RO Tubing and fittings

[Bricklayer]

I've been searching the posts here and it seems everybody uses different types of tubing. I am replacing all the tubing on the high pressure side of the RO I bought this spring. All the tubing is Parker parflex PE 1/2" o.d. The guy that had it before added 2 membranes to this unit and redid all the tubing. He obviously didn't care about potable water rated tubing. It's designed for airlines. Nothing in parkers literature about being used for potable water. So I'm replacing it. I was going to go all stainless flex from freshwatersystems.com. But they don't have stainless flex long enough for my feed from the pump to the membrane. I would need to attach 3 together and I'm in Canada and shipping is outrageous. Almost triple the order just for the shipping alone. And every fitting is brass. Not really worried about that but to be safe I will be replacing them too. All tubing to membrane is going to be 1/2" as well as the recirc line back to pump. I'm not sure if it attends but I was thinking of just using 1/2" for everything concentrate and permeate to make it easy. Is this ok or should the permeate lines be smaller diameter. I'm going for as much flow as possible. I'm obviously not going to get high pressure food grade line at Home Depot. But does anybody know what a good popular type of tubing that I can use. I've been in commercial plumbing supply stores and they look at met like I'm from the woods when I tell them it's for potable water and it's got to be rated for at least 300 psi. It's getting very frustrating.

[wiam]

Permeate line should be very low pressure.

[Bricklayer]

Permeate line should be very low pressure.

Yes I do realize that, I'm not to worried about the permeate side of the RO. I was just wondering if size mattered for the tubing because I will probley have to order a roll when I buy the proper tubing for the high pressure side. I'm trying to stay away from copper

[wiam]

Yes I do realize that, I'm not to worried about the permeate side of the RO. I was just wondering if size mattered for the tubing because I will probley have to order a roll when I buy the proper tubing for the high pressure side. I'm trying to stay away from copper

What is wrong with copper? That is for potable use. And will take 300 psi.

[Bricklayer]

Will a soldered joint take 300 psi? Are we talking about flexible soft copper? That's one of the reasons I was going to stay away from copper because of the soldering. Wasn't sure if it could take the pressure. And is there a certain grade of soft copper to use for high pressure? I like the idea of compression fittings because of the ease of removing them if need be but what is copper rated for with compression fittings?

[maple flats]

Yes, if you do a good solder job it will hold 300 PSI, but you may want to find HP food grade flexible hoses and search around, they should be available in Canada and closer to you 0n Ontario.

[Clinkis]

Yes regular copper is fine. My RO plumbing consists of regular 1/2 copper with soldier joints and John Guest plastic quick attach fittings and tubing (which is 1/2" food grade). All will handle 300 psi. The John Guest fittings are extremely easy to work with and make it very simple to remove the membranes or other components if need be. You can get them from Canadian Water Warehouse in Newmarket. They do have a website but you may need to call them as they don't have all sizes and fittings listed.

[Bricklayer]

Yes regular copper is fine. My RO plumbing consists of regular 1/2 copper with soldier joints and John Guest plastic quick attach fittings and tubing (which is 1/2" food grade). All will handle 300 psi. The John Guest fittings are extremely easy to work with and make it very simple to remove the membranes or other components if need be. You can get them from Canadian Water Warehouse in Newmarket. They do have a website but you may need to call them as they don't have all sizes and fittings listed.

Great website. They don't let you access much on the website though. If you search most of the stuff it is there. I will call them tomorrow.
Thanks

[PerryFamily]

I think MES orders braided stainless from Webb to whatever length needed
I could be wrong though.
There's got to be a plumbing supply house up there?

[wiam]

I had a 1984 memtek that was plumbed mostly in copper. High pressure shut down is 500. My current RO is a 1988 Seprotech same set up 1 1/2 copper goes up to 500.

