RO filter- something wrong?

yakfishin · 06/14/2010, 08:23 AM

Can something go wrong, break or go bad in a reverse osmosis system? I'm wondering because mine doesn't seem to be operating like it did in the past. I don't think the water coming out of my reverse osmosis is filtering quite as effectively before it hits my DI filter, because my DI filters aren't lasting nearly as long as they did for the first five years that I had the filter system. In fact, my first question about the RO/DI sytem years ago was exactly how much of a color change the color changing DI filter goes through, because I had the system for almost a year without even seeing a hint that the DI filter was changing color. Now the filter starts changing after only a couple of weeks use. I was recently changing my RO membrane and mistakenly inserted it backwards (which goes to show that my filters normally lasted so long that I forget about the correct orientation of the filter), I immediately knew something was wrong, however, even though I have since changed both the RO cartridge and DI filter, the DI filter is really getting used up faster. Could I have damaged something by incorrectly inserting the RO membrane? My TDS reading before entering the DI filter is 6, but I'm not sure what it was before in the past when my DI filter were lasting longer.

cobra9 · 06/14/2010, 09:24 AM

whats TDS of the incoming water? 6 is a little high coming out of the membrane unless your incoming is pretty bad.

For example my tap water TDS is 360ish so my RO water is 8-9tds and my DI lasts about 5-6 months.

Namnuta · 06/14/2010, 09:33 AM

My DI resin doesn't seem to last to long. My water is 178 tds in and 0 out, and i still seem to burn through the resin fast. I do 36 G weekly water changes, and 1 G a day top up, and i bet my resin lasts about 3 months.

yakfishin · 06/14/2010, 10:01 AM

Cobra- I think the TDS of the incoming water was around 180 tds when checked years ago. I have really good source water from a well. I'll need to recheck, perhaps I'm not remembering it correctly. I'm probably average about
30-40G of weekly changes myself. I guess my main concern is that right after having installed the RO membrane backwards (

), I installed a brand new membrane and DI cartridge, and this DI cartridge immediately started showing a color change after just a few hours of use. I have never before had one start changing nearly that quickly. I think I'll see with my next DI filter change if it is still getting used as quickly. If it is, I think I will order a new RO filter. I think I can save more money in the long run by not having to change my DI cartridge as often. I'm not sure what's inside the RO canister that I might have damaged when I installed the membrane backwards, or if there is anything that can be damaged. But I'm guessing that perhaps I might have damaged a seal somewhere. Any ideas?

sedor · 06/14/2010, 10:59 AM

If you have had the filter for 5 years now, it might be time to replace the membrane. They don't need to be changed as often as the prefilters or the DI resin, but they got clogged and all used up as well.

yakfishin · 06/14/2010, 02:04 PM

I did change the membrane, in fact, I think that is the reason why it might not be functioning properly because I accidently installed it backwards. Since I did the install wrong, I have replaced