As a future project, I am contemplating building a RO/Di controller using an Apex Jr.
Currently, I have a 10 gallon ATO built-in to my DT cabinet. My RO/Di unit is in the garage about 50-ft away. They two are connected via 50-ft of 3/8" tubing. Each Sunday morning, I go manually turn on my RO/DI master valve, flush valve and RO waste (TDS Creep). After 10 seconds I close the flush valve and when my TDS out of the RO hits 7 ppm, I close the RO waste...takes about 2-3 minutes. I then go back to my cabinet and open the fill valve. The ATO has a 1/4" float valve to prevent overfilling. In about 2 hours, this is done, I flush the RO again and then shut everything down and then open a waste valve to drain the line in the attic. I then do this again the next Sunday.
The plan: I have a 2 conductor wire that runs from the RO/DI to the tank. I would install a relay at the tank EB8 #8 outlet to close the 2 conductor wire. At the RO/DI, I would install an Apex Jr, PM1 w/BoB and three 1-Link Modules. On the Bob via PM1, I would have two (2) call for water switches, 1 from the DT and the other from the salt water mixing station (future). Either of these would then trigger a sequence of events:
- Solenoid A: Open Master Solenoid for duration of call, max 2 hours + 3 minutes
- Solenoid B: Open Flush Valve for 20 seconds initially and then every 60 minutes and at final
- Solenoid C: Open RO TDS Creep Waste Line for 3 minutes
- Solenoid D: Open ATO Fill line for duration of call, max 2 hours
- Solenoid E: Open ATO Waste Valve
If possible, i would love to wire in a TDS switch into the Bob, to automate Solenoid C based on a TDS target instead of a timed event, but I have not gotten that far into this yet. If I can figure this out, then I can also wire in TDS alarm switches for when DI #1 is exhausted or when the RO fails to achieve 95% reduction.
I would also have Solenoid F & G for the future line into the salt mixing station (fill and waste). This will be a 65 gallon tank so the run duration would be longer.
The future salt mixing station will also be its own Apex Jr setup as it is another 60-ft away from the garage away from the tank. This station will also receive a weekly call for saltwater from the tank (another 10 gallon reservoir I manually fill now) and will use the PMUP. It will feature an Apex Jr, PM2 w/Bob, Temp & Conductivity and a 1-Link Module. Once the tank is empty, I would have it call for RO/DI, begin the fill sequence and, set a latch so it no longer responds to calls for salt water and notifies me via alarm that a new batch of salt water is required. Hardware would include a mixing pump and a transfer & waste pump (Pmup). I don't need temp control as temperatures here are relatively moderate and water from this tank would not be used immediately; it will sit in a reservoir in my cabinet prior to use. I currently auto change 2 liters of water daily.
On a side note, the reason for the two waste valves is I am using 3/8" tubing in my attic to transfer water and I do not want the lines to hold water when it is not needed. I also run these tubes is a 1/2" tubing as a sleeve to prevent condensation in the attic from drawing rodents to the lines.
Any thoughts? This project will be next year, so plenty of time to plan and revise.
--Edit--
The DT call for RO/DI water and Salt Water will be restricted by DoW statements for Sundays only. This way if a dosing pump is stuck on, it will be limited in supply to 10 gallons a week. This has been more than adequate so far. Both Reservoirs will have low and high float switches for alarms and also have 1/4" float valves in case the high floats fail to shut off the fill sequence..
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