Does your RO unit have an ASOV (auto shut-off valve)? Many units have one so that they can be used with a standard float valve. I never close my RO input because the ASOV does it for me when I close the output valve.

Nice find, regardless. I didn't know they made those kind of valves, though it stands to reason that someone must.

My RO unit comes with a valve like that, but it is sold separately. It is the solenoid I'm talking about and costs about $70 by the time you pay sales tax and postage. It is not an integral part of the unit but is mounted individually. My unit makes 50 gallons per day. I think I fried mine by accidentally running hot water through it so it needed to be replaced. I prefer the float valve, not necessarily because of the lower cost but because it is more basic, my style. I only use my cell phone to receive and make phone calls, I'm an electronic dinosaur.

Nick

I have the float valve on the water container which supplies water to my cooling system. My holding tank for R/O water is 250 gallons and all I use is a shut off valve to stop the R/O when I do not need it. Thankfully I only use it when my supply of rain water runs low, not as my primary supply.

Do you have hot water in your g/h? I would love having it particularly in the winter.

Brooke

I heat the warm GH using the house hot water heater. The cold intake and the hot outflow of the water heater are intercepted at the top of the water heater and using CPVC which is necessary for hot water, is run to the GH. The pipes are insulated with air conditioning foam.

In the GH the hot water arrives at a 4' x 2' industrial copper radiator which I got from a salvage yard for $50. It leaked and needed a little repair. 2 fans are behind it pushing air through. After the water leaves the radiator a recirculating pump pushes it back to the house hot water heater. A backflow check valve prevents it from going to the house. Twin thermostats turn on the recirculating pump and the fans as needed for the dual range described above.

In the winter I turn the water heater to maximum temp, taking a shower becomes a thrilling or possibly scalding experience. Once you are used to it, you can avoid the boiled lobster syndrome but I issue a stern warning to house guests about the hot water.

This system provides a pleasant soothing flow of warm air using natural gas as the power source without having to dig an 18" deep trench for the gas pipes. Also no combustion takes place in the GH. Again a little help from Rube made it all happen.

Nick

Yes Nick you are definitely the Rube king. I wish I lived in your climate where a water pipe with foam on it wouldn't freeze solid in the middle of winter.

I wish we had installed hot water heat here so I could have the pipes under each table plus overhead. The only downside to hot water heat in this area is it does take longer to bring the temp up where the heater does it instantly.

Brooke

Another of my favorite tricks is to use a power strip instead of a switch. Remember, I have a dry corner (80% humidity but no water being sprayed). A switch is more trouble to install than taping up a cheap power strip so that only one outlet is usable and then the circuit is plugged into it. The lights to the area end up as a male plug, as I enter the area at night I click on the circuit beaker of the power strip and the lights go on. All the fans are housed on a strip, the pump for the water and supplemental electric heaters all have their own strip. All of these strips plug into a 'Master strip' which connects to the power source.

Power strips are slightly cheaper but that's not the point. There is only a minimal savings there but they are so much easier to work with than a real switch witch has to be hard-wired. An in-law of mine is a professional 'Handy man' who does a lot of electricity work. He laughs at my antics but has looked it all over and declared it safe. He comments that he wishes he could solve problems like I do, but of course that cannot happen as he has to do it 'right'.

He also offered to do my plumbing in copper which would be the professional way to do it. I declined, I want it in PVC as then I can modify and repair it with ease.

We each have to live in our comfort zone, different for every one of us. I would love to hear of tricks or shortcuts other people are using.

Nick

i didnt read through all the posts, but if you want a simple float valve, I got one with my RO/DI from a place called airwaterice.com
I have had it for 5 years without problems. But I dont leave the water on at the wall faucet unless I am home/

Thanks, I looked at it. It's an end point valve, I needed a mid-pipe interruption for my set up.

Nick

i have a 5 stage premier/watts r/o under the sink for drinking water and to a sidebyside for ice and water. The icemaker requires minimum 30 psi in and the r/o cycles up to 50 psi and down to 28 psi. I would like to find a R/O that would not cycle up and down,but instead make water as some is withdrawn - hense would stay well above the icemaker 30 psi min.
Is anyone aware of an r/o that is different and immediately replaces water
as soon as removed, or how to modify existing to move lower limit up?

Check with Ron Harlan at 'Back to Nature Filtration'.

Nick