55 Gallon RO water tank build

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calebstringer said:
I use a 300g IBC tank, doing something similar to you. The city reservoir that is 2 miles away is different water than my tap water. And it tested out very good. So i built an independent water supply for the brewhaus, with its own well pump, and I have a second IBC tank I throw in the truck and go fill up. Cost is about $3.50 for a tank full
Click to expand...

That's really cool! I'm not so lucky, the water in my backyard is from the delta and it is not as clear as most lakes.



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I picked up this baby today.. 65 gallon tank. More then enough. I won't be able to get fabing this week because I have a magazine photo shoot for my brewery Friday! ImageUploadedByHome Brew1407184282.603422.jpg


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You know I wonder... Regular RO tanks work on pressure to shut off. I wonder if you didn't just make a good seal that it would just shut itself off instead of needing a valve
 
I'm thinking use water from the olive barrel to make oyster stouts, the brine character would add to the end product. Did you notice your welding went to hell between your brew stand and you water barrel stand? I didn't weld for a year and man have my welds got ugly when I started fabbing my barrel stand last month.
 
grathan said:
You know I wonder... Regular RO tanks work on pressure to shut off. I wonder if you didn't just make a good seal that it would just shut itself off instead of needing a valve
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Good point! I think the lid has a small vent. Im just going to use my cheap Chinese float valve to turn this off.
 
Bensiff said:
I'm thinking use water from the olive barrel to make oyster stouts, the brine character would add to the end product. Did you notice your welding went to hell between your brew stand and you water barrel stand? I didn't weld for a year and man have my welds got ugly when I started fabbing my barrel stand last month.
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hahaha my welds are so bad right now!! but in my defense, i think the metal was treated with something on the inside. I grinded and cleaned everything with acetone. Still getting contamination through the weld. Oh well its a water tank stand. I also had my mig go to ****, Im really thinking about throwing it in the trash.lol
 
kickflip_mj said:
hahaha my welds are so bad right now!! but in my defense, i think the metal was treated with something on the inside. I grinded and cleaned everything with acetone. Still getting contamination through the weld. Oh well its a water tank stand. I also had my mig go to ****, Im really thinking about throwing it in the trash.lol
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I have a Lincoln 140C so I'm I can only blame my lack of experience and practice. Perhaps ugly, but I have the settings right so I know they are sturdy enough to hold my precious barrels. Ah, another build I should post up. What kind of welder do you have? Perhaps you are getting bad welds because you have a gas flow issue...maybe a little hole or loose fitting that is letting the ambient air get sucked in so you are not getting proper shielding?
 
I don't have this problem with stainless, so I think it's just the metal. I am using a cheap everlast tig. My Lincoln is the one that's on the fritz


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kickflip_mj said:
I don't have this problem with stainless, so I think it's just the metal. I am using a cheap everlast tig. My Lincoln is the one that's on the fritz
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Huh...hopefully Lincoln will take care of it for you.
 
It's an old used one. Not a chance sadly. I don't plan on any more serious brewery projects anytime soon. I'll try to make due with my tig for this


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Putting wheels on and ran out of argon.... Kinda annoyed because I was almost done with the standImageUploadedByHome Brew1408677039.672387.jpg


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Dude, you know that was gonna happen with a little baby tank like that. I know because my little baby tank ran out on an in opportune time last week :). Just don't grind through a weld when you are cleaning things up just before paint, that blows.
 
Ha its not that bad, last me a year when welding stainless. Not so well on mild steel a 20cfm. I alo dont want to buy a larger tank until I get a new welder and back gas set up. This makes me so frusturated though, I was ready to finish and paint last night. not I get to wait till next week.
 
I want a new welder, but i have to keep telling myself to save for a home.lol
 
kickflip_mj said:
Ha its not that bad, last me a year when welding stainless. Not so well on mild steel a 20cfm. I alo dont want to buy a larger tank until I get a new welder and back gas set up. This makes me so frusturated though, I was ready to finish and paint last night. not I get to wait till next week.
Click to expand...

That is pretty thin and low amp stuff. Should only need 10-12cfm for it. Gas lense or regular cup? What size torch?
 
I could see that, I have always used my tig for stainless. I was having porosity issues because I was running out of gas


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calebstringer said:
Pretty slick bro! Are you going to rig up the R/O w/ a float valve so you don't need to baby sit it? (couldn't remember if you said that or not)
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Thank you. That is exactly what I am going to do, I'm just trying to figure out what to do with the hose off the RO that goes to a pressure tank. Can I just plug it?



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calebstringer said:
Pretty slick bro! Are you going to rig up the R/O w/ a float valve so you don't need to baby sit it? (couldn't remember if you said that or not)
Click to expand...

Thank you. That is exactly what I am going to do, I'm just trying to figure out what to do with the hose off the RO that goes to a pressure tank. Can I just plug it?




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kickflip_mj said:
Thank you. That is exactly what I am going to do, I'm just trying to figure out what to do with the hose off the RO that goes to a pressure tank. Can I just plug it?




