Ro membrane and flow restrictor help.

scsuboy18 · 10/28/2009, 08:23 PM

Ok,

So I am learning about these RO systems and how they work and operate. I bought a 100GPD off of ebay--brand? I have not a clue. I figured for the price I can't go wrong and after reading all positives I figured "why not."

I have had it installed for a week now--and next week I'll be purchasing a TDS meter so I can't tell you the readings on that. The product water is coming out at a gallon every 4 minutes. This comes to be about 360 GPD and I KNOW that's not right. I took out the drain to see how much water is coming out of that--hardly anything--it comes out at a nice steady dribble whereas the product water is literally just gushing out.

The flow restrictor says "450 ------> Flow"--which I don't know if that is right or not. My other idea was to swap the product from the drain lines that comes out of the RO Membrane--but then the flow restrictor just shakes and vibrates loudly.

The other thing is a loud high-pitched squeal seems to be coming from the automatic shut off valve. I thought about leaks, but after going over everything a billion times, it's still a loud terrible squeal.

So just from these observations--what are your guys thoughts and comments? Do I keep the lines swapped and get a new flow restrictor? That seems logical to me...

Not so worried about the noise, but it's still annoying as snot.

scsuboy18 · 10/28/2009, 08:59 PM

OMG I feel so stupid right now. It would have helped if I would've checked the ENTIRE box!! The RO Membrane wasn't installed.

So...umm...never mind! Wow I could've saved 3 hours.

Necsones · 10/28/2009, 09:29 PM

I think alot of us has been through situations like that

scsuboy18 · 10/28/2009, 09:37 PM

well I didn't think much of it initially because I had thought they had sent an extra RO membrane. For some reason that stuck in my head. Oh I love assumptions lol. Then I spent literally hours wondering why the water gushed out. Well of course it's going to gush out of the product because it's not going through a membrane. Oh well--I at least got some research and learned a lot about RO systems!

addicted2reefin · 10/28/2009, 10:25 PM

you may have to adjust the flow restrictor tho. i ran my ro recently for about 7 months thinking baah, flow restrictor, screw it. well i noticed my di burned up rather quick, and did a tds test post membrane, pre di and it was a little high. well knowing how ros work, i decided to test the flow. well i was getting too much product and not enough waste. my ro should be 4 waste 1 good. i was getting 2:1. well needless to say i seen a GREAAT decrease in tds pre di. before it was spitting out like 18 post ro and then it was spitting out 5 post ro. you need enough waste water to pass the membrane to flush off the sediment buildup

10/28/2009, 08:23 PM	#1
scsuboy18 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 241	Ro membrane and flow restrictor help. Ok, So I am learning about these RO systems and how they work and operate. I bought a 100GPD off of ebay--brand? I have not a clue. I figured for the price I can't go wrong and after reading all positives I figured "why not." I have had it installed for a week now--and next week I'll be purchasing a TDS meter so I can't tell you the readings on that. The product water is coming out at a gallon every 4 minutes. This comes to be about 360 GPD and I KNOW that's not right. I took out the drain to see how much water is coming out of that--hardly anything--it comes out at a nice steady dribble whereas the product water is literally just gushing out. The flow restrictor says "450 ------> Flow"--which I don't know if that is right or not. My other idea was to swap the product from the drain lines that comes out of the RO Membrane--but then the flow restrictor just shakes and vibrates loudly. The other thing is a loud high-pitched squeal seems to be coming from the automatic shut off valve. I thought about leaks, but after going over everything a billion times, it's still a loud terrible squeal. So just from these observations--what are your guys thoughts and comments? Do I keep the lines swapped and get a new flow restrictor? That seems logical to me... Not so worried about the noise, but it's still annoying as snot. __________________ "If there was hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses…could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated." - George Orwell, 1984 Current Tank Info: N/A - about you get back into hobby

10/28/2009, 08:59 PM	#2
scsuboy18 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 241	OMG I feel so stupid right now. It would have helped if I would've checked the ENTIRE box!! The RO Membrane wasn't installed. So...umm...never mind! Wow I could've saved 3 hours. __________________ "If there was hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses…could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated." - George Orwell, 1984 Current Tank Info: N/A - about you get back into hobby

10/28/2009, 09:37 PM	#4
scsuboy18 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 241	well I didn't think much of it initially because I had thought they had sent an extra RO membrane. For some reason that stuck in my head. Oh I love assumptions lol. Then I spent literally hours wondering why the water gushed out. Well of course it's going to gush out of the product because it's not going through a membrane. Oh well--I at least got some research and learned a lot about RO systems! __________________ "If there was hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses…could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated." - George Orwell, 1984 Current Tank Info: N/A - about you get back into hobby

10/28/2009, 09:29 PM	#3
Necsones Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Yonkers, NY Posts: 122	I think alot of us has been through situations like that

10/28/2009, 10:25 PM	#5
addicted2reefin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: hell, delaware Posts: 628	you may have to adjust the flow restrictor tho. i ran my ro recently for about 7 months thinking baah, flow restrictor, screw it. well i noticed my di burned up rather quick, and did a tds test post membrane, pre di and it was a little high. well knowing how ros work, i decided to test the flow. well i was getting too much product and not enough waste. my ro should be 4 waste 1 good. i was getting 2:1. well needless to say i seen a GREAAT decrease in tds pre di. before it was spitting out like 18 post ro and then it was spitting out 5 post ro. you need enough waste water to pass the membrane to flush off the sediment buildup