The Kent-type shutoffs are not switches. They are floats like you'd find in a toilet bowl and when they float up the stem that the float is connected to pinches the hose that feeds the water into your holding tank. So I don't think you could do it any other way... I guess you could run the hose going to your RO unit through this float and then back to your RO unit. The issue I still don't feel comfortable with is that a simple float is crimping a line to stop the flow. To me it's like turning off your garden hose by bending the hose somewhere along the line and putting a rubber band around the bend.
My solution is much more costly but works well. You run the water line through a solenoid valve and then on to the RO unit. The solenoid valve is plugged into a timer and one electrical line has a float switch spliced into it. The float switch is placed in your holding tank. The timer determines when the solenoid turns on & off, the float switch overrides the timer. In a power failure this solenoid turns off (something that won't happen with the Kent-type shutoff) so if you're running water to your tanks as a drip system you won't freezed the tanks in a power failure. And the only place where pressure builds up when the unit is off is at the solenoid connection and at the water line. It's worked for me for over two years so far. Mind you, I haven't heard of problems with the other type of shutoff valve and they're much cheaper.
Dave
p.s. yes, Simply is down. That is an opportunity for the other forums, not a disaster.
