r/o di help

You should not get 1 PPM coming out of that thing. I would let it make more water ... allow it to run quite a bit more and then test your output.

If you can, it might be a good idea to disconnect the input to the DI resin so that the higher TDS doesn't go though the DI until the initial bugs are worked out. In other words let the unit run its course and when its initial break in is done … then reconnect the DI.
 
I'm not positive, but I think I recall 10 gal as the startup period :)

I realize that you've already hit the 10 gal mark, but I'd just let it run another 10 and see where that gets you.

I would let it run for a while and then test the water in the reservoir or the water AS is it STILL coming out of the hose.

When you shut down an RO unit and then turn it back on ... the TDS will be quite a bit higher for the first 1/2 gal or so that comes out. This is to be expected unless the unit is flushed ever time it is shut down. This is why I suggest testing the water that was produced 'in quantity out of the reservoir' or as the water is still coming out of the unit (can be directed into a clean cup).

Just don't turn the unit back on and immediately check that water.

If I were in your shoes, I would probably check what the TDS is of the RO water … I wouldn’t worry about what the DI water is, at least not just yet. If you are still getting a high TDS reading out of your RO even after it has been running for lets say 2 hrs … you will be thankful that this high TDS water wasn’t wasting your DI resin if you know what I mean. Most high quality membranes can make extremely low ppm water if not 0 ppm.
 
I don't think that there is such thing as a crappy RO unit and if there is ... it would have to be REAL crappy.

I believe what makes a good unit is quality prefilters, most importantly a quality membrane and good DI resin.

I would bookmark www.thefilterguys.biz They have excellent products and great service. I recently purchased 2 whole sets of replacement elements from them and saved a considerable amount of money as well. If you shop around you'll find that most places are overpriced and 'under quality'.

I can't say for sure, but in general the majority of eBay sellers sell junk membranes and filter elements to save a tiny amount of money and make just a little bit more on the sale. Likely if they use quality filters they would boast that in their description. For instance Dow Filmtech membrane etc...

It is also a good idea to know what your water pressure is. Honestly I don’t know what my water pressure is right now in my home. I do know that I had lousy water pressure in a home I rented in the past so I had to install a booster pump to feed the unit. Once I did that I noticed a huge boost in performance, efficiency and quality.
 
i noticed on my unit theres a flow retrictor valve on the drain should this be parralle or turned on the 90* angle(its on the 90* angle now)

i just retested with the DI detached and got a reading od 15ppm
the website of the r/o states "Water Purity Reference: (1.)Tap or well water(300 PPM), (2.)After RO system(about 20 PPM)"

does this mean when i hook the DI back up it will bring it back to 0

i think my water pressure is 50 psi i think
 
I noticed that when I checked out the link. I'm not sure, but it may be an "adjustable flow restrictor". Honestly I am not that educated when it comes to the technical side of most of the parts. I would leave it wide open. If you read through any instructions that came with the unit ... it may discribe the purpose of the valve.
 
i just retested with the DI detached and got a reading od 15ppm
the website of the r/o states "Water Purity Reference: (1.)Tap or well water(300 PPM), (2.)After RO system(about 20 PPM)"

does this mean when i hook the DI back up it will bring it back to 0

i think my water pressure is 50 psi i think


in the instructions it says wen the valve is closed the water is forced through the membrane..........when it is open the water is allowed to pass over the membrane and wash it
 
Ok ... evidently your flow restrictor with the valve has something to do with a 'flush'. This is a good thing, but I never had a flush kit on my unit. I'm not too familiar with exactly how they are operated.

I wish someone more knowledgable would chime in here.

20 ppm sounds kind of high to me.
 
It should. I'd just hate to see a higher TDS reading prematurely extinguish the DI needlessly.

Is your flow restrictor wide open? I believe that the more it is closed ... it would create more back pressure on the membrane to cause it to product a higher TDS output from the membrane.

I don't recall what TDS my RO unit makes. I temporarilly disconnected it from making RO water ... It's only making RO/DI water at the moment.
 
My first guess would be to double and triple check the instructions as to how the unit should be plumbed. Also check for a diagram/instruction pertaing to the normal operating position for the valve (and everything else).

