Installation #
Start by placing the RO System per the instructions listed in the previous section.
System Connections #
fig. 3.4. – 1 – RO System Connections
System Installation #
Carbon Filter Assembly (OPTIONAL CHLORINE REMOVAL)
Install ball valve on municipal feed line (1.5 inch line size)
Install a 110 Volt 60 HZ AC Outlet (for Clack Carbon Filter head power supply)
Install feed line to the Clack valve with 1.25 inch lines (Pre-assembled on main unit)
Build 10 Cubic Foot Carbon filter system
Use 24 inch diameter by 65 inches tall tank
Verify proper installation of hub and lateral in tank (verify height of standpipe is compatible with Clack head)
Add small chamfer on distributor standpipe to prevent cutting O-ring seal (internal port on bottom of Clack valve assembly)
Fill tank to approximately 24 inch depth with municipal water to protect the hub and lateral from damage as the stone and media is added to the tank
Use duct tape to cover the opening of the standpipe prior to adding the stone or media. It is critical that stone or media does not get poured into the standpipe during this step, once media is in tank remove tape from standpipe.
Slowly add 50 pounds of stone media to bottom of tank (cover hub and lateral)
Add 10 cubic foot of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) using supplied funnel.
Install o-ring flange seal and stand pipe seal using small amount of silicone grease. (DO NOT INSTALL SEAL DRY).
Install Clack Head.
IMPORTANT: 24 inch tank requires a 25 GPM back flush rate so a 25 GPM flow restrictor should be installed in the Clack head flush line to drain.
This should be supplied in top fitting which goes to drain. Please verify the flow washer is present and installed in the fitting with the flow entering the radius side of the washer.
Verify water line connections and flow directions based on the markings molded into the Clack water connections.
IMPORTANT: For initial install only, or when new media has been replaced, it is critical to wet the carbon by slowly filling the tank in back flush mode.
To do this, set head to flush (hold down “REGEN” button until regen cycle begins). Once the unit begins flush cycle, unplug the Clack head to allow as much time as needed to “burb tank” and wet carbon media.
Then slowly crack open the ball valve which feeds the tank and fill it with water.
This process may take several minutes and should not be rushed in order to avoid flushing dry carbon media into drain. Once this step is completed plug the Clack head back in and set to normal operating mode.
IMPORTANT: With RO System feed line disconnected from sediment filter, open the feed line and engage service flow for 20 minutes followed by a 10 minute regen and 2 minute rapid rinse cycle to remove any dust or loose fines from the media before hooking in to the RO system.
Repeat this step 3 times to allow remaining carbon fines to purge from system and flow to drain.
Note: Failure to properly flush the carbon tank prior to connecting to the RO system may shorten the effective lifespan of the sediment filter.
Complete installation by programming Clack head time of day and verify it is set for a 10 minute regen followed by a 2 minute rapid rinse cycle to drain to run every two days.
Make sure the unit is flowing 25 GPM during the regen cycle. The regen should be programmed to occur every two days at a time when the RO unit and wash is not running.
Bed expansion during regen should be 30-40%. Water temperature impacts water density (colder water has higher density) and the expansion rate needs to be inspected monthly to avoid under or over expansion of the media bed.
Colder water will increase the expansion of the media while warmer water reduces it. Expansion of less than 30% reduces the carbon reclassification (fluffing or turning) and results in poor chlorine removal.
Over-expansion of bed may lead to loss of carbon media during regen cycle by flushing the carbon to the drain. Bed expansion should be checked by marking tank before and during regen and calculating expansion rate. The level can be seen by using a bright light on the back side of the tank to illuminate the carbon level and see the lifting between normal and back wash operations.
Programming Carbon Filter Head
The carbon filter is pre-programmed to the filter mode and should only require setting the clock and verifying the flush frequency, regen time, and rinse time.
How to Set Time of Day
Press Clock. Time of day flashes. Use up or down arrows to display correct hour and AM or PM. Press Next. Use up or down arrows to display correct minutes. Press Next again.
