Tips to run RODI line through wall and attic?

[Salamander]

I'm tired of running my RODI in my spare bathroom and lugging jugs of water to my ato.

I have no clue how people run their lines up through the wall, across the attic and down through another wall to a reservoir near their tank.

Anyone have any tips?

I was also wondering if the line freezing in the attic is something to worry about. I could cover it with some insulation but a leak in the attic would suck.

[billdogg]

does it cold enough in flagstaff to freeze??? if it is a concern, then i would think that a layer if insulation would be fine. as far as a leak - if you use one long piece of tubing, and be careful to avoid spots it might rub on - it won't ever leak up there - just at the fittings, if at all

[Salamander]

Its a lot warmer in Ohio than Flagstaff. Not all AZ is in the insane desert heat. We're at 7,000'. We get temps well below zero and often into the - teens not even counting wind chill. We had our first nights in the low 30's three weeks ago. We average 113 inches of snow too. I can drive 20 minutes to the ski slopes.

I plan on using one piece of tubing if I can find a long enough piece.

I just don't know how to get it up through the wall and back down the other side.

[speedo2wet]

I have one fitting up in my attic which I watch carefully and even under the toughest pressure I have never had any fitting leak if the tubing is pressedin all the way and I am using the fitting you just have to push the tubing in to and I think they are called jasco.

[psteeleb]

I ran mine through the attic about 50', add a few feet for drops etc, so I think there is about 65' of tubing. So far, no issues, and I did run it in the insulation (blown in) just in case.

[Salamander]

So how did you get it up through the wall and back down again?

[Macimage]

You might want to watch out for mice. I ran my RO waste water tubing through the house out to the garden and we must have had a mouse get in the house. It ate through the line (for a drink I guess!) and we had a leak all over the house.

I replumbed it back into the waste water line under the sink next to the RO/DI unit. When we run it in our new house, it will be run through pvc.

Just something to consider.

Joyce

[rgrobe]

I work in the trades and have done this type of thing often. Although it is not necessarilly difficult it does require some special equipment (stud finder, drywall saw, electricians fish tape or fiberglass rods, flexible spade bits, a drill of course, etc) and good knowledge of residential construction. It can be dangerous if you fail to locate an electrical circuit hidden in a wall and unknowingly drill or cut through it. If you have this knowledge and equipment it should be no problem. If you don't I would suggest finding someone who does and is willing to help. Find an electrician that will run the tubing through the wall for you. You can connect everything yourself once it has been pulled into place. I ran about 60 feet from my garage to my aquarium. I used the black flexible pvc tubing sold for drip irrigation. It works well with the John Guest type quick fittings. Making one continuous run is always preferable if possible. If you do need fittings along the way make sure they are easily accessible. I found that using the plastic single gang electrical boxes in the wall where the tubing enters and exits makes for a clean professional looking installation. Good luck with your installation. It is well worth it.

[Salamander]

Great.

Something new to worry about. But I've never seen any sign of a mouse in the attic.

I'm still looking for advice on how to run the line up through a wall.

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13478029#post13478029 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Salamander
So how did you get it up through the wall and back down again?

a couple small 3/8" holes drilled in the ceiling drywall. they will be easy to patch if I ever remove it. I think there are some pictures on my build log

[Salamander]

Cool. I knew someone would have experience doing this.

rgrobe: Can you explain how its done? I'd like to it myself if possible.

[n2585722]

If you are worried about leaks run the tubing through some PVC conduit then add the foam insulation to the out side of the conduit. This would require you to drill bigger holes to drop it down into the walls. You can probably buy the tubing from one of the vendors that sells RO/DI units. It is sold by the foot and is inexpensive. Be carefull drilling or cutting into the walls.

[Macimage]

Something new to worry about. But I've never seen any sign of a mouse in the attic.

Neither had we! I think when they build new homes near us, it disturbs their habitat.

Another local reefer, had a rat wedge itself in his ATO in the attic and it ended up flooding his tank with fresh water, which of course, crashed his tank. Now that is probably a one in a million and very unusual!!

Joyce

[rgrobe]

First,
Watch for any possible electrical or plumbing that may be in the wall. Are you close to outlets, does the wall backup to the kitchen or bathroom? Map out your route. Use the stud finder on the wall to locate two studs in the area you want the tubing to run. The studs are most likely 16" on center. Now run the stud finder up and down between your studs to locate any fire blocks. Now cut an opening that will fit the single gang box at the point where the tubing will pass through the wall. If you can place it above the fire block it will save you some work. Determine if there is insulation. If not it is easier. You will need access to the upper plate of the wall directly over the opening. This is where it gets difficult if you are working on the first floor of a two story house. Assuming you can see the top plate drill a hole large enough for the tubing. Don't make it too tight. Now use the fish tape or fiberglass rods and fish down through the wall until the other end can be pulled through your opening. Using electrical tape attach the tubing to the fish tape or rods. Now you can simply pull the tape or rods back while feeding the tubing through the wall. It helps to have some assistance her. If you have a fireblock you may have to cut an additional hole for access and to drill a pass through hole. In that case you can also use a gang box and finish it off with a blank cover plate. Otherwise you will have to patch the drywal. Use this process on both walls. If you are not working in the attic or a crawlspace and must run the tubing directly through the ceiling the process is similar but much tougher. You will have a few additional hole and will have to determine how the tubing will turn. There are too many possibilities depending on construct and it would be difficult to explain with out details. Hope this is of some help. Others may be able to chime in with their tips.