I’m not familiar with that particular unit or this type of flow restrictor. My restrictor just sits inline and is sized appropriately for the type of membrane used. I don’t have a flush on mine and evidently yours does. I imagine you would have more valve than mine does.
 
What is the TDS of your tap water? If you had a starting TDS of 600 or so, 15 out of the RO membrane is not bad (about 98%). The DI should bring it down to 0. The problem is with the horizontal DI filter. They don't work as good as the veritcal type. Has something to do with channeling effect through the horizontal cannister.
 
Unfortunately you purchased a very low quality RO/DI unit. There are numerous posts concerning the quality of this one here on RC. It has a membrane of questionable origin and quality, I think it isactually a Chinese knockoff that is not even NSF certified for drinking water in the US. Unless your tap water is less than 250 TDS you will probably never see a TDS of 0 with the filters and DI system it uses.
For reference my tap water TDS is 835 and I geta RO only TDS of 7 and a RO/DI of much less than an indicated 0 (18.2 megaohms resistance to be exact) with my Spectrapure MaxCap unit. With RO/DI you really do get what you pay for and going cheap is not the answer, it will bite you every time.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8864418#post8864418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
Unfortunately you purchased a very low quality RO/DI unit. There are numerous posts concerning the quality of this one here on RC. It has a membrane of questionable origin and quality, I think it isactually a Chinese knockoff that is not even NSF certified for drinking water in the US. Unless your tap water is less than 250 TDS you will probably never see a TDS of 0 with the filters and DI system it uses.
For reference my tap water TDS is 835 and I geta RO only TDS of 7 and a RO/DI of much less than an indicated 0 (18.2 megaohms resistance to be exact) with my Spectrapure MaxCap unit. With RO/DI you really do get what you pay for and going cheap is not the answer, it will bite you every time.
Click to expand...

Would you say that for $103.49 he picked up the hardware for somewhat a decent price? Couldn't he purchase some decent prefilters, carbon filters membrane and DI to solve the problems?

Maybe he turn this lemon into some lemonade?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8864527#post8864527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RandyStacyE
Would you say that for $103.49 he picked up the hardware for somewhat a decent price? Couldn't he purchase some decent prefilters, carbon filters membrane and DI to solve the problems?

Maybe he turn this lemon into some lemonade?
Click to expand...

Yeah he can. But I wouldn't do it again. It cost way more money to add full size DI canisters, a decent membrane, and other quality components. Also I'm still fighting the occasional failing part like ASO valves and check valves. Filterguys sell very high quality units for pretty cheap. I ordered all my parts to revamp my Water General and I wish I would have just purchased a new unit at that point. I'll probably buy a new unit when I need to change the filters again. If you look at spectrapure for example too, and price all of their replacement filters, pressure gauges, and tds meters, you are much better off just buying their new maxcap before the price goes up after the new year.
This has been my experinece anyways,
FB
 
Experience shows it costs more to try and upgrade a unit that to buy the right one the first time. Even if he did not want to upgrade to the level of a MaxCap it will still need a better prefilter, 1 micron on less carbon blocks, new canister and cartridge with 24 oz of nuclear grade or semiconductor grade DI resin, a pressure gauge, new higher quality john guest fittings, better housings, etc. You get what you pay for.
That unit is missing key information like the membrane manufacturer and its true rejection rating. Not one US manufacturer makes a 125 GPD RO membrane. I still say based on the sellers reluctance answer inquiries and to name names it is a cheap knockoff rated at 90% or less. The membrane is the workhorse of the system so if you start with poor quality that is all you will ever see for water quality and DI life.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Dogs442
NEED HELP WITH RO/DI SYSTEM
2
Replies
34
Views
4K
griss
griss
Lion-o
Nitrate issues in 300g fowlr tank
Replies
17
Views
3K
Lion-o
Lion-o
M
My Journey Through Dull Montipora Coral
Replies
17
Views
7K
Mrtakeoff53
M
baconfingers
FS: 29G Biocube w/ Clowns, Sixline, Shrimp, Full Setup incl. stand RO/DI refugium etc
Replies
4
Views
911
Da Saltwater DJ
Da Saltwater DJ
T
RO/DI and ATO long run automation help
Replies
9
Views
1K
Windy2
W
Back
Top