To get to User Level
Press Next & Up Arrow for 3 seconds to enter User Level. The User Level allows operator to set Days Override for Backflush of Filter and Regen Time of Day
To get to Service Level
Press Next & Down Arrow for 3 seconds to enter Service Level. The Service Level allows operator to select Filter or Softener program, set regen time, and rinse time.
Gallon Capacity should be OFF, Set Regen should be DELAYED, Relay 1 – OFF, Relay 2 – Off and Service Alarm – OFF
To get to Configuration Level
Starting from the User Level above, press and hold the Next & Down Arrows for 3 seconds to enter service Level and then hold Next and Down Button again for 3 seconds to enter Configuration Level.
Once in the configuration level, the operator has the ability to adjust the configuration of the system.
To move to the next parameter, press the Next Button and to go back to previous step hit the Regen button.
IMPORTANT: it is important to set regen to 2 days. It is recommended regen of the filter occurs at 2 am to avoid car wash operation.
The normal regen time is 10 minutes followed by a 2 minute rinse cycle. In addition, it is important to verify the media bed expansion of 30-40%.
The regen cycle at high flow is a critical maintenance step to allow the media to “re-classify” in tank and prevent the media from clumping. Regeneration will maximize the life and performance of the carbon filter. If power is lost for any reason for over 8 hours or the battery fails in the clack head, the time must be reset.
Additional specifics for troubleshooting and maintenance of the clack head are included in the clack manual.
Sediment Filter #
The sediment filter is integrated into the RO System skid and uses a 5 micron filter. This filter has been selected to provide low pressure drop and long service life.
Filter replacement should be performed based on pressure drop across the filter. The Filter should be replaced when the pressure drop across the filter reaches 15 psi or the inlet pressure to the RO Pump falls below 15 psi (at the RO pump suction pressure gauge when RO Pump is operating).
The filter should last for 6-12 months based on water quality and usage. However, it is important to check pressure drop on a monthly frequency while unit is producing RO to verify condition of the filter.
CAUTION: The filter element is designed for a maximum design pressure drop of 30 psi prior to collapse of the element.
It is recommended that the filter be replaced when the differential pressure reaches a maximum of 15 psi differential pressure.
Failure to replace the filter may collapse the filter element, causing debris to contaminate the entire ro system (pumps, membranes, valves, etc.) and would necessitate extensive disassembly and cleaning of all components.
Sediment Filter Removal / Replacement Procedure (OPTIONAL) #
Maintenance should be performed when the car wash is closed and no cars are in the tunnel.
Turn RO External Switch to OFF position, and then switch RO power OFF in the Main Tunnel Electrical Panel. In addition, turn off the 24 V signal coming from the Wash Controller.
Close the ball valve from municipal line to the carbon filter. Verify that RO pump feed pressure is 0 psi (gauge reading).
Press down on the Red Vent located on the sediment filter cover to bleed any pressure out of the system and verify 0 psi pressure in filter housing.
Loosen pipe clamp on Municipal Feed line to allow draining the filter of contamination and ensure filter housing does not have pressure.
WARNING #
Do not attempt to remove the filter cover if the pressure in the housing is not zero. If the cap is removed while the unit is pressurized, the cap could cause serious injury or death.
Carefully remove snap-ring from cover of filter housing. Remove filter element using tabs at top of filter.
Apply silicone grease to the two O-rings at the bottom of the new filter element. Replace with the new element.
Re-install snap-ring. Ensure snap-ring is fully seated. Re-attach union and pipe clamp to the feed line.
Switch power on from the Main Electrical panel and then switch on Master RO switch.
Turn on the 24 Volt signal (on-off) from the tunnel request for RO water.
Bleed air out of the filter housing by holding vent open (push red cap downward) while operating RO system in Purge mode (this will open Solenoid A but not turn on the RO Pump).
Once all air is purged from system, return unit to Auto mode. Go to maintenance screen and hit reset for the sediment filter history file.
