Whole house filters, Texas, USA. Yeah it's hella diy but it isn't leaking!
Very nice. Did one as well
I recently DIY'd an install as well, the only thing that stands out to me is the length of the bypass.
Reading posts and researching, it was impressed on me that the bypass should be as short as possible in order to avoid stagnant water. I suppose you can just open the bypass regularly to flush it through but I have no basis on which to recommend how often.
Also, I put a Tee to a GHT before and after the system so I can attach pressure gauges and more quantitatively see drops in pressure, and so I can release pressure/drain as much as I can before changing filters.
I don't have any photos uploaded anywhere but if I have time I'll update with a photo and annotate what I mean.
Congrats on the install and restoring water to your house; I had a decent level of anxiety that something would go wrong and we wouldn't have water until it was resolved.
I'd like to see it if possible, that's on my to-do list.
Sure I've got some photos of the install as I finished it.
I cleaned up the copper/joints/wires/etc and plan was to take photos tomorrow if I remembered, but if they'll help feel free to gaze upon my mess. Edit to add: I also got some unistrut and secured the pipes in a few locations and before/after the valve actuator to avoid stress during use.
OP - first photo is how I would structure the bypass to illustrate what I tried to say in my initial post.
This means less fittings, pipes and work. I came up with exactly the same idea. The easiest way is to first draw a drawing and then implement it
What filter system is that?
Kind E-3000 (5micron Sediment > 5micron Carbon > TAC Hard Water Conditioning). Link: https://kindwater.com/product/water-filter-salt-free-softener
I waited like 8 months to find a good "sale." The website always has 15% or 17% off. Currently, they're at 20% off which is the most I've seen in almost 1year of tracking.
So I got ours at the 17% off + code FRESH5 should get another 5% off, then use a 2% cash back credit card to minimize costs. I don't have any affiliation with them but the system seems to be doing it's job.
Thank you for the reply
Yup, this
I read somewhere that pressure gauges before and after the system will barely show much of a difference or a drop. Is that accurate?
I came across an engineer who stated the same. They mentioned it would have to be a differential gauge to have a real reading and supplyhouse has differential gauges so that's certainly a possibility.
At that point I had more or less designed what I wanted to build, and may have already soldered together some portion of it. I decided not to change it since the valve/GHT before and after my filter assembly is primary for draining the system prior to filter changes.
I went ahead and bought 3x 8$ pressure gauges and put them on the assembly with no filters in the canisters, basically to ensure both were experiencing identical pressure. I compared the three I purchased and picked the two that gave the most similar pressure reading (one was an entire 1-2psi lower) and returned the one that was reading differently. At this point they're both reading ~60.5PSI which is expected as the filters aren't even a few weeks old.
Ultimately, people seem to determine their filters need to be changed because they experience lower pressure from their fixtures (sinks, showers). I imagine the pressure drop would be fairly drastic if it's perceived so easily; not sure why it wouldn't show on the gauges. Truth is I won't know for a while, but for 16$ I like to have the data points.
p.s. if I somehow think of it when filter change time comes, I will post an update or send you a message.. if this post survives long enough that I can dig through and find it.
That would be interesting. thanks!
The pipes are supported entirely by the weak plastic threads of the filter housings. As water flow turns on and off it’ll make those pipes move and exert forces on those threads. Secure those pipes. Easy solution is to secure them to that 2x4 in the middle.
Even better is to also add a similar block on the left and secure them there too.
The rest of this - don’t consider as a criticism but merely a difference of opinion. I’d have done this differently.
I’d have installed the bypass valve vertically, where you have your first elbow to the left. I’d have used a tee, with the bypass straight up along the ‘original’ flow path. Then another tee as the ‘return’ from the filter. I’d have located the first tee to feed straight into the first filter instead of needed two more 90’s. I’d stack the filter housings vertically (with enough space to remove) so that the second filter would then be in line with the ‘return’ tee.
Total flow path is then completely straight when in bypass and has only four 90 direction changes with the filters. Not six. And a shorter ‘unsecured’ U of piping between the filters to secure. Bonus if you can swap the straight fittings on the filters for 90’s and then eliminate two fittings and four crimps.
Final criticism. I find these cinch rings to be the least reliable way to crimp PEX. The stainless can rust and fail. Yes. Stainless can rust. As well, because they are glorified single use hose clamps they don’t always apply even pressure all the way around. The copper crimp rings do, as does expansion (PEX A). Don’t get me wrong. They’re good. They’re fine. You are unlikely to have a problem. But I have seen zero copper rings or expansion fittings fail. I have seen a small number of cinch rings fail, and usually because they rusted. If you see any discoloration, take action.
Don't the filters have internal bypass to change the cartridges?
Isolation for filtration and bypass done don't think anything will go wrong and if it does at least you can isolate /fix
When it's time to change a filter, Is there a way to expel water from the isolated loop before opening the casings?
Just a question. I have an older home with a single filter. When I change the filter element, I just shut the ball valve on both sides and relieve the pressure with the button on the filter. Why would I need a bypass?
The bypass is there so you can switch to it while you're working on that loop/the system in general. Similar to having rooms/fixtures in your house behind separate ball valves, it's convenient and avoids downtime for the rest of the house.
I've seen houses without supply valves under sinks and behind toilets, they require turning the whole house supply off to work on them. As I repipe our house, I'm putting a small manifold in each bathroom that is fed by the original trunks, so I can turn off water to that bathroom only, or any fixture in it via the manifold.
If you're swapping filters and you've got it down to a few minutes, that downtime with no water in the house is probably insignificant to any other occupants. If you need to make repairs or swap things out, that downtime will get longer and longer; I personally don't work well with people complaining there's no water or asking when it will be back on when I'm in the middle of things, so it's nice to throw the system into bypass and then work on whatever needs to be done.
So you have water to the rest of the house when changing the filters or if a filter housing cracks.
Looked great till I saw the shark bite and the plastic t fitting
I installed a similar filtration system utilizing Watts clear housings... nice to be able to see at a glance when a filter change is due. I sweated 3/4 copper and installed two Winters pressure gauges... one before the pressure reducer, and one after. The only other thing that I added was a 3M AquaPure scale reducer. We have hard water and two bathroom remodels revealed 50% blockage in brass fixtures.
Not a criticism, just a question - if it were me I'd lose 2 90 degree bends out of the "through the filter" path.
Couldn't you go from the supply up to the filter feed, Tee before the filter valve for the bypass? That's have two less 90 degree bends for your water and would probably help with pressure and noise?
That's how I look at my pex set ups. I believe people are trying to imitate hard plumbing unnecessarily. Of course to each his own. The least fittings the better for me.
I had something very similar to that. I ended up redoing and going to 1" pex. Keep an eye on water pressure you may also want to go bigger. Looks good
Looks great
Looks good. My recent similar project linked below.
Son that’s something to be proud of
Too straight for my liking. I like curvy things.
I'd have used drop-ear valves. Twisting those ball valves when they're not supported twists the PEX as well; and those valves stiffen up over time, especially in a scenario where you only turn them once a year or so, and it gets harder to get them 100% closed. You can really put some torque on the lines if the valve is free to move like those in-line versions. And they're easier to turn when they're screwed down.
I like what you did with the bump out on the wood panel. I guess the benefit of pex is it doesn't have to look nice to function. However to make it look nice you have to be creative and going the extra mile to do that shows quality work
Looks good. I would have put a check valve on the bypass
Interesting suggestion, I've not seen a check valve in a filtration/softening loop having researched the subject for quite some time before installing my own.
Do you mind expanding on the reasoning? I understand what a check valve does, but what are you trying to avoid by putting it in and where are you placing it (just after Tee to bypass, just after bypass valve, etc)?
Apologies if it's common practice, I just haven't come across it.
No need to apologize
It's to prevent water from flowing backwards or cycling especially if by mistake the bypass loop valve is kept open for some reason. I would just put it after the valve on the loop.
I don't know if it's a common practice TBH but it's something I have seen in manufacturers' instructions on similar operations.
Ah ok so the purpose is to prevent filtered/conditioned water from mistakenly cycling back to the intake side and being filtered again.
That makes sense, also makes sense it would be on the bypass right before the Tee where the bypass and filter loop come back together.
I guess I'm used to a check valve as it would be installed prior to exterior applications (hose bibb, sillcock, irrigation lines, etc) to prevent potentially contaminated water from returning into the potable supply. Similarly I'm using one to put in place a dedicated recirculation line once my bathrooms are repiped.
Appreciate the reply and explanation.
My pleasure...we always learn something new and I respect people that ask.
Not busting your chops, it looks good. I would have done it more like this https://imgur.com/A59wG1k only using 2 90's, 2 tee's and less tubing.
Looks good, but I never secure plastic pipe with metal clamps.
👍
Could have saved a 90 if the tee on the right was turned 90 degrees
Did you own the pro press can you link what you bought to get this done
Where is the backflow preventer
Not a plumber, but this looks like solid work to me. I’d let you do my house. What is the reason behind the valve and pipe in the center of the picture?
You did good
Not sure if it's okay to crimp on the label on the tube. Wouldn't it add additional thickness? Or wouldn't it cause movement between the ring and tube? I would either peel off the label or simply trash the small section.
hi my name is shahin bepary i am plumber i work in dubai uae i need a job i have 3 years experience
It looks great. A couple of things. I'd like to see a full port valve instead of the stop after the filters. And I would have liked to see a drain port. Just to make it easier to change the filters. But this is DIY done well.