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Topic: Zero Waste Reverse Osmosis System (Read 947 times) previous topic - next topic

Zero Waste Reverse Osmosis System

Some interest was shown in a previous thread about my ice maker install for more info about the R/O system I put in the coach.  I was sold on R/O systems years ago when I saw mega-yachts in St. Thomas, and even the island itself using R/O to make potable water from sea water.  Had a system in a family cabin that took gypsum laced well water and made it perfectly mineral free and drinkable.  Have used one for 10 years in my house in Montana to make ice and drinking water (never, ever have to de-scale a coffee maker by the way!!!).  So I bit the bullet and got one for the coach after finding a suitable mounting location.

The issue RV's have is the water pressure is not as high as municipal or well pumped systems, so a booster pump is needed.  I got this pump kit off amazon: Watts Premier 501026 ZeroWaste Reverse Osmosis Retrofit Kit, Easy to Install...
The R/O system is standard household unit available at Lowes, Home Depot or online.

I installed the unit in the passenger side wet bay.  Had to remove the house vacuum cleaner system to fit the tank...never liked all those dumb hoses anyway and got a Dyson Animal hidden away in the closet.  Mounted the pump on the lateral bulkhead between the manibloc and the pump bay.  Mounted the filter housing on the panel next to the manibloc and screwed a 2" angle aluminum brace behind the plywood/carpet panel to support all that weight.  Pulled source water from the most convenient fitting on the manibloc, the toilet fitting, using a 1/2" thread ice maker water supply valve.  Plumbed the brine water discharge back into the fresh water tank...drilled a 3/8" hole at the top of the tank (sorry no picture) and threaded in a nylon Festo (press connect) fitting with about 5 wraps of teflon tape, for the 1/4" tubing.  The rest of the connections are per the booster pump install diagram.  The booster pump is 24v and the transformer plugs into the 110v outlet above the manibloc.  Attached some pictures.  The R/O pressure tank holds about 2 gallons, and when the pump pressure sensor kicks on, it takes 25-30 minutes to make about a gallon of pure water.  It's not as loud as the water system pump, but you can hear the water being pumped back into the fresh water tank.  Gotta have A/C power to make water, but figuring I'll do that when I'm charging batteries whilst dry camping.  There you have it.  Woody.

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2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #1 –
I want one
Rick & Rhonda
2003 U320 4220  Build #6199
Was
91 36' GV 300 Caterpillar, 92 40' U280 300 Cummins, 97 36' U295 300 Cummins, 2002
U320 450 Cummins
(Guess we're hooked)

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Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #2 –
Interesting post... I put an RO system in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. It fits with the accumulator tank on the left side of the cabinet with enough room for a 14.5" slide out basket on the right side and the filters along side it to the right. We just use it for drinking water when we have full hook ups. When boondocking, we have a Berkey filter that sits on the countertop. I do want to do a mod to return the brine back to the fresh tank and I have a pump that boosts pressure using line pressure which I haven't installed yet. Do you use your RO for the whole coach or just drinking and ice?
Don
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #3 –
Plumbed only to drinking dispenser on kitchen sink and ice maker.  I have 2 6 gallon Aqua-tainers and will fill those with the R/O water before heading south for AZ.  Also have a travel Brerkey as a backup when boondocking.
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #4 –
 RO systems are not my first choice on a RV.
A reverse osmosis system wastes about 4 gallons of water per gallon made. If you use 3 gallons a day for drinking, cooking and internal consumption, that means you will waste about 12 gallons, making a reverse osmosis system about 25% efficient!
You could easily set up a system to clean water and remove all impurities plus kill any bugs and not use a drop of water extra.