[crvz]

Obviously there are some good tips here, but one thing I did that I've not seen mentioned is that I ran the RO/DI line through some half inch PVC. From the attic, I dropped the PVC through a hole I drilled in the header, and then the PVC was pretty easy to find in the wall. Feeding the RO/DI line through it was a piece of cake. I did this for a bit of redundancy... I didnt want critters chewing up my line, and this way if it leaked I'd know it on the floor, and not on the ceiling (you have to feed the RO/DI line as you go, obviously). It made the project a little easier, but I did get my buddy who installs home theaters and alarms to help. ;)

edit: I shouldnt walk away from the computer so long... looks like someone did just mention PVC.

[Salamander]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13478745#post13478745 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
Obviously there are some good tips here,

That's why RC is so great. Thanks to all for the advice!

rgrobe: Thanks for the instructions. It doesn't sound too easy, and likely more difficult than I expect. I may give it a try or maybe hire someone who can do it.


Anyone know how much it could cost to hire out? Its a single story home with low short but accessible attic.

[UmpaLumpa]

I use to install security cameras and have had my fair share of running wire though the walls. I always used whats called fish tape. Its a thick wire that you can run though the wall and tape your hose to it. They use to be around $20-$60 at Lowes depending how long it was. I won't lie, its a pain in the *** and its a lot easier with two people. Before you make your whole in the wall run the fish tape down from the attic to make sure you can get there. I know that sounds crazy but some people feel the need to put in horizontal studs, yea they suck ***. I only ran into one. And unless you have a special drill bit the only thing you can do is patch up the hole you just made in the wall and find a spot where there isn't one. Some walls are built open up at the top and some have 2x4s. So you may have to drill a hole in a 2x4 to even get in the wall. Drill the hole as large as you can, its very hard to move the end of the wire around 7 feet below you to a particular spot on the wall with only a 1/4 in hole at the top to work with.

You will need....need, need, need, needle nose pliers for the person down at the bottom trying to catch the wire. they will need a flash light too. A trick I use to use was to take a screw driver and push it all the way to the other side of the wall, don't damage the other side. The wire would hit the screw driver and stop, you gotta yell at the person moving the wire to have him stop moving it. But if you can stop that wire and still see it you can grab it with the needle nose pliers and pull it though.

Also give yourself a lead on the wire before you tape up the hose to it, I always gave myself at least 5 or 6 feet then I would tape the water line to the fish tape wire. Its a lot easier to move the wire around without the extra bulk and weight at the end of it. With a hollow tube it may not be a big deal but with the coax cable you might as well have tied a brick to the end when your 20 feet away trying to move it around with the very flexible fish tape. Use electrical tape wraping it around the wire like you would wrap up your hand or wrist when you hurt it and start taping the wire itself 2-3 inches before the hose and create a "ramp" up to the hose. The idea is in case something catches a hold of it you want it to keep sliding past it. You don't want the end of the hose catching on something and ripping off the wire when its down in the wall. Don't be stingy on the electrical tape, either, it wasn't uncommon for me to have tape wrapped around it for a good 6-8 inches. Remember you don't want it coming off mid way down the wall, its not fun starting all over. Trust me.

I highly doubt you will have electrical conduit to run your tubing though but if you do here is a very helpful tip. Get a vacuum cleaner at one end and start sucking on the conduit, on the other side feed string/rope into the conduit until you its all the way though, then tie/tape the string/rope to your hosing and pull though. Its very very easy that way!!!

ETA: Be very careful with fish tape, it is steel wire that will conduct electricity if you touch the wrong thing with it.

Also I forgot to mention if your walls are open up at the top and there are no horizontal studs, its much easier to run the wire from the bottom up. You don't have to fish the wire though a small hole, you just push it though then walk up there and look for the wire sticking out of the wall. This only works with open top walls. If you don't have those your gonna have to go from the top down.

[JCJHET]

ya fish tape works great for pulling things through walls, and I feel your pain when you hit a horizontal brace half way down!!!

another good trick is to use thick string with a heavy fishing weight. The weight keeps the string straight and is easy to find when your working alone.