Complete Water Solutions recently received a call from a metal coating facility that uses Reverse Osmosis Water for their paint rinse line when their Water Softener Fiberglass Tank Collapsed. Paint rinse lines prep the metal surface before paint or coating is applied. In some applications after painting the product is ran through a final spot free rinse bath.
Collapsed Softener Tank Due To Vacuum – Emergency Service Completed Same Day
This particular system was composed of the following equipment
City Water→Carbon Filter→Water Softener→Reverse Osmosis→Storage Tank→Distribution Pump→Out To Washers
The customer contacted complete water @ 6 AM on a Friday morning, they sent us a picture showing us a collapsed fiberglass tank on a water softener system. This softener was replaced 1 month ago by Complete Water Solutions and had been in operation since.
Fiberglass Media Tanks are limited to the amount of vacuum the tank can experience – Per the manufacture
“The pressure vessel is rated for an internal negative pressure of 5″ Hg (17 Pa) vacuum below atmospheric”
Down-Load Pressure Vessel Lifting, Handling & Installation Instructions (Click Here)
During our inspection we found the culprit, someone had shut off the inlet water supply feeding the system. The Reverse Osmosis system was running at the time and was not equipped with a “Low Inlet Pressure Cut Off”. This caused the RO system to continue to run with the water shutoff, this created a vacuum that caused the tanks to collapse.
If Your Water Softener Fiberglass Tank Collapsed Call CWS
After discussing it over with the customer they indicated that they would install a vacuum breaker per the Pressure Vessel Installation Instructions. We discussed this further and recommended that a low-pressure switch cut off would be the 1st recommended solution as with only a vacuum breaker that the RO Systems would continue to run and that would cause the pumps to cavitate and become nonoperational.
We were able to replace the tank and get the system back up an running 100% operational within 3 Hours of being onsite. Keeping the wash line going.
Do you need a tank replaced or want to evaluate your system to make sure your covered? – Contact Complete Water Solutions
(855) 787-4200 info@complete-water.com
28 Year Of Water Treatment Equipment Experience. I have been blessed with the opportunity to learn from the ground up. Starting in the water treatment field as a service technician. Servicing all major brands of water treatment equipment. Give Us A Call (855) 787-4200 or Email info@complete-water.com