Anyone used an under sink reverse osmosis unit to purify water FROM FRESHWATER tank

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Honestly, some of the comments on this thread regarding the fear of city tap water border on Excessive Compulsive Disorder. How do any of you actually enjoy eating out at a restauant or consuming prepared products from a grocery store?

Weird paranoia if you ask me. We grew up drinking from the garden hose, and still do. Just filled up 200 gallons today with the hose from a tap at the marina.

So far... Nobody's died.

How do you know? You might be a ghost!




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[zboss]

Our cats are sensitive to the taste of our tank water. I think animals tend to be much more sensitive to water quality sometimes.

We carry 150 gallons and it sometimes sits around for a while before being consumed. We recently installed a knock off seagull unit and, although not RO, the cats will drink that water. We also think it dramatically improved the flavor of the water, even though we make a big effort to keep the tanks clean.

The advantage over the RO units is size and consumable size. We only need to carry one small replacement filter and it is supposed to last a year. Compare that to the 3 months RO filters last and that you have to carry 3 each at a time. That means carrying 9 filters for a year of water.


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[nigelmercier]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

BTW the other liquid, the one you are sipping on your avatar ... an even better solution than bottled water! ;-)

Not for me, haven't touched a drop of booze in 8 years

I accept your point about bottled water, in the Canary Islands it is the norm. I'm currently in recovery from pneumonia, possibly caused by Legionella bacteria, so I sympathise with the need to have clean water.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I see no problem with doing it if your system can supply the inlet requirements and unlike others see no reason for you to feel foolish by thinking about it or doing it. I would bet the reject going back to the tank isn't a problem due to the low percentage, but the volume is low probably just as well to dump it.

I agree. I don't understand why so many people think this is stupid. On a boat much more than at home getting really clean drinking water is a significant challenge. Tank water, even if you start with reasonably clean water, is subject to contamination from hoses, leaking o rings, and God knows what else. Humping bottled water is really not practical if you cruise at all away from civilization, and besides that it's not really clear that bottled water is very often that much better.

I use the expensive Seagull filter, which is not RO, but removes most of the carp, including bacteria.

I guess RO would be even better and probably cheaper. I wouldn't put the reject water back into the tank, but I bet it wouldn't be hard to arrange a way to capture it to use for washing etc.

I think it's a good idea. Not without challenges, but I guess these are not hard to overcome.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by nigelmercier

Why not just buy bottled water? This has the advantage that you can keep it in the refrigerator.

That's what we used to do when chartering. But there are four five good reasons against it:

1. Bottled water is often no better than tap water anyway. There's no guarantee that it's really any good. This is especially the case in developing countries where the tap water is poor.

2. Humping bottled water to the boat is a royal PITA even in the best of circumstances. On a long cruise where groceries often get carried by hand and then by dinghy, it's just, for me anyway, totally unacceptable.

3. Cost.

4. Storage.

[EDIT: 5. Trash, of the type you can't throw overboard when out to sea, which is a real problem on long passages.]

[a64pilot]

Other than having an aversion for paying more for water per gallon than I do for fuel, I don't use bottled water due to all the plastic.
More and more I am getting tired of plastic.
Yes my boat is plastic and there are many important uses of plastic, but I believe there is just too much of it, and I will do what I can to not add to the amount there is.


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[model 10]

[QUOTE=a64pilot;2173718]l, I don't use bottled water due to all the plastic.
More and more I am getting tired of plastic.

Well there is a new plan afoot to capture the pacific gyre that looks reasonable
(floating booms.) So maybe as we cruise around and see all that junk floating around, we can imagine a better world someday.
No one would be so tacky as to put a message in a plastic bottle would they?

[lordgeoff]

Originally Posted by botanybay

This is to create bottled water quality drinking water from the boat freshwater tank on a separate tap in the galley.

I know these units reject the excess water in homes down the drain, however it is still fresh water and probably just fine for normal use, I could return the reject to the 300 gallon tank or return it to a separate tank if necessary.

Any thoughts on this.

Remember, I am NOT trying to make fresh water from Salt, just clean up freshwater tank water for drinking.

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IF you think the water needs some filtering just put a domestic charcoal filter in the water line before your tap.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by lordgeoff

IF you think the water needs some filtering just put a domestic charcoal filter in the water line before your tap.

A charcoal filter improves the taste and gets rid of chlorine, but doesn't get rid of microbes.

The Seagull filter (which is what I use) deals with practically all microbes, including viruses, bacteria and cysts:

https://generalecology.com/info/techmemocert


It is not reverse osmosis so does not waste water like RO does.


An RO filter is even better at filtration, doing that down to the molecular level AFAIU, but wastes water. It's also cheaper than Seagull.

I use RO on land.

I think the OP's idea is reasonable. He should also look at the Seagull filters, which are a more typical solution for a boat.

[lordgeoff]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

A charcoal filter improves the taste and gets rid of chlorine, but doesn't get rid of microbes.

The Seagull filter (which is what I use) deals with practically all microbes, including viruses, bacteria and cysts:

https://generalecology.com/info/techmemocert


It is not reverse osmosis so does not waste water like RO does.


An RO filter is even better at filtration, doing that down to the molecular level AFAIU, but wastes water. It's also cheaper than Seagull.

I use RO on land.

I think the OP's idea is reasonable. He should also look at the Seagull filters, which are a more typical solution for a boat.

Preseason when my water maker is pickled we usually use marina water. I test if it looks smells or tastes suspect and if it is particularly bad we buy bottled water. 500ppm-750ppm to me is fine. Once cruising starts we make our drinking water and use it for tea coffee etc We keep the Desal water separate in 25lr containers and decanter into 5 Lt containers as necessary. As I said before...IF you are concerned then a simple charcoal filter will work. Remember the dock/Marina is most likely chlorinated to meet health standards. We don't bother. Most times in our travels marina or dock water is fine. Read the Seagull link. What sort of filter is used?

[Angler105]

Ok. I have over searched the internet and probably more confused than before I started. I am looking for a ro system primarily for home brewing. Of course it will be used in the home as well.

I looked at APEC, Spectrapure, Express Water, US Water Systems, Hahn Filtration from Costco which has a remineralzation feature which I don't believe I want for brewing?

I live in town with municipal water, which I soften, not sure of incoming pressure (I will be calling the Water Dept tomorrow for this info). I would rather not use a pump if I can't do without it. Prices range from $150-300.