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CA Traveler
The Western States
Senior Member
Joined: 01/03/2004
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The advantage of RO is cleaner better tasting water. The disadvantage is 3-4 gallons of waste water for every gallon of clean water. When boondocking the pump also has to run more.
Returning the unfiltered RO waste drinking water to the tank adds to the tanks contaminates which increases as the tank empties. So increased filter replacement. Most of the tank water however is used for other purposes like washing hands etc and doesn't go through the drinking water RO system.
So pros and cons to cleaner water. But maybe there are no cons - I have a RO system at home because I don't like the water taste... But there is the initial cost and filter replacement and my tank (bladder) failed once and the second tank is starting to fail.
Just my 2 cents...
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TechWriter
On The Road
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Joined: 12/22/2002
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philh wrote:TechWriter wrote: Plus, you can plumb an RO system so that the waste water goes back into your water tank so there's no waste.
no issues with the "dirty" water going back into the tank?
Not really. RO systems have multiple stages: typically 2 or 3 filters (sediment, carbon block, etc), then the RO membrane itself, and finally post filters like "water polishing" or adding minerals.
The waste water or brine comes from the RO membrane so the water has already passed through filtration that most RVers use anyway.
If anything, the RO brine is hard water, not "dirty". TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) levels in ppm are usually used to measure RO system water quality. For example, one of my measurements was . . .
- "Fresh" (incoming) water: 242 ppm
- RO treated water: 34 ppm
- RO Brine: 202 ppm
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TechWriter
On The Road
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Joined: 12/22/2002
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CA Traveler wrote:
Returning the unfiltered RO waste drinking water to the tank adds to the tanks contaminates which increases as the tank empties. So increased filter replacement.
Depends where you put your RO pre-filters. Mine filtered water before, not after, the water hits the holding tank. So no strain on the filters.
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DancinCampers
Louisiana
Senior Member
Joined: 11/05/2004
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I run off my tanks exclusivly. A 10 Micron sediment filter, then a 5 micron sediment filter, then a 5 micron carbon filter, then a 100 gallon/day RO membrane.
In New Orleans I have 300 + PPM TDS in, 12 PPM out.
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