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Craigerrr

Craigerrr

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Currently I use purchased RO water, but I am getting tired of the back and forth filling water jugs. About 80% of the water we purchase is for drinking water, I make coffee with it, and use it in a humidifier we run in our bedroom overnight in the winter. Including what I use for brewing, it is costing about $80 every 3-4 weeks. , my back isn't enjoying this either, so I am looking at under sink RO systems.

If you have a home RO system I am interested to hear what you have, and the pros and cons of it.
 
I have a basic Menards RO system. Have also installed one on my SO,s house . Hastings is known for bad 3M water.
I run lines to the sink areas to a drinking faucet and the ice maker.
In my house I brew in the basement so I installed a large pressure tank for brew day. I thought it said 7 gallon but it only holds about 5.5 gallon. Which is perfect, I fill my Anvil with 5.5 gallons for the next days mash and by morning the tank has refilled for sparge water.
If you do all in brew in a bag be sure to use a tank that holds ten gallon.
As far as the water, the taste is great! I much prefer it over the store bought bottles Deb buys a lot of.
So, yes, I actually have two tanks in my home system. The small one that comes with the system and the big one in the basement and a whole ship load of plastic tubing running through the house.
Cons, I don't know of any.
 
I bought this. Just don't install it as a drinking water faucet.

Takes about 3 hours to fill a 5 gallon, filters last about a year.

Edit: i did add a permeate pump to it. Uses the waste water to pump through system. Reduces wasted water and increases holding tank capacity.

https://a.co/d/3zzw5ab
 
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Why would you not install as a drinking water faucet?
 
One more thing, RO system have waste water. About 80% ratio. So every 5 gallons of filtered water produces 4 gallons of waste
 
west1m said:
Why would you not install as a drinking water faucet?
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You can, i suppose. I have mine installed that way, with a "Y" and valve to tap off to the 5gal bottles.

I actually made a module that runs off an Arduino that fills the bottles and stops when they are full. :p
 
Minbari said:
You can, i suppose. I have mine installed that way, with a "Y" and valve to tap off to the 5gal bottles.

I actually made a module that runs off an Arduino that fills the bottles and stops when they are full. :p
Click to expand...
You're pretty fancy buddy
 
I just checked and I am about 8 weeks between purchasing 500L of water.
Have to go refill my jugs every 3-4 weeks, we have 9 @ 18 liter jugs and 7 @ 11 liter jugs.
I use the smaller ones for brewing water, easier to manage.
Looking at this iSpring unit, it would pay for itself in under a year.
My thinking is that I would refill my 11 liter jugs for brewing water, refill a water jug to keep in the fridge for drinking, and dispense for coffee/cooking as needed.
Everything is more expensive here in Canuckland, that exact system doesn't seem to be available on Amazon.ca
Systems here range from high $200's up to $600, this one is $347 from Home Depot

1769358290491.png
 
Minbari said:
One more thing, RO system have waste water. About 80% ratio. So every 5 gallons of filtered water produces 4 gallons of waste
Click to expand...
I will have to look at my water bill to see how much I pay per gallon/liter to add that to the equation, but I guess I would be paying for convenience.
 
Minbari said:
One more thing, RO system have waste water. About 80% ratio. So every 5 gallons of filtered water produces 4 gallons of waste
Click to expand...
That's what's always concerned me. Water usage goes way up and from an environmental standpoint, that's bad. Cost of paying for water that's not being used is a big negative. I suppose that if you can plumb the system to shunt wastewater into a collection system for watering gardens, etc. That might be fine but then are you pouring concentrated "contaminants" into your soil?
I use a robust charcoal filter system and campden tablets and it seems to do pretty well. We have pretty decent water overall, but it's surface water and when sources get low or the weather is particularly hot for a long time (which is most of the time), it can get a real lakewater/algae smell and taste. My filtration seems to take care of that and the beer I make holds up to scrutiny and comparison so I guess I'll be satisfied with it. :)
 
Craigerrr said:
I just checked and I am about 8 weeks between purchasing 500L of water.
Have to go refill my jugs every 3-4 weeks, we have 9 @ 18 liter jugs and 7 @ 11 liter jugs.
I use the smaller ones for brewing water, easier to manage.
Looking at this iSpring unit, it would pay for itself in under a year.
My thinking is that I would refill my 11 liter jugs for brewing water, refill a water jug to keep in the fridge for drinking, and dispense for coffee/cooking as needed.
Everything is more expensive here in Canuckland, that exact system doesn't seem to be available on Amazon.ca
Systems here range from high $200's up to $600, this one is $347 from Home Depot

View attachment 34015
Click to expand...
Using those systems for coffee makers, will extend their life to forever. I have an 18 year old espresso machine, never descaled it. Still works like new
 
J A said:
That's what's always concerned me. Water usage goes way up and from an environmental standpoint, that's bad. Cost of paying for water that's not being used is a big negative. I suppose that if you can plumb the system to shunt wastewater into a collection system for watering gardens, etc. That might be fine but then are you pouring concentrated "contaminants" into your soil?
I use a robust charcoal filter system and campden tablets and it seems to do pretty well. We have pretty decent water overall, but it's surface water and when sources get low or the weather is particularly hot for a long time (which is most of the time), it can get a real lakewater/algae smell and taste. My filtration seems to take care of that and the beer I make holds up to scrutiny and comparison so I guess I'll be satisfied with it. :)
Click to expand...
The permiate comes from the RO filter directly. The "toxic" stuff in it wouldn't be worse than what your water has in it already, but as you pointed out, it would be more concentrated.

These are not whole house systems, so the level of water waste is not that high, from a gallons perspective.
 
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Minbari said:
Using those systems for coffee makers, will extend their life to forever. I have an 18 year old espresso machine, never descaled it. Still works like new
Click to expand...
...and consider the effect, or lack of effect on our bodies from not consuming all the shit they put in our municipal water
 
J A said:
That's what's always concerned me. Water usage goes way up and from an environmental standpoint, that's bad. Cost of paying for water that's not being used is a big negative. I suppose that if you can plumb the system to shunt wastewater into a collection system for watering gardens, etc. That might be fine but then are you pouring concentrated "contaminants" into your soil?
I use a robust charcoal filter system and campden tablets and it seems to do pretty well. We have pretty decent water overall, but it's surface water and when sources get low or the weather is particularly hot for a long time (which is most of the time), it can get a real lakewater/algae smell and taste. My filtration seems to take care of that and the beer I make holds up to scrutiny and comparison so I guess I'll be satisfied with it. :)
Click to expand...
Whatever works, works!
 
Sure the RO system uses the extra water you mention. I would guess the RO water system at the store has the same waste involved.
For me, it's like the water I use for condensing steam and cooling wort. I have a well in the back yard and a septic tank in the front yard. I am just moving the water from back to front.
 
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