The maintenance screen allows operator to track hours of use for the filter and maintain a maintenance history for the unit.
RO Membrane Installation #
The membranes utilize an integrated locking jumper tube (Dupont iLEC) system which allows removal and replacement without removal of the membrane housing, hoses, or bottom caps.
However, if the ceiling height does not permit the membrane to be removed while the housing is on the RO unit, the IPS split clamps will need to be removed to remove the feed hoses and membrane housings. Codeline and Dupont have excellent on-line videos which show the proper way to remove and replace membranes.
This procedure lists all the steps to remove and replace the membranes.
Note: If there is room to remove the membranes from the top of the unit skip steps 3-6 during removal and step 11 of the RO membrane installation.
Turn off the feed water from the supply line. Turn off power on controller and verify the feed pressure is 0 psi.
Remove plumbing from the top of the membrane caps to allow removal of the caps.
Remove the split clamps from the side ports of the membrane housings.
Remove the band that holds the membrane on the stand.
Remove membrane housings and lay on cardboard or soft material to avoid damage to the housings.
Remove top and bottom caps, look over to ensure they are not cracked or damaged. Replace if cap assembly if damage is seen.
Install new O-ring seals on cap (large diameter ring) and smaller O-rings on membrane adapters. Apply a thin coat of silicone grease to the rubber seals, the brine seal (on membrane) and membrane housing chamfers / seal bore to avoid rolling or cutting during installation.
Insert membrane (re-use i-LEC adapters on new membranes) into housing from top opening (feed side).
The feed water flow runs from the top to the bottom of the membrane housings.
The membrane brine seal (black seal at one end of the membrane) must be located at the feed port end (top port) to ensure proper flow of feed water through the membrane.
Carefully install bottom caps and top caps (engage the adapter seal by hand and once aligned tap the cap on using a rubber mallet and block of wood).
Re-install spiral snap-ring.
CAUTION #
Be sure that snap-ring expands into groove and is fully seated. Failure to properly seat the snap-ring could allow the cap to disconnect when pressure increases in housing and may cause equipment damage or serious personal injury.
Reconnect unions, split clamps (if required) and membrane bands to complete installation.
New membranes are installed dry. It will take a few hours of operation for the manufacturing chemicals to flush off the surfaces of the membranes and the RO TDS to drop below 20.
During start-up or after membrane replacement it is suggested that the RO line be disconnected from the RO tank and the initial RO production be dumped to drain until the TDS level comes down to normal operating levels (20 TDS or lower).
Electrical Installation #
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WARNING #
TO BE PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN
NOTE: Each electrical box has a serial number located inside the controller on the lower left side of the housing (fig. 4.6 – 1-2).
This location is shown in the picture below and should be used when requesting support on the RO system as this number links to both the controller software and hardware.
Main Control Fuse Block (FB1) – Bussmann LP-CC-15 fuses are used for the 480 VAC primary
MOTOR Protection Circuit Breaker (M1, M2) – Individually sized for each motor. These provide short circuit protection to the motor as well as thermal overload protection.
DC Power Supply (PS1) – Converts 480 VAC to 110V AC and 24 VDC for carbon filter head (option), TDS sensor, control circuit components.
PLC Controller – Executes a program that controls the sequence and times of the operation through I/O (inputs and outputs).
HMI (HMI) – Human Machine Interface – Executes a graphical interface program that communicates with the PLC to let the operator know the state of the equipment.
Black terminals (L1, L2, L3) – Electrical connection point for the 480 VAC 3 phase main power.
Control Relay (CR1) – Land the 24V request for RO water signal from the tunnel to this component.
RO Tank Level Sensor Installation (Optional if Using Remote Tanks) #
The 0-5 psi Span pressure transducer should be installed in the RO tank using a 1/4 NPTF bulkhead fitting. It should be located slightly above the bulkhead fitting for the re-pressurization pump feed line and at least 12 inches to the side to avoid pressure fluctuations created by flow into the re-pressurization feed line.
