REverse osmosis question...... why so cheap on auction site

[saltyESQ]

I see on auction site that you can buy 100% american made 5 stage filter for 100 plus 25 for shipping. it does not have a nosel for drinking use or a tank.

what is the difference btwn this and others that cost 3x more?

(I only plan on using the RO unit just for my 210g tank and not for drinking)

 

[ScotchMaster]

Get one from filters direct on ebay....They are around $120 and work just as good as the ridiculous expensive ones...

 

[818]

Yea dude! If its for the FOWLR I know a ton of people that bought the BUY IT NOW for 99.99+15shipping unit, and have been running it for a while. One friend just recently switched the carbon cartrdige wich you can find from the same seller.

Sam

 

[NicoleC]

Reasons?

Poor quality prefilters
Poor quality membranes
Poor quality construction or inappropriate part selection
Does not include parts and accessories needs for install (add $25 at Home Depot)
Does not include support or warranty
Does not include TDS meter ($35)

You don't need to spend a fortune on an RO unit, but a dirt cheap, unknown unit on eBay is asking for trouble. If it's a reputable company clearing out inventory in eBay, go for it.

Both Buckeye Field Supply and Filter Direct have a good reputation and good prices.

 

[lastin1]

Just stick with one of the popular ones, filtersdirect and aqua-safe. If you ask this question in the equipment forum, there will be several guys that will tell you you're an idiot if you buy any of the ebay ones.

 

[Yinger]

purely h2o is having a sale right now as well. Its' 139 for a really good one.

 

[818]

Nicole they do come with TDS meters. And all components/acc. for installation. You just need to look for an auction were the sellers\ agrees he will throw those in

Only thing is most sellers say 7 days warranty so If it busts on the 8th day your screwed.

You just need to read wich buyer you buy it from. Ill get his name we got 4 from him and it came with everything. Mine isnt installed yet. Ive had it in the box for a while. My cousins and 2 other friends havent had any problems with their water.

Lastin many of the people in the equipment forum will tell you they havent had any problems with theirs they got from ebay. I made a similar post about 6 months ago. So I went that route

Sam

 

[lastin1]

I know.. I own two aqua-safe units. Both work perfectly fine. I'm just saying that if you ask the same question on the equipment forum, there will be a few guys that will downright call you names if you don't agree with them.

 

[Unresistible Blue]

Best recommendation I cn give to you is to do some research up front and try to understand what it is you're buying. Buying a systems and reconfiguring it will be more expensive and more of a headache than getting a quality unit right out of the gate.

 

[JenDub]

The filter direct units are excellent! I have used the same membrane for 2.5 years and it still gives 20ppm water from 450+ppm tapwater!

The main difference between the filter direct unit & my aquaFX unit that cost 4X more is cosmetic stuff like clear canisters for the di & carbon blocks and john guest speedfittings on all of the connections (this alone is like $50+ or fittings, FD usues the cheaper jaco fittings). The silly thing is that my aqua fx can only get the water down to 30ppm and that membrane is newer than my old filter direct!

Also my filter direct came with a water storage tank, faucet & all connection fittings, while the aquafx was an extra $50 for a drinking water kit (taps line before di-not $50 worth or parts!) and it still doesn't have the tank or faucet.

Honestly, I think it's silly & a waste of money to get one of the $300 units. Try the filter direct units for $125 & you'll never look back =)

 

[golfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7700785#post7700785 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NicoleC
Reasons?

Poor quality prefilters
Poor quality membranes
Poor quality construction or inappropriate part selection
Does not include parts and accessories needs for install (add $25 at Home Depot)
Does not include support or warranty
Does not include TDS meter ($35)

You don't need to spend a fortune on an RO unit, but a dirt cheap, unknown unit on eBay is asking for trouble. If it's a reputable company clearing out inventory in eBay, go for it.

That pretty much wraps it up...I guess if you took one of the cheaper units and replaced the membrane and carts it would be ok but then the price would be right back up there. I'm a big Spectrapure fan, I feel their membranes are second to none.

 

[RobbyG]

AWI / PurelyH2o / Kent = BMW / Benz / Porsch

EBay Ro = Yugo

All of them will get you there, it's just a matter of how fast and how many times you gotta stop at the Mechanic.

 

[saltyESQ]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7709938#post7709938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RobbyG
AWI / PurelyH2o / Kent = BMW / Benz / Porsch

EBay Ro = Yugo

All of them will get you there, it's just a matter of how fast and how many times you gotta stop at the Mechanic.

hmmm.......my bmw was just lemoned and is being bought back by bmw

 

[RobbyG]

Always possible, but if it was a Yugo you would be out in the cold alone

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7710172#post7710172 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyESQ
hmmm.......my bmw was just lemoned and is being bought back by bmw

 

[purelyh2o]

lol

lol

The BMW dealer will replace fix or buy back the defective car.
as RobbyG stated the Yugo dealer would pretty much send you to the cheap mechanic down the road and if your lucky you might get a half off car wash coupon. Just try to look down the road and be sure that the place you buy from actually has your back.. Thats all that really matters beyond the 0, ya know