National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: cochised on April 27, 2020, 03:29:23 PM

Title: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on April 27, 2020, 03:29:23 PM
Considering going down this route and was wondering for those that have already, where did you buy yours and what should I look out for?

Mainly do 5 gallon BIAB batches so presume I wouldn't need a system that produces a huge output

Did see a portable one on AMazon that would be nice not to have to set up a whole under sink system, but I presume you have to fill it a lot more often

Thanks
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: itsclinto on April 27, 2020, 05:14:13 PM
I picked up this one from water filter man
https://www.waterfilterman.co.uk/fish-keeping-water-filters/248-17-reverse-osmosis-water-filter-for-aquarium-discus-fish-marine.html#/22-add_ons-standard_ro

It does the job. I get about 5 litres per hour and i feel it has made a huge difference to my brewing.

I also made it tidy by transplanting it into a tool box which makes it portable for a brew day(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200427/c50b3ccd4585d7ff75f528762fd1f414.jpg)

Sent from my ONE E1003 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on April 27, 2020, 05:40:15 PM
Cheers for reply.
Price certainly appealing vs some I've seen
In terms of how it works, you just hook it up to outlet and let it do it's thing into say brewpot?
Is it a permanent fixture or portable like it seems in your picture there? As in do you take it on and off each time you use it?

5 litres an hour ain't too bad as I usually collect 27 litres or so
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: itsclinto on April 27, 2020, 06:47:49 PM
Ye its portable to keep it out of my wife's view. I hook it up to either the kitchen tap (with an adapter) or outside tap the day before and collect the water in the brew pot. It works with three tubings, water in (from tap), ro'd water out and waste water. To fit it into the toolbox, i had to get the three adapters to make the connection to the outside of the box

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Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on April 27, 2020, 06:50:48 PM
Excellent, think I might check that out so 
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on April 28, 2020, 06:49:09 PM
Ordered that earlier so looking forward to messing about with it.
Asking the bleeding obvious I know but I assume if I use a water calculator now all the figures will be zero, or close to it? And then it's a case of finding your target profile and adding salts etc to reach?

Does it affect pH?
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: Pheeel on April 29, 2020, 08:32:05 AM
It should be practically zero. Over time the filter will let more through but you can buy a cheap TDS meter to check that

Good luck. RO makes a big diff
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: oreils87 on May 01, 2020, 11:50:44 AM
For that price it's worth a shot!  I love the idea of putting it in a tool box.
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: markov on May 01, 2020, 04:04:31 PM
Do the filters come in standard sizes? So if you have to replace them can you buy them from other retailers and not stuck to the one retailer/RO system?
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: itsclinto on May 02, 2020, 12:07:57 AM
Quote from: markov on May 01, 2020, 04:04:31 PMDo the filters come in standard sizes? So if you have to replace them can you buy them from other retailers and not stuck to the one retailer/RO system?
I'm not too sure. I'm sure someone might know a bit more about it but after looking it up, it appears that most are universal

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Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: Impaler on May 05, 2020, 03:49:38 PM
Quote from: cochised on April 28, 2020, 06:49:09 PMOrdered that earlier so looking forward to messing about with it.

How long did it take to arrive?
Did you get to brew with RO water yet? How was your experience with water filter?

Quote from: itsclinto on April 27, 2020, 06:47:49 PMI hook it up to either the kitchen tap (with an adapter)

What kind of adapter to the kitchen tap?
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: itsclinto on May 05, 2020, 04:36:21 PM
What kind of adapter to the kitchen tap?
[/quote]

I got the following which when i screw off the attachment, the ro attachment screws straight into it
https://www.thegardenshop.ie/tap-to-hose-connector/
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on May 05, 2020, 07:13:22 PM
Quote from: Impaler on May 05, 2020, 03:49:38 PM
Quote from: cochised on April 28, 2020, 06:49:09 PMOrdered that earlier so looking forward to messing about with it.

How long did it take to arrive?
Did you get to brew with RO water yet? How was your experience with water filter?


Not arrived yet but understandable given current circumstances.

Will report once I've done a brew
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: Impaler on May 05, 2020, 10:02:49 PM
Cheers lads!
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: Emot on May 19, 2020, 10:23:22 PM
Hi lads, I ordered one of these at the end of April having stumbled upon this thread. It took about 2 weeks to arrive. It wasn't too difficult to set up, there are reasonably clear instructions with it. It was supposed to include a tap to 1/4 inch adaptor but I don't think I got one, so I had to rig up a little connection which I can take a photo of tomorrow. All in all great value.
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: oreils87 on May 20, 2020, 10:13:46 AM
Got mine as well (2 weeks delivery), I got a 3/4 connector but need to make the gauntlet to a hardware shop to get another adapter.
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: Emot on May 20, 2020, 05:01:24 PM
This is what I had to do:
1/4" tubing slots into a cutoff of 3/8" gas line I have for my kegerator. 3/8 line into a john guest reducer which I just clipped on a garden hose with a jubilee clip. Does the job but you'll want to aim off for joining your 1/4" water line to a garden hose somehow.

(https://i.ibb.co/tQ2pb4D/2020-05-20-14-00-42.jpg)
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on May 20, 2020, 05:22:44 PM
Mine has sat in box since arrival as back in work and it is mental.

What is time needed to get say 27 litres?
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: oreils87 on May 26, 2020, 12:03:08 PM
I did a test run and it took about an hour to fill a 5L container and it filled a 25L bucket with the "waste" water at the same time.

I plan on using the waste water for cleaning and watering the garden. At least get some use out of it!
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on May 27, 2020, 08:14:41 AM
Wow, knew there was waste water but didn't realise how much.

Yeah, need to do something with the run off or wouldn't be right.

Bought a pump to use with my chiller to avoid such waste too.

Not massively environmentally minded but always feel there is too much water wasted in this hobby 
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: oreils87 on May 27, 2020, 09:23:33 AM
Well as long as I'm reusing the waste for watering the garden and washing It's better than constantly using up plastic water bottles!
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: cochised on May 27, 2020, 09:28:21 AM
Ah yeah, once it doesn't go down the drain its fine. Think I'll invest in a water butt to store it
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: markov on April 23, 2021, 10:56:47 AM
Quote from: itsclinto on April 27, 2020, 05:14:13 PMI picked up this one from water filter man
https://www.waterfilterman.co.uk/fish-keeping-water-filters/248-17-reverse-osmosis-water-filter-for-aquarium-discus-fish-marine.html#/22-add_ons-standard_ro

It does the job. I get about 5 litres per hour and i feel it has made a huge difference to my brewing.

I also made it tidy by transplanting it into a tool box which makes it portable for a brew day(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200427/c50b3ccd4585d7ff75f528762fd1f414.jpg)

Sent from my ONE E1003 using Tapatalk



@itsclinto, would you remember where you got the toolbox or what's the brand/model? I've been looking for something to put mine into but couldn't find any that would fit

Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: itsclinto on April 23, 2021, 04:25:47 PM
@Markov I think i had to look around but found this one in Homebase in Drogheda.  I don't think it was too expensive either.  I'll check the name on it and size when i get home and let you know
Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: itsclinto on April 23, 2021, 06:28:15 PM
Just had a look and it's 435mm X 210mm X 190mm. The name on the box is craftright so it definitely was cheap(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210423/3b5e50d28186d50b44e4880289ba1240.jpg)

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Title: Re: Buying an RO setup
Post by: markov on April 24, 2021, 11:34:34 AM
Brilliant thanks for that will have a look out for one or something similar!