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ro wastage

chip

Well-known member
Messages
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not so long back i read that if you plug the waste pipe you still get the same results through your system without water wastage and without shortening membrane life. it goes against the grain of my thinking, i can't see how the membranes won't be working harder, but happy to be wrong

 
Can you store the water that is being pumped through the waste section & re-pump it through the RO system again? Or is that impossible?

James.

 
as far as i'm aware, the waste water has higher tds than the tap, a concentration if you like, which means your membranes would be working harder, which is why i'm a bit baffled by my own thread, but thinking on my guess would be that i think he harvested rainwater which has low tds and would'nt push the membranes hard

 
I believe you are right chip.

Depending on your situation and costs for water you might as well just let waste be waste.

Being on water rates I don't care about waste.

 
Definitely best not to recycle it.

The RO manufacturers wouldnt have put the waste pipe on if it didnt do something.

Not only would the membranes have to work harder as the TDS increased, but there would be not water flow away from the RO membrane to take away the parts that can damage it.

What you would end up with is higher tds output (as the tds rises the membrane wont be able to take all the tds out), and shorter life for membranes.

Ionic did come up with a solution when they brought out their Pro-6 (I think) which has only a 20% waste, This recirculates most of the waste water through an extra filter that they call the RO-BAK - but still has some waste.

They then brought out a zero waste system - which sounded great, and we would think was the way forward. I can only assume that they have had problems with this - as they have taken it out of their catalogues/web site and are no longer selling them.

The cost of the RO-BAK filter makes it an expensive option - and one more thing to go wrong.

What I would say though - is if you have a 100, or 200GPD system - consider adding an extra membrane, as this would reduce the waste water - although the last membrane in the system won't last as long as the first one.

Dave

 
I think you've hit the nail on the head their Hinty, it wouldn't be called a 'waste' pipe for no reason, shame there is no way to recycle the waste water. Would save alot of my money and keep it out of Severn Trents profits.

James.

 
Ionic did come up with a solution when they brought out their Pro-6 (I think) which has only a 20% waste, This recirculates most of the waste water through an extra filter that they call the RO-BAK - but still has some waste.

The cost of the RO-BAK filter makes it an expensive option - and one more thing to go wrong.

I have a pro 6 mate and the waste is reduced for certain I have measured it and you can't get it to 20% unless you have superb pressure. Got mine down to 25% though = 15% waste saving on a water meter equates to 150ltrs per fill = 450 ltrs per week = around 23,000ltrs annually = £60 per year saving on a meter. Filter costs £75 and lasts 200.000ltrs = MONEY SAVING do the maths

 
Thanks Matty - good to hear from somebory that uses the system.

Looking at the RO-BAK, how easily do you think it could be added to say a Brodex system?

 
Thanks Matty - good to hear from somebory that uses the system.

Looking at the RO-BAK, how easily do you think it could be added to say a Brodex system?
I don't see why not? I actually have a spare RO Bak that I don't need its brand new but I got it free when I bought the system - my existing one has around 4 years life left in it. Where you based? You could have it for £40 if that's any help?

Matt

 

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