BATTLE REVERSE OSMOSIS BACKFLOW!
When we run the garbage disposal – water sometimes shoots up the RO waste water tube. Now, we have an air gap, so this nasty water basically shoots out of it onto the sink. Which is better than into the RO system, but still not ideal.
Step one: ONE WAY VALVE!
Ordered a 1 way valve for the waste water line. This line goes from the RO system, down into the shared line with the Garbage Disposal / Sink / Dishwasher. Currently it relies on gravity to work… the RO is higher up, so waste water flows downwards. And in order for the disposal/sink to backup to the RO would require a really really bad plugged sink. The failure here is that when the Garbage Disposal goes off, it EXPLOSIVELY forces water down the drain. This force overcomes gravity, pushing water up high enough to exit the RO Air Gap.
Solution? A one way valve. This will allow the waste water to exit the RO system into the shared drain, but not allow drain water to push back up.
Step 2: REMOVE ONE WAY VALVE!
Sadly, The waste water doesn’t apply enough pressure on one end of the valve. So while the one way valve prevents the bad water from flowing UP towards the RO system, the RO waste water doesn’t have enough pressure to push past the 1 way valve. So it just backs up out the Airgap, and onto the sink.
At first I Thought this was a marginal improvement ( at least the wastewater from the RO isn’t bacteria filled garbage ) . But because of how subtle the leak is, using the RO water at night can mean a gallon of water spread out over the sink in the morning. So pulled that shit all out, and back to square one.
SCORE!
Time Spent: 30 minutes, mostly cleaning out under sink, and staring at the air gap, waiting for water to come out of it. -5
Cost: $10. -0
Lessons Learned: None whatsoever
Score: -5