[Bricklayer]

I've been searching today. Acklands grainger has soft copper that's rated for 722 psi for drinking water. I think that will work with compression fittings. I don't yet trust my soldering skills. With the invention of shark bites I've kind of forgot how to solder. Good compression fittings are good for at least 300 psi so that might be the route I go. copper is actually 1/2" ID I think too not OD so a little more flow. The have 304 stainless 1/2" tubing in coils just like the soft copper. I wonder how that is to work with. 1500 psi rating on that stuff. Would look a little nicer. Im sure its a pita to bend. Probley going to go the soft copper route. With compression fittings

[Clinkis]

Great website. They don't let you access much on the website though. If you search most of the stuff it is there. I will call them tomorrow.
Thanks

There good people to deal with and by far the cheapest I've found in Canada for RO supplies. I've dealt with them on a few RO builds and they have always been able to get me what I need and they stand behind what they sell.

[BAP]

Actually, many companies recommend NOT using copper pipe on R/O machines. Check with the manufacturer.

[Wanabe1972]

I have the 1/2 inch white Parker line on my RO and it says NSF 61 on the line. It is good the 225 psi at 70 degrees and works fine on any line after the membrane. My line from the high pressure pump to the membrane is ss braided.

[Bricklayer]

The way I have my membrane and my pump situated I would need a close to 4' section of stainless braided high pressure line. I'm trying to find a place to get one made up. Just gotta find somewhere that does it

[Bricklayer]

I called every plumbing supply store in Ottawa. The two main commercial suppliers talked to me like I was nuts when I told them it had to handle over 200 psi. They told me to google it. didnt think it would be this much hassle. Even Canadian water warehouse didn't have a clue what I was looking for. I think to keep it simple I'm just going to use the John guest 1/2" tubing for everything. It comes in a 250' roll. $109.99. I can use it t run the lines to my tanks and various other uses. It's good to have spare tubing around also.

[Clinkis]

That is what I use from my high pressure pump to feed my membranes. Works fine

[Bricklayer]

When does the concentrate line become low pressure? I'm assuming it's still a high pressure line coming out of the membrane. So would it be after the concentrate needle valve?

[wiam]

When does the concentrate line become low pressure? I'm assuming it's still a high pressure line coming out of the membrane. So would it be after the concentrate needle valve?

Yes. After needle valve.

[Dennis H.]

Just looked into PVC pipe pressure ratings.
1/2" schd 40 pvc has a max of 600psi at 73 degrees. You have to reduce this down to about 372 psi at 100 degrees.
Since sap is normally lower than 73 that should not be a problem and when you are doing a wash or rinse I am normally not running high psi.

So would pvc be ok to plumb an RO? I don't see why not.

[bigtreemaple]

Why don't you try one of the Canadian maple equipment companies that manufacture RO machines and ask if they would make some lines to your needed length?

[wiam]

Just looked into PVC pipe pressure ratings.
1/2" schd 40 pvc has a max of 600psi at 73 degrees. You have to reduce this down to about 372 psi at 100 degrees.
Since sap is normally lower than 73 that should not be a problem and when you are doing a wash or rinse I am normally not running high psi.

So would pvc be ok to plumb an RO? I don't see why not.o

I have been told that osha does not like it for air lines in shops because if it is hit under pressure it breaks into many many sharp projectiles. I would not try it. Probably would be fine. But is it worth the risk?

[Bricklayer]

I tried that route. Would be cheaper to buy a new RO. I actually found a company in Ottawa that makes amazing stainless steel hoses for many uses. All of their makes are high pressure. He laughed at me when I said I want something that can handle up to 400 psi. He said how bout 4,000 psi. The one I ordered is about $128 and its 1/2" ID flex able stainless food grade/ medical grade the whole nine yards. 1/2" fpt on each end 60" long. Great price I thought. They have beautiful stainless fittings also. They are a bit expensive but very high grade. The company is called Swagelok. They are located in a couple locations over Canada. Not sure about the U.S.

[ttowle3]

CDL has some good hose. Rated at 150 F but at 211 F so it worked fine for me running at 230 psi. The guys in Lanark (Steve or Harold) are good or actually BMR is an outlet for CDL so that works pretty good.

[Bricklayer]

Is it better to have a larger size diameter feed to the membrane? I have whole RO plumbed in 1/2" OD tubing. Would it be better to go 3/4" feed from high pressure pump to membrane? My concentrate output is still 1/2" OD as well as permeate output.