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Is there a T that splits that output? I'd just get rid of it and only run 1 line to the float valve. If you know you'll never need the pressure tank that is.
 
kickflip_mj said:
Thank you. That is exactly what I am going to do, I'm just trying to figure out what to do with the hose off the RO that goes to a pressure tank. Can I just plug it?
Click to expand...

Yes and your system throughput will be greater than when used with the pressure tank. Don't know what the 'float' does but it needs to send a signal to a valve to shut off the feed. Just shutting off the permeate line will not prevent feed from entering the unit and going out the concentrate line. Simple electrical float switch with a solenoid valve in the feed will do.

Should you want pressurized water just connect one of those diaphragm pumps designed for boats and cabins to the output of your atmospheric tank and plumb its output to the pressure tank through a tee. The other side of the tee goes to whatever faucet or valve is to supply your water. When you open the valve the pump senses the low pressure and runs until you turn the valve off and the tank is pressurized.
 
The do system is throwing me. It has a line that goes to a faucet, a feed line, waste line and a pressure tank line. All I want to do is to fill the feed with a hose, faucet line to the tank and waste can go in the drain. But is the pressure tank needed or can it be plugged?


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Ok this will help. Where the pressure tank t is turn to a 90 fitting and get rid of the tankImageUploadedByHome Brew1409939148.423790.jpg


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yep. where the t is for the pressure tank, ditch it and plumb straight into the carbon filter. Then take the "faucet" line, and plumb into your tank. You will have to verify that that check valve shuts the system down when your tank is full. Otherwise, as Aj said, you will be processing and dumping the whole time, due to the nature of an RO system
 
A few more points:

1. AJ - it looks like he has an auto shutoff valve which will cut off inflow when pressure builds in the permeate line. This is normal for these residential kits. Keep an eye (and ear) on the ASOV. It will go bad one day, and you'll dump a boat load of carbon filtered water. On the bright side, you'll have a VERY clean flushed membrane!

2. Is there a reason you need the post-carbon filter? I've noticed that when using one, the first gallon or 2 can really spike in TDS when the system has sat for a few days. If you use this for other purposes and are constantly taking a little here and there, the TDS in the tank will really start to creep over time. I'd fill it all the way, then shut off the RO 'till you think it's low enough to need more. At that time, discard the first few gallons, and fill all the way. You can certainly keep the post-filter if you like the taste/odor benefits for drinking, but it's probably not necessary. I dunno what crud mine holds, but it really flushes itself with every use. Way more creep than just the RO membrane alone.
 
GotPushrods said:
A few more points:

1. AJ - it looks like he has an auto shutoff valve which will cut off inflow when pressure builds in the permeate line. This is normal for these residential kits. Keep an eye (and ear) on the ASOV. It will go bad one day, and you'll dump a boat load of carbon filtered water. On the bright side, you'll have a VERY clean flushed membrane!

2. Is there a reason you need the post-carbon filter? I've noticed that when using one, the first gallon or 2 can really spike in TDS when the system has sat for a few days. If you use this for other purposes and are constantly taking a little here and there, the TDS in the tank will really start to creep over time. I'd fill it all the way, then shut off the RO 'till you think it's low enough to need more. At that time, discard the first few gallons, and fill all the way. You can certainly keep the post-filter if you like the taste/odor benefits for drinking, but it's probably not necessary. I dunno what crud mine holds, but it really flushes itself with every use. Way more creep than just the RO membrane alone.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your input, I plan on filling it before each batch, then flush it before the next fill up. The tank will serve as RO water for the brew process and use the rest for chilling.





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Thank you for your input, I plan on filling it before each batch, then flush it before the next fill up. The tank will serve as RO water for the brew process and use the rest for chilling.


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GotPushrods said:
A few more points:

1. AJ - it looks like he has an auto shutoff valve which will cut off inflow when pressure builds in the permeate line. This is normal for these residential kits.
Click to expand...
Roger that and that's why I mentioned the need for a solenoid valve if he wants to shut off based on a full atmospheric tank.


GotPushrods said:
2. Is there a reason you need the post-carbon filter? I've noticed that when using one, the first gallon or 2 can really spike in TDS when the system has sat for a few days.
Click to expand...

I don't have a polish filter in my system and I notice the same phenomenon. When the system is off there is water on either side of the membrane and the chemical potential of ions across the membrane is high. But now there is plenty of time for ions to make there way along those lines of chemical potential. That's my guess as to what is responsible but I could be all wet.
 
Ok do I need to use the valve? I was just going to use the float switch? ImageUploadedByHome Brew1409952405.043894.jpg

Also here is what my RO looks likeImageUploadedByHome Brew1409952452.059717.jpg


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You can leave the valve that came with the system in place. It will never see back pressure and will never shut off.

I can't quite make out how the float valve works from the photo. I can see the float clearly enough and that something comes through the wall of the vessel. If that something actuates a valve between the two IPT threaded ports and you plumb the system feed through that valve you will be fine.
 

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