"chaniarts" wrote in message
...
JimT wrote:
"Steve B" wrote in message
...
"JimT" wrote in message
news
Steve B wrote:
I want to put an under the sink water filtration system in.
I know
there are reverse osmosis units, and all types of filtration
systems. What is typical and necessary to get good tasting
water,
not particularly to trap particulates.
Can one get an RO system themselves and install it, or is
this a
captive market where you have to buy from the major
companies and
pay big bucks?
Is an RO system overkill, or could one achieve the same
results
with a couple of filters in series?
TIA
Steve
visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the
book
I have an RO system under my sink. We have it for our salt
water
aquarium and for drinking water. http://tinyurl.com/2cc5eon
Water taste great and the system is simple to install as long
as
you have a hole cut your sink for the faucet.
Filters are a bit costly and have to be changed every 6
months and
the RO filter is about $100 on it's own and should be
switched out
12 to 18 months. Depends on the water and the amount of use.
We use
our a lot and change the RO filter every 12 months.
Overkill? Maybe. You could look at single stage filters. I've
seen
those run for about $80.
I don't think either would qualify as big bucks. FWIW I'm
very
pleased with the Watts Premium filter system and we have a
water
softener prior to the filter. The RO filter system gets that
crappy
soft water taste out completely.
Is there a difference in the filters other than the price?
Should I
go bigbox, buy brand name, or shop Internet, and buy price? I
have
three in my current system in the main part of the house. Not
sure
what we are going to put into the casita, as that uses less
water,
and does not need a large system.
Steve
visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com watch for the
book
Not entirely sure. We got our system through Costco and we put
a lot
of faith in Costco quality/value. If you research the mfg's
websites
they usually have the statistics.
go for price. most of the membranes come from the same 2-3
manufacturers anyway. there's a difference in the # of stages;
more stages = higher price = better filtration.
When we built a home in NC, it was on a private water system
servicing several hundred homes in the area. The water was the
worst I've ever encountered, turning the inside of a dishwasher
black in under a month. It apparently had lots of Manganese in it
and its only redeeming characteristic seemed to be it was low in
iron.
I solved the black problem cheaply: when the water exited the
pressure regulator for the house, it had to pass through 3 Home
Depot, generic-type, filter housings. They cost under $20 in
total, as I recall. The first housed a 5-micron string wound
filter and then the second and third a 1 micron filter. The
filters were also quite inexpensive, costing under $3-4 each, as I
recall. I also built a bypass line with ball valves to keep the
house in service while changing and bleeding air out of the
filters. The first one would have everything from gravel to
sawdust in it, but would not be black. The second would look like
it had been washed in black paint in under a month, while the
third would remain relatively decent for several months.
To judge whether a filter change was needed, I relied on a single
downstream pressure gauge. In the AM, when nobody was using water
in the house, I'd look at the gauge and note the pressure. I'd
then go flush two toilets and open the cold water valve on a
nearby sink, noting the resulting pressure. If the difference was
more than 10 psi, it was time for new filters. The third filter
would become the middle one, with a new 1 micron going to the
third position and a new 5 micron one to the first position. This
worked like a charm for over 10 years with no problems. The
dishwasher, the clothes washer and toilets stayed nice and clean
looking.
I also installed an RO system while I was at it. I bought
additional valves and placed one at the vanity of each bathroom,
one at the wet bar and at the kitchen sink and connected up the
ice makers of both refrigerators. The 1-gallon tank was
supplemented with a second one, which seemed to prove adequate. I
connected all together with a 3/8" PEX line so we had whole-house
RO water at the points of use.
Nonny
--
On most days,
it’s just not worth
the effort of chewing
through the restraints..