BRS RODI float switch

KJAhp098 · Feb 4, 2023

Can the BRS RODI unit be used with a high/low float switch?

My current setup fills a 40g brute can, which is also used as a reservoir for my ATO. The problem that I have is that since there's only one float switch, so the RODI turns on once the water in the brute can goes down about an inch, then turns off when the can is full. This also means that my booster pump doesn't turn on when the RODI turns on. My pressure without the booster is about 45psi, and about 85psi with the booster.

Should the booster automatically turn on every time the RODI turns on? I've spoken with BRS regarding this numerous times and they've just sent me replacement parts that seem to not solve the problem.

Greybeard · Feb 4, 2023

The booster pump is only coming on when pressure drops sufficiently to engage the pressure switch. With a single float switch, you end up riding the reset point, cycling the system on and off, never really running the system for more than a few minutes, and never letting pressure drop far enough to engage the booster pump.

I, too, use BRS's booster pump, and while I love the pump, I'm not so happy with the pressure switch they use. Seems to need a lot of adjustment.

There are many ways to fix the problem. The simplest one would be a timer. Only let the pressure switch enable for a certain amount of time, say an hour a day. Water level falls, but it's outside your time window, so it continues to fall until that time comes around, turns the water on, and refills the system to the float switch. You'd have to play with the amount of time, depends on your water use.

The second would be to rig a low and high switch. Water turns on when both low and high level switches are tripped, turns off only when high level switch is tripped. In this case, I'd also have an overfill switch, or have the water coming in via a mechanical float valve... something to catch a failure of the high level switch.

KJAhp098 · Feb 4, 2023

Greybeard said:
The booster pump is only coming on when pressure drops sufficiently to engage the pressure switch. With a single float switch, you end up riding the reset point, cycling the system on and off, never really running the system for more than a few minutes, and never letting pressure drop far enough to engage the booster pump.

I, too, use BRS's booster pump, and while I love the pump, I'm not so happy with the pressure switch they use. Seems to need a lot of adjustment.

There are many ways to fix the problem. The simplest one would be a timer. Only let the pressure switch enable for a certain amount of time, say an hour a day. Water level falls, but it's outside your time window, so it continues to fall until that time comes around, turns the water on, and refills the system to the float switch. You'd have to play with the amount of time, depends on your water use.

The second would be to rig a low and high switch. Water turns on when both low and high level switches are tripped, turns off only when high level switch is tripped. In this case, I'd also have an overfill switch, or have the water coming in via a mechanical float valve... something to catch a failure of the high level switch.

Thanks, @Greybeard. I'm surprised this isn't an issue for more BRS users. Like you, I keep having to fine-tune the allen screw on the pressure switch. I used to use a spectrapure UHE RODI and it had the hi/low switches. I'll try to rig that together for the BRS unit.