Mixing station outside

[chemaholic]

Has anyone put their mixing station on the outside of their house? My tank is much closer to my back patio than my garage so I was thinking of moving my mixing station to the patio. The temperature should not be much different other than when the sun is shining on the Brute can which I can minimize. I would need to protect it from rain, so I was thinking I could get one of those small Rubbermaid sheds to put everything in.

If I do this, the mixing station and RODI would be about 5 feet from my tank instead of 50 feet. Can anyone think of any draw backs?

 

[lmm1967]

temps will cause you issues - mixed saltwater precipitates differently at extreme temps - I kept my water in the garage - but always brought up to temp before mixing (or chilled in the summer)

 

[chemaholic]

I will have to check the temp in my garage and compare it to inside my shed in the back. My garage has no insultation or climate control. I know less sunlight is hitting it which means it will be cooler in the summer than it is outside. I am just not sure how much. Good info thank you.

 

[Steve Burton]

Mine is in my unheated garage. I use heaters in the rodi and saltwater tanks in the winter, but cold weather drastically reduces production of rodi.

 

[hzheng33]

i would also consider the high chance of particulate such as pollen getting into the mixing station....

 

[simonhill55]

Not the mixing station, but I keep my ro tote outside. Even with a lid it definitely takes in pollen and the occasional leaf. Also froze a couple membranes over the years.

 

[morganatlanta]

I used to have two 250 gallon tanks outside. One for fresh RODI and one for salt. Worked fine. No precipitation issues. I put a small pump in each tank to keep the water circulating to keep mosquitos out in the summer and stop freezing in the winter. Neptune DOS and Masterflex both did fine pulling water the 50 feet or so to the display for water changes.