The transducer generates a 4-20 ma signal based on the static water pressure head (from 0-138 inches of water above the centerline of sensor).
The signal provides the input to the PLC to set the “Tank Full”, “RO Pump Turn-On”, and “Tank Empty” levels in the tank.
This sensor was selected to support a standard 400 gallon tank solution but is also capable of any size tank up to 138″ tank full to tank empty height. Contact your installer if your application uses a tank that is over the 138 inch height limit of the sensor for a recommendation of an alternative sensor.
The RO Pump Turn-On signal initiates the RO Production cycle, which opens Solenoid A, Solenoid C and starts the RO pump.
The 100% Full Tank Signal stops the RO production and initiates the RO flush cycle using Permeate from the RO storage tank. Solenoids A and C will close, Solenoid B will open and RO pump will be turned on a FLUSH cycle. FLUSH pump speed and FLUSH cycle time is adjustable based on the HMI Settings.
The Tank Empty level establishes the level which indicates the tank is empty.
In normal operation, the unit is sized to keep up with demand from the tunnel. However, if the demand exceeds the supply and the tank empties while in the Auto mode, the unit will continue to produce RO
A Jobe float valve located near the bottom of the tank prevents the tank from emptying. It will maintain the tank level at a few inches of depth to protect the re-pressurization pump from running without water.
The RO pump will continue to generate RO water to re-fill the tank. Once the tank level returns above the empty level the float valve closes and the unit continues to operate in the Auto mode. The operator should watch RO flow, tank level and water quality (TDS of RO water) to verify unit is working properly.
If the RO tank level is consistently running below 20%, it indicates a need to review RO production rate vs usage and may require changes to the delivery system in the tunnel to match flow to available RO.
In addition, if the TDS increases or RO flow drops during operation over time it indicates an issue with the membranes. Typically, higher TDS from the membranes indicates a problem of allowing free chlorine in the membrane feed water which damages the membranes.
If the RO flow rate reduces over time it is indicative of membrane fouling. The unit has been designed to increase pump speed and pressure to attempt to supply the requested flow of RO based on the tank level vs flow settings.
If the RO flow fails to meet the demand, the tank will add municipal water to maintain a minimum level in the tank.
This addition of municipal water to the RO water will reduce the water quality. Membranes should be replaced once the TDS exceeds 20 ppm.
The TDS sensor is set to signal a warning at that TDS level and operator should review unit and determine required maintenance action.
TDS readings should be reviewed when the RO system has been running for a few minutes as permeate TDS will increase overnight as dissolved solids migrate across the membrane.
Electrical Wiring of the RO Level Transducer #
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WARNING #
TO BE PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN
The pressure sensor uses a 24vac signal from the RO System Controller and attaches to the terminals shown in the wiring schematic.
The sensor has been selected for long life and high reliability. Make sure to tighten the wiring connector screw (in top of the connector) to ensure the connector seal is adequately compressed to avoid moisture entering the sealed connector.
RO System Controller #
The brain of the RO unit is the PLC controller. This controller uses a number of inputs (switches, sensors, signals, etc.) to direct the RO system and supply RO water to the car wash tunnel as commanded by the car wash controller.
This unit has been designed to utilize the highly reliable Allen Bradley (A-B) Programmable Logic Controller. In addition, the electrical switch gear (relays, motor starter, transformers and circuit breakers) are all commercial equipment manufactured by A-B.
This system is designed to provide many years of service life. In addition, the A-B hardware and software systems will be supported for many years in the future to avoid equipment obsolescence.
The unit includes maintenance screens and a setting screen which are accessible from the touchscreen located on the cover of the system controller.
The PLC program (software) can be updated in the field (if needed) by installation of a new “memory module” that can be shipped to customer.
Loading the new program is accomplished by turning power off on external switch, installing the memory module and turning power back on. Verify that download occurred by checking the Version level on the HMI screen.