx 300 , I have had the same Ro filter for the last 2 years changed my pre filters approx 4/5 times and changed my resin 4 times in that time ( just one 18 inch container) , water reads 0 come out of my brush !!!

 

[koopmaster]

My water is 350 and with a ro/di system i buy about 20 or 30 l of resin a year!!!! And I use 1000 l a week. At 0 or 1 tds. Running a Di on its own is a complete waste of money. Considering a system is only a couple of hundred quid.

 

[freerider]

Thanks to all who replied, but did anyone actually read the first post???

I am on a water meter and the ro unit literally pours my money down the drain, and if I can regenerate the resin cheaply (which I can and will) I can save myself around £1000 per year.

If I was still on normal water rates this thread would not have even been started.

I've also asked many of my friends and family but no one wants my setup in there shed/garage

My question was just asked if anyone else regenerates the resin, i am going to try it soon, I've got the hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, just need a few tubs and I can get cracking, the resin can be restored countless times so in theory 1 25l bag should last year's (if it's done right of course).

I wish I didn't have to do this crap cos my filter system is fully automated now so I switch it all on and it turns off when the tank is full.

 

[Smurf]

Yes I actually read your post that is why I asked you obvious questions to find out the reasons why your water bill is so high. I also gave you advice to best buy the most efficient, high production rate ro/di system you can get so to try to save you money.

If you are planning just to use di method only on tap tds of 300 ppm then you would need to regenerate high volumes of resin just to keep up with your current pure water usage as the resin will become exhausted very quickly probably more so if regenerated. Also have you considered the risks and costs involved in the regeneration process, time it will take to regenerate the resin, Also the amount of chems required as you can't really just go tipping that stuff down a drain afterwards.

Let us know how you get on

 

[Bingo]

The guys are only trying to help you Freerider :thumbsup:....

I also read your first post, but I didn't reply as I don't use a RO System.....BUT.......

Even I can see from your figures (of which don't make sense really) that........

3000ltrs of waste to produce 500ltrs of pure is not right....the waste is way-way too high...

A TDS of 25 pre (before) DI Tank is good and the resin should last a whole lot more than what you say.

Are you sure your RO System is set-up and been maintained correctly?

 

[Bingo]

Oh....

and is you Booster pump receiving enough pressure and more importantly water flow from the mains supply?

 

[freerider]

OK I will try and answer as many qs as poss.

Firstly at the moment my resin last a very long time, I fitted a valve to measure membrane output and don't put it through the resin till it drops right down (it always starts high after its been off).

I flush the membranes before each tank I filter, the pre filters are changed every 4 to 6 months, and input flow is good because I use 6 pre filters in parallel.

If u disconnect the booster pump and watch the water come out its very powerful, like a jetwash with a fat nozzle, it measures 80-90 psi on the gauge I put in.

And I appreciate the resin will exhaust fast without ro, this is why I will be doing my tests and crunching the numbers beforehand, if a 25l DI vessel can see me through one week, and the chemicals aren't too expensive I will do it cos the saving will be huge.

Also, the chemicals can go down the drain afterwards, hydrochloric acid is path cleaner which will be diluted anyway, and sodium hydroxide actually IS drain cleaner (caustic soda), although they will go down different drains, lol.

 

[Smurf]

I know what the chems are but your are not talking a small amount if you need to regenerate a 25 litre tank of resin frequently. Put it another way if it was me I would not want to be messing around with chems like that especially with young kids in the house.

 

[Smurf]

If I was in your shoes I would Just bit the bullet and get a decent 4040 ro/di system as would save money long term without all the hassle.

 

[SolarPanelCleaning]

I looked at this. There's a good site that explains how to do this. Using ammonia sodium etc.

I'll try and dig it out.

Personally I came to the conclusion that the time spent processing the resin, could be better spent cleaning windows and making money for a BADASS ro system.

Everyone's situation is different though. Good luck, be good to hear how you get on!

 

[SolarPanelCleaning]

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-09/nftt/index.php

 

[Andy]

If you buy the pre filter which i have from collinswood iv already posted the link it will give you more water than you need every 24 hrs. i get more good water than bad so you would save 2500 ltr of water PER 500 lt of good i have the 450 gallon per day one mine was reading 3 when i first had it now at 14 new filters £7 each and it only cost me £150 i did read your post and you wanted to save money that will save you a fortune with out sodding about trying to revive a di vessel full of resin

 

[freerider]

@Andy, thanks for the suggestion matey but ro units never produce more pure water than waste, I've contacted a company which sells professional low pressure 40" membranes and they told me the waste to pure ratio is 4:1 (same as I had already read myself)

So my money saving with these would be good but not ground breaking.

 

[Andy]

iv tried to give you honest advice. iv measured and timed my ro after it was installed and running for a while and i CAN ASSURE YOU it produces a liter of good faster than a liter of bad. il find out if you can upload home vid to site if so il do a vid tomorrow of my ro running and you will beable to see to containers together being filled.

 

[Smurf]

Sorry I still don't get what your hang up is with using a decent type of ro to save water as for example this small 4021 ro will produce approx 144 litres of pure an hour.

[media]

[/media]
So will fill a 500 litre tank in around 4 hours apposed to the ro you a using at the mo that you said takes you 11-12 hours to fill. Decent 4040 ro's are even quicker than a 4021

 

[Bingo]

Smurf....I was going to post a link for that video from Doug at Daqua....:thumbsup:.....but thought...'why bother' /emoticons/sad.png.....

....It seems 'Freerider' is set on his quest to regenerate resin.....rather than look at what's wrong with his current system set-up.

 

[Tom Swainson]

I'm With Andy on the waste. I've also timed mine and it gives more good than bad. About 25% more.

 

[freerider]

OK, I know when I'm beat, i am looking at new ro membranes, i may try replacing my flow restricted first for a more reliable capillary ones, just an idea I had while browsing around, it occurred to me the ones I have might not restrict it enough, thus letting more waste water out than they should.

The 2 membranes I have r not that old so they should still be performing well.

Thanks to all who advised anyway!

 

[Bingo]

Before you go buying or changing anything, contact Doug at Daqua (the guy in the vid Smurf posted ^^) he's a top bloke :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Tell him what makes-up your system and how it's set-up.....and he can best advise you on what you need or need to change...and/or how the system should be set-up to work at it's best pure v waste output.

 

[freerider]

OK so I've done some messing, i removed the flow restrictors and put a tap on instead, and kept tweaking it until I was getting water at 45/55 pure to waste, did it using stuff I had in the garage, i am shocked it was such a simple solution, it was the above video what gave me the idea to check the restrictors.

Thanks to all who helped me.

The only thing I need to buy is a flow meter so i can quickly fine tune the balance.

My conclusion is the restrictors haven't been throttling the flow well enough for a long time, now it seems I have a pump which is too powerful, the pressure is at 105psi, just hope the push fittings can cope, lol.

 

[Smurf]

Not sure if that is a good idea as the flow restrictor is there for a good reason.

So if you bought the ro new without putting larger ro membranes in the restrictor should be the right size surely?