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-   -   Low cost high water pressure protection for RO water filters (http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3335)

Davephan 12-26-2016 09:11 PM

Low cost high water pressure protection for RO water filters
 
3 Attachment(s)
I own a Hydro Logic Stealth 200 Reverse Osmosis water filter. One serious vulnerability of the Hydro Logic Stealth 200 RO water filter is there is no protection against accidentally applying water pressure that is too high to the input of the RO water filter.

The normal input water pressure range of the Hydro Logic Stealth 200 Reverse Osmosis water filter is 40 PSI to 80 PSI. Our water can sometime be as high as 120 PSI. The product vulnerability problem can be easily fixed by adding a fixed water pressure regulator between the water connection and the Hydro Logic water input. The input water pressure is limited to 50 PSI to 55 PSI, even when the house water pressure is much higher.

The fixed water pressure regulator is the Valterra highflow water regulator for RV's, model A01-1122VP, priced at $14.59, and is available from www.etrailer.com. This is my first purchase from Etrailer.com, and they have excellent service. They even shipped the product for free! The water pressure regulator is marketed for RV's, but works great for hydroponic RO water filters! The fixed water pressure regulator as a male and female hose thread connection.

I'm attaching photos of the Valterra highflow water regulator, the Hydro Logic Stealth 200 with the fixed water pressure regulator installed between the house water and the RO water filter input. I also included a photo of the Hydro Logic Stealth 200 water pressure gauge showing how the input PSI is limited to 50 PSI to 55 PSI with 120 PSI applied to the input of the fixed water pressure regulator.

GpsFrontier 12-27-2016 04:24 AM

Hello Davephan,
If your household water pressure is 120 PSI, you need to replace your homes water regulator. Your household water pressure should be nowhere near that high. It should be under 90 PSI max. Most city codes specify the water regulator be set at 55-75 PSI (our city code says 60 PSI). They should be replaced about every 3-4 years. Their easy to install and I have done ours a few times.

Our household RO system is in the garage, and if the PSI is to high it can cause the RO system to leak or even be cracked. We found out our water pressure was to high when we first saw leaking from the RO system water lines. It was easily fixed, but the cause was the faulty household water pressure regulator. If you want a secondary water regulator to protect the RO system that's fine. But you still need to fix the household water pressure regulator. If you want to test your household water pressure, they sell pressure testers for under $10 and are simple to use. You just take off the garden hose and screw it onto the outside water faucet, then turn the water on. The gauge will tell you what the water pressure is.

Davephan 01-13-2017 09:32 AM

Thanks for the advise! I didn't know that our home had a water pressure regulator, or should have a water pressure regulator, if it wasn't installed the the original home owner. I will check out that problem and get it fixed!

I still think that the water pressure regulator I found is a good idea, to protect the RO water filter, and allow it to consistently operate at a water pressure level that is safe for the RO water filter.

GpsFrontier 01-13-2017 08:22 PM

2 Attachment(s)
Hello Davephan,
Yes your house shroud have a water pressure regulator, and it's required by city code. It protects your household pluming from rupturing and causing water damage to your home. It will be outside the house and above ground. It will be installed just below the water spigot closest to the water meter where the water line from the city to the house comes from. I attached a picture of one by itself, as well as one that's installed to show you what yo look for. They generally run about $80, and are easy to install (if your handy).

Yes it's never a bad idea to have backup protection for your RO system, and $15 isn't a bad price for that backup protection. But if your homes water pressure regulator isn't functioning properly, you run the risk of tens of thousands of dollars in water damage to your home, and the RO system would be the least of your worries.


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