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filling your tank from an ibc

everything really lol,  im going to have the ibc outside my shed   so i need a transfer pump in it that i can plug in in the shed and some kind of transfer hose with a nozzle on the end 

the water is coming from tap through 2 di vessels then into the ibc will i need a float valve or will the water just stop when the ibc is full without causing any backup damage 

 
Couldn’t be simpler really. The tank will need to be covered and protected from sunlight to stop algae growing in it. A simple float valve will be needed to stop it when it’s full. Then a submersible pump with a transfer hose to drop in and pump into your vans tank. What is the advantage for you of filling into an ibc rather than directly to your van?

for ro users it is usually easier to frost proof a static system to protect the filters, and also the fill times can be long.

 
Couldn’t be simpler really. The tank will need to be covered and protected from sunlight to stop algae growing in it. A simple float valve will be needed to stop it when it’s full. Then a submersible pump with a transfer hose to drop in and pump into your vans tank. What is the advantage for you of filling into an ibc rather than directly to your van?

for ro users it is usually easier to frost proof a static system to protect the filters, and also the fill times can be long.
at the moment i fill up at my mums  it takes me 40 mins to fill 500 ltrs which is great but at that speed i go through a lot of resin well 5 bags a year but ive been told if i slow down the water pressure i will save massively on resin and as im about to almost double my pure water usage i thought 1 or even 2 ibc set up on constant slow fill would be a good idea 

 
You won't save that much more resin when going slow. Shaking the vessels can help out a bit. 

Going RO might save money in the long run, and is also when an ibc really makes sense. I don't think you'll make the investment back in resin usage if you invest in the ibc and pumps needed.

Have you considered filling the van with tap water and having the DI in the van, purifying as you go? Then you can fill up wherever you are.

Here is the setup in my van for auto fill. 




 
if the IBC is going to be outdoors you risk Algae build up so you want to get a black or blue IBC or build it a shelter at the very least. You will have trouble keeping the tank from freezing in winter.

As @Nudel says you will only get a small improvement in resin usage going slower. Often the water makes channels through the resin and as suggested if you give it a shake these will often disperse and extend the life of the resin.

I think you’re probably right to worry about backup damage. You want the shut off to be before the resin otherwise the tap will constantly be supplying the resin with fresh water and using it up a lot quicker (this is an educated guess to be fair) 

 
Long term as above, you would be better off buying a 450gpd R/O and a small booster pump as if you are currently using 500ltrs and that is set to double you will end up needing 10 bags of resin per annum which is £880 a year, year after year, Buying a 450gpd R/O and a small booster pump will cost roughly around £350 at most including other bits and pieces such as an electronic timer as the booster pump can't be run constantly. 



 

 
I’ve drilled a hole near the top of my IBC tank then put a length off garden hose through it and sealed it with silicone. This hose goes through my garage wall and into a water butt outside. 

Works really well as an overflow ?

 
On 03/08/2019 at 12:05, Nudel said:

You won't save that much more resin when going slow. Shaking the vessels can help out a bit. 

Going RO might save money in the long run, and is also when an ibc really makes sense. I don't think you'll make the investment back in resin usage if you invest in the ibc and pumps needed.

Have you considered filling the van with tap water and having the DI in the van, purifying as you go? Then you can fill up wherever you are.

Here is the setup in my van for auto fill. 


I spoke to Lee Martin from Bladeright and he said if I fill a 1000ltr tank over 8-10 hrs i would save a hell of a lot on resin.  We use backpacks a lot sometimes all day so need pure in the tank 

 
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