I have a RO and a water softener system in my home. I like them. But not sure I would put in in my coach.  Unless I thought about using it to pull water out of a stream or river or lake, for extended boondocking, but then the black and grey tanks would be the limiting factor.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #5 –
                 Years past , we spent our winters in the Parker , Arizona general area . So , as most of you know , the water issue there is  not good . So , I bought a RO unit that worked as advertised . Had to use it for all water that entered the coach . At first didn't do it that way , but it finally got to the automatic fill valve and had to be replaced . $$$$  I noticed that raw water like that is tuff on all valves  and it first showed up in the toilets $$ .  Now I find that where I'd rather be the water is good .  My plan is to not go where the RO system is needed . Personal choices  ;D  Brad Metzger
Brad Metzger
2010 Phenix 45'

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #6 –
Bob, guess I should have labeled the topic "Zero Waste Reverse Osmosis System".  In my install, R/O waste water is pumped back into the fresh water tank for non-potable uses.  It does take more energy to do that than an inline filter system though.  De-mineralized, pure drinking water and ice is a luxury I didn't want to miss out on in my luxury coach.  Woody.



Quote from: Bob and Julie –
RO systems are not my first choice on a RV.
A reverse osmosis system wastes about 4 gallons of water per gallon made. If you use 3 gallons a day for drinking, cooking and internal consumption, that means you will waste about 12 gallons, making a reverse osmosis system about 25% efficient!
You could easily set up a system to clean water and remove all impurities plus kill any bugs and not use a drop of water extra.

I have a RO and a water softener system in my home. I like them. But not sure I would put in in my coach.  Unless I thought about using it to pull water out of a stream or river or lake, for extended boondocking, but then the black and grey tanks would be the limiting factor.
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #7 –
We've got super hard water down here in Ajo. Got this softener, add salt once a month, works great; no faucet problems, no streaks washing the coach, AND, what great showers!  ^.^d
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #8 –
Mike, what's the model number and where'd you get it?

Quote from: mike leary –
We've got super hard water down here in Ajo. Got this softener, add salt once a month, works great; no faucet problems, no streaks washing the coach, AND, what great showers!  ^.^d
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #9 –
I run all water into my coach through a 5 micron sediment filter, then a polyphosphate water descaler to take the hardness out by a chemical reaction.  It does not use salt and that is good because the salt type softeners can add up to 50% of the sodium intake for a day in the water.  I don't need that kind of help with hypertension.

I also use all of our drinking water going through the Everpure filter under the sink.

My system works and is simple- I like KISS.                      ^.^d
Ted & Karen
2001 U270 36' - sold after 12 years full timing

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Ted & Karen –
I run all water into my coach through a 5 micron sediment filter, then a polyphosphate water descaler to take the hardness out by a chemical reaction. My system works and is simple- I like KISS. 
Something I'd not heard of. Is there a brand that you would suggest?
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #11 –
Mike- I use the Portable Limescale Conditioner and RV Water Softener from Filterwaterdirect.com

Have been using it since February and am very pleased with it.  So is Karen.  There are other systems on the market but I like this one because of the small size and how it is made for RV.

Hope this helps....................... ^.^d
Ted & Karen
2001 U270 36' - sold after 12 years full timing

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #12 –
Mike, Ted,
How are your systems hooked up?  I have been hunting for a softner system that doesn't use salt, as both my husband and I are hypertensive. Would love to know more about your two systems. Linda
Lynn and Linda Day and Harry the pug
RIP: Tank 01-2008 to 03-2020
2012 Nimbus 42' build 6555
ISX12-500hp
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee
MC# 17723

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #13 –
The one Ted has looks like the best idea, as it just hooks to the water outlet and appears to require no 110 volts. Pricey, so was my salt water softener!  Portable Limescale Conditioner And RV Water Softener | Filter Water Direct
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'
 

Re: Reverse Osmosis system

Reply #14 –
I have my system set up very simple- I have a short hose with a quick connect that attaches to my sediment filter .  The sediment filter is connected directly to the water softener/conditioner.  I keep the unit in a bucket which I bring out, set on the ground, quick connect to the filter, then have another longer hose and quick connect coming out of the softener, then a quick connect on my direct fill for my fresh water tank.  I open the ball valve on the direct fill and can fill the tank in about 15 minutes with filtered, salt free softened water.  Once full, I shut off the ball valve, take off the quick connects, put the 2 hoses and bucket away.  Being full time I run all my water from my water tank, drinking water goes through the Ever pure system under the sink. 

This simple system works for me...........KISS                  ^.^d

If you are at Quartzite I will be happy to show you my system.

Cya down the road
Ted & Karen
2001 U270 36' - sold after 12 years full timing