RO/DI Water Pressure Dropping

eho72 · 07/01/2010, 11:05 AM

What could cause my RO/DI unit water pressure to drop from a norm of 80 down to 25. It's now producing water at only a fourth of what it used to produce. So a lot of the water goes to the waste line. I have not changed my filters in 5 months, but how can the pressure drop from 80 to 25 within a week. There's no leak anywhere and nothing has changed lately.

wilsonreefs · 07/01/2010, 01:52 PM

When was the last time you flushed your membrane? I'd try that first. Also, check around the house to see if the washing machine is going, the dishwasher, someone taking a shower, even a lawn sprinkler system running will diminish the water pressure.

Carl

eho72 · 07/01/2010, 02:03 PM

I flush the valve once a week for 5-10 minutes. There's nothing else running that could impact the pressure. The 25 psi rate is constant everytime I check. Really strange.

PurdueWaterGuy · 07/01/2010, 02:57 PM

Any chance they flushed the water mains? Or maybe had a fire nearby? In either case it would pull a large slug of water thru the mains and stir up the mud. Plugs of pre-filters fast.....

Tim

@ home, 90 gallon tank, dry, waiting for the remodelling to be over
@ work, 19,000 gallon per day RO

eho72 · 07/01/2010, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurdueWaterGuy

Any chance they flushed the water mains? Or maybe had a fire nearby? In either case it would pull a large slug of water thru the mains and stir up the mud. Plugs of pre-filters fast.....

Tim

@ home, 90 gallon tank, dry, waiting for the remodelling to be over
@ work, 19,000 gallon per day RO

That's entirely possible. I live right by the fire department. We get brush fire here and there during the summer months. I am going to change out my filters and see if that does the trick.

Btw Tim, I grew up in Crawfordsville 30 minutes away from Lafayette.

eho72 · 07/02/2010, 11:32 PM

I just changed all 3 stages of the RO filters. Pressure is till bad at only 25-30 psi. What ever happened to the 70-80 psi I was getting the first 5 months of installing the RODI unit?

Dave VG · 07/03/2010, 07:10 AM

Where exactly is the pressure gage? Before the pre filters or before the membrane? I have one at both spots. Water pressure is regulated by the incoming water from the street or well whichever one you have. If you changed the pre filters and the pressure is still bad you may need to use a booster pump to get the pressure up enough for the RO membrane to work efficiently.

PurdueWaterGuy · 07/03/2010, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eho72

That's entirely possible. I live right by the fire department. We get brush fire here and there during the summer months. I am going to change out my filters and see if that does the trick.

Btw Tim, I grew up in Crawfordsville 30 minutes away from Lafayette.

Wife & I were in San Diego for a long weekend last fall, son-in-law is career Navy and was stationed there.

Small universe, isn't it?

07/01/2010, 11:05 AM	#1
eho72 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 322	RO/DI Water Pressure Dropping What could cause my RO/DI unit water pressure to drop from a norm of 80 down to 25. It's now producing water at only a fourth of what it used to produce. So a lot of the water goes to the waste line. I have not changed my filters in 5 months, but how can the pressure drop from 80 to 25 within a week. There's no leak anywhere and nothing has changed lately.

07/03/2010, 07:10 AM	#7
Dave VG Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northeast, Pa Posts: 3,129	Where exactly is the pressure gage? Before the pre filters or before the membrane? I have one at both spots. Water pressure is regulated by the incoming water from the street or well whichever one you have. If you changed the pre filters and the pressure is still bad you may need to use a booster pump to get the pressure up enough for the RO membrane to work efficiently. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 40B Display, 40B sump/fuge

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07/01/2010, 01:52 PM	#2
wilsonreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jonesboro, Ar Posts: 284	When was the last time you flushed your membrane? I'd try that first. Also, check around the house to see if the washing machine is going, the dishwasher, someone taking a shower, even a lawn sprinkler system running will diminish the water pressure. Carl

07/01/2010, 02:03 PM	#3
eho72 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 322	I flush the valve once a week for 5-10 minutes. There's nothing else running that could impact the pressure. The 25 psi rate is constant everytime I check. Really strange.

07/01/2010, 02:57 PM	#4
PurdueWaterGuy Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lafayette, IN Posts: 196	Any chance they flushed the water mains? Or maybe had a fire nearby? In either case it would pull a large slug of water thru the mains and stir up the mud. Plugs of pre-filters fast..... Tim @ home, 90 gallon tank, dry, waiting for the remodelling to be over @ work, 19,000 gallon per day RO

07/02/2010, 11:32 PM	#6
eho72 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 322	I just changed all 3 stages of the RO filters. Pressure is till bad at only 25-30 psi. What ever happened to the 70-80 psi I was getting the first 5 months of installing the RODI unit?