# lowest cost RO tubing?



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

what is it? I need 1/2" to 3/4" ID tubing.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Heat fused polypropylene maybe?
I've never used the stuff for RO water.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Try calling Culligan. They have equipment in Wally World.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

We just use the standard Polly tubing for RO systems, I don't know of anything cheaper then that.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Mississippiplum said:


> We just use the standard Polly tubing for RO systems, I don't know of anything cheaper then that.
> 
> sent from the jobsite porta-potty


I have a supplier of John Guest but have never needed anything over 3/8". I cannot remember their name. Who do you use?


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Gettinit said:


> I have a supplier of John Guest but have never needed anything over 3/8". I cannot remember their name. Who do you use?


We use a pump supply house here, and we normally get the guest tubing or i believe it's watts also.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

How bout pex pipe with plastic fittings , you can't get cheaper or readily available RO piping.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

justme said:


> How bout pex pipe with plastic fittings , you can't get cheaper or readily available RO piping.


Pex has additives that can leach into RO water. I normally wouldn't be to concerned about it but I'm putting in a large RO system that runs long distance in a research facilty. The water must remain pure and cannot fluctuate in quality even if the water sits in the pipe over the weekend.

So my options are harvel LXT and polypropylene. I don't like the lxt because it's expensive and the joints tend to blow out.

I have about 200' of pipe to run with lots of turns so I'm wondering about polyethylene with minimal antioxidants and plasticizers added to it.

Polypropylene would be very reliable but I suspect it's expensive and I know it's labor intensive to heat fuse all of those 90s.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Protech said:


> Pex has additives that can leach into RO water. I normally wouldn't be to concerned about it but I'm putting in a large RO system that runs long distance in a research facilty. The water must remain pure and cannot fluctuate in quality even if the water sits in the pipe over the weekend.
> 
> So my options are harvel LXT and polypropylene. I don't like the lxt because it's expensive and the joints tend to blow out.
> 
> ...



Post some info on this leaching from the pex piping ,because I believe this is from the early 2000's.It had something to do with a certain brand and type of pex, not pex in general.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

justme said:


> Post some info on this leaching from the pex piping ,because I believe this is from the early 2000's.It had something to do with a certain brand and type of pex, not pex in general.


I don't need to post anything. I've installed RO systems before using pex and you can smell and taste the plasticizers and antioxidants in the water. I've used zurn, everpex and bow in those situations. For normal household use I wouldn't worry about it. The RO system in my house is ran in pex. But this is a research facility and the water must be held in very tight tolerances.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Protech said:


> I don't need to post anything. I've installed RO systems before using pex and you can smell and taste the plasticizers and antioxidants in the water. I've used zurn, everpex and bow in those situations. For normal household use I wouldn't worry about it. The RO system in my house is ran in pex. But this is a research facility and the water must be held in very tight tolerances.


 I wasn't trying to start a pissing contest just looking for some info on this leaching you mentioned . I was just wondering if the Engineers at Culligan and Sterilox were aware of this Leaching effect , since it is PEX A that is spec'd out to be ran in all their systems . :yes:


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Since you asked for a reference: http://144.206.159.178/ft/1092/86893/1471663.pdf


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Protech said:


> Since you asked for a reference: http://144.206.159.178/ft/1092/86893/1471663.pdf



Thanks Protech thats all I was wanting was a link to the data.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Protech said:


> I don't need to post anything. I've installed RO systems before using pex and you can smell and taste the plasticizers and antioxidants in the water. I've used zurn, everpex and bow in those situations. For normal household use I wouldn't worry about it. The RO system in my house is ran in pex. But this is a research facility and the water must be held in very tight tolerances.


Then stainless might be the way to go.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

justme said:


> Then stainless might be the way to go.


$$$$$$$$$$$$

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

justme said:


> Then stainless might be the way to go.


Yeah, several hundred feet of stainless is going to put the project over budget big time.

I'm going to throw the idea of running uponor at them and see what they think. Uponor has some of the lowest levels of additives as far as pex goes. I consider that a bad thing normally as our water has lots of chlorine but in this case it's a plus.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

https://www.uponorpro.com/~/media/E...ss of PEX Letter FINAL 021511.aspx?sc_lang=en


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

More happy feel good stuff from uponor:

https://www.uponorpro.com/~/media/E...tilled DI and RO Water 063011.aspx?sc_lang=en

https://www.uponorpro.com/~/media/E...ot in Uponor PEX Letter_FINAL.aspx?sc_lang=en

https://www.uponorpro.com/~/media/E.../MTBE_TBA Letter FINAL 021511.aspx?sc_lang=en

https://www.uponorpro.com/~/media/E... EP Products_BPA_FINAL 090908.aspx?sc_lang=en


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Protech said:


> Yeah, several hundred feet of stainless is going to put the project over budget big time.
> 
> I'm going to throw the idea of running uponor at them and see what they think. Uponor has some of the lowest levels of additives as far as pex goes. I consider that a bad thing normally as our water has lots of chlorine but in this case it's a plus.


Here's a site if you are needing pricing info for stainless steel compression fittings and 3/8 or 1/2" tubing . 
http://www.swagelok.com/products/fittings.aspx


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Grainger has a 100' roll of 3/4 od for $50

Lowes has spools of 1/2 od for 27¢ per foot and theirs is Watts.

Not sure if this helps...


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Gettinit said:


> Grainger has a 100' roll of 3/4 od for $50
> 
> Lowes has spools of 1/2 od for 27¢ per foot and theirs is Watts.
> 
> Not sure if this helps...


What materials are you referring to?


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

Protech said:


> What materials are you referring to?


I am sorry, just realized you were needing id tubing. That was pricing for tubing you don't need.


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## plumbing ninja (Jan 15, 2012)

My replies late but fyi we use Stainless Swagelok OD tube on RO systems here in NZ. It's expensive but you could use Victauic SS pressfit and Sch 5S pipe which would give you your I.D sizes....


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

plumbing ninja said:


> My replies late but fyi we use Stainless Swagelok OD tube on RO systems here in NZ. It's expensive but you could use Victauic SS pressfit and Sch 5S pipe which would give you your I.D sizes....


I went with uponor and plastic fittings.


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