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Liberty Culligan Water Filter AC-30 plumbing?
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John,
our house accumulator tank is actually about a liter (if that). Not very big at all, and defenitly doesn’t include a pressure gauge. So without installing a pressure gauge past the tank, it’s hard to get a measurement. Because the accumulator tank is small, it really doesnt take much for our pump to kick on once we open a faucet (as in a couple seconds).
As for removing the fridge when something may be wrong with the 18 year old RO system? I would think installing a new RO system that has all the needed components in the water bay would be a better approach honestly. Just would require a smaller tank for the RO system (and since it’s olny feeding the icemaker/fridge water, it doesn’t need to be that large, gallon at most). There in the back of the bay between the water heater and the fresh holding tank. Anything to make repairs more user friendly is a better approach then keeping things the way they are.
Heck sounds like Tom got so feed up with his RO system he went to a Marathon. Tanks is probably sitting behind a panel secured in place with velcro 😉
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Just a guess, but unless your RO system is plugged, replacing it will not accomplish anything. I believe you alread determined it is flowing RO water.
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Yep, it’s flowing water, just at a low rate and the continued cycleing of the pump tells me the accumulator tank is not working/building up proper pressure to feed the system at the desired rate.
After each cycle of the pump, I can hear the water dripping back into the fresh holdig tank.
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What you hear is normal and that is the water flow that on some RO installations is discharged to a drain . As was mentioned previously you are going to flow 4 or 5 gallons for every one gallon of RO water.
The more you describe the more convinced I am you problem will not go away until you resolve the issue with both accumulator tanks.
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I dont think I have a problem with the house accumulator tank. When I shut off the water flow to the RO system, everything works as expected. Pump only runs when I have water demand (turn on faucet). So that tank is working properly.
When I turn on the water flow to the RO system, then the pump cycles till it alarms and I reset. And repeat.
Turn off the flow to the OR system and it goes back to normal.
With the pump off, I can turn on the faucet and get a flow of water due to the built up pressure in the house accumulator tank But since it’s a small tank, not that much water (maybe a liter or so). I wouldn’t expect anymore based on the size of that house accumulator tank though.
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If your pump kicks on as soon as you open a faucet after it has cycled off says to me the house accumulator has little or no pressure behind the bladder. At its age it may need to be replaced because if you re=pressurize it I suspect it will not hold a charge very long. Try it. The system is definitely not working right.
Turn off the pump and run water from the faucet. It should run for a couple of minutes at least.
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My 01 Liberty didn’t have an accumulator tank, check valve for the Headhunter water feed or a cut-off and I added all those items myself. You do have an accumulator tank and have checked the air pressure correct Charles?
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Wouldnt a bad house accumulator cause issues in the house side? The accumulator I have is a shurflo 181-203 which is 24oz. I have great flow at the house and no issues with the pump running, cycling. When I introduce the RO system, it runs/cycles and flow at the refer is low.
Why would I suspect the house accumulator system at this point?
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A whole house accumulator serves multiple purposes.
Its primary role is to stop short cycling which means the pump will not kick on instantly. If you have an accumulator working as designed you have a pneumatic buffer in the form of air pressure behind the bladder. That allows the pump to cycle off at 60 PSI for example, and when faucet is opened it will push water through the system until the pressure drops to the pump cut in of about 40 PSI. (Pressures are just an example. Yours may differ).
If you do not have the accumulator or the bladder has failed or has no pressure behind it the water system becomes hydraulic. Since you cannot compress water like you c an the air in the bladder, and loss of water by opening a faucet, even a drip drops the system pressure to zero and the pump instantly kicks on. As long as there is any flow at all the pump will keep running or constantly cycle on and off.
The larger the accumulator the greater the volume of water flowing before the pump cycles back on.
The second valuable role of the accumulator is it functions as a cushion. If you begin a trip and the pump has cycled off, meaning the system is at its 60 PSI pressure, the system pressure will begin to rise as the engine coolant starts heating the water in the HW tank. The rise is due to expansion of the water as it heats. There is no problem as long as the temperature pressure valve on the HW tank is at the prescribed 75 PSI and it works because the excess volume and pressure will be discharged to the ground. But if the valve fails ro open or it has been replaced with the more common 175 PSI rating your water system is under pressures it was never designed to handle, and worse, the HW tank starts to grow. The ends begin to bulge until the tank is wedged between the bay floor and ceiling.
A lesser valuable purpose is the accumulator provides additional water flow and pressure for Headhunter toilets. With both the pump running and ther accumulator providing flow and pressure the flush cycle on the toilet is better.
A small Shurflo accumulator is too small, but if it works as intended it is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. At the least the coach should have a larger accumulator.
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You be chasing a problem that does not exist. The pump will run to push water thru the RO unit about 1 gallon in 5 makes it to the RO tank. The water does not flow thru quickly. The pump cycling on and off is probably due the the flow wthru the RO unit.
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I think if it were me, I would:
Depleat the house accumulator, check pressure, adjust if necessary, and if so wait a few hours and check again. Just to rule that out, if nothing else.
Then, I would bypass the RO system to fill the RO accumulator (which is inaccessible). Then fill a glass of water at the fridge to observe the pressure and flow rate. Then shut off the valve so that the RO accumulator is isolated from the house system and pour another glass.
If you can rule out both accumulators being bad, then I’d start suspecting the RO assembly. It’s possible that there’s a bad flow restrictor that’s allowing water into the drain too easily.
https://www.espwaterproducts.com/reverse-osmosis-troubleshooting-guide/#running
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I’ll stick my neck out and opine the issue is with one or both accumulators. Don’t fight it Charles. Test them and in a few minutes you will know for sure.
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