More RO/DI questions

[Colin]

You might try e-mailing aqua safe and see what they say.

It looks like water is somehow bypassing the membrane, or there is too much restriction and it's being forced thourgh.

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

I am checking with the place I got my membrane from to see what they say.

 

[ellisz]

Well, the place I ordered from wants me to send it back to them so they can test it. This is fine but I will be without for a week I estimate. With the holiday, it will be next week before I get it back ...unless I overnight it. Might be cheaper to just buy another. I wish I would have known I could have kept my old one in water and I would have used it. It has been setting on the table

Looks like I will definitely need a check valve since I ruined this one. I think I an going to get another flow restrictor too. BFS is an hour away so I might just order from them.

 

[Colin]

BFS is a great company. Get their adjustable flow restrictor.

How long has the old membrane been sitting out? It might still be OK if it hasn't been too long.

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

it has been a week or 2. If I use it, will it just have horrible TDS or could it damage anything?

I had planned on getting my misc. parts from BFS as their prices are good. I did get my membrane $10 cheaper than what they have it though. I might try out the chlorine guzzler too.

 

[Colin]

It won't damage anything, it would just not work very well if it's dried out. It won't hurt to try it.

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

Colin: How did you set your adj flow regulator? I got all my parts today. I ordered the flush kit with adj flow valve, new check valve to fix my ASO, a pressure gauge and a new membrane housing. System looks good but not sure it is performing right.

I tapped the pressure gauge to the incoming water feed and it only registered 30 psi. My water pressure is pretty good I thought. My last house had at least half that. Are you supposed to get 45 psi before the filters? I have a booster pump but I have not used it at this house as my pressure seemed sufficient.

 

[Colin]

I got a couple of measuring cups and measured the waste and the product at the same time. I tweaked the adjustable restrictor until I got 3 or 4 waste to 1 product.

30 psi is bad. How are you hooked up on the incoming water?

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

I adjusted the restrictor to a 4:1 ratio. I got 70 ml RO water to 250 ml of waste water in 20 seconds.

Pressure was at 50 psi at this setting. TDS is 50 out of the RO. I tested some RO/DI water I made last week and it was 0. I might throw in my old membrane and see what it does I guess.

 

[Colin]

What is the pressure at the input water line, with the unit shut off? That's the important one. Check it after the prefilters too, it should be close.

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

With the unit off it is at 65 psi.

 

[Colin]

65 is fine. I have absolutely no clue now. What's your incoming TDS? 50 out seems way too high.

All 0 means with RO/DI is that your DI works.

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

I was really questioning the TDS meter even though I calibrated it. I was able to get the TDS down to 38 but to me that is not good enough. I will have to send back the membrane to have it tested.

Incoming tds is around 250. I never got around to swapping in the old membrane. Do you notice the pressure changing with an adjustment to the flow restrictor?

Very frustrating to say the least.

Thanks

 

[Colin]

Normally, you only test pressure on the incoming side before the unit, and then again after the prefilters, while the unit is NOT running. These two readings should be very close.

You should be getting about 5 TDS on a 75G/day membrane.

--Colin

 

[ellisz]

You think it is possible to throw my old membrane and get a better TDS? It appears as that has happened. My inline TDS was reading 20 with the new membrane and now reads 0 with the old membrane. Unfortunately I left my handheld TDS meter on last night with the cap off. It looks as if it is out of whack now and needs re-calibrated. It says my tap water is 0 ...

I am going to send the new membrane back tomorrow and hopefully get a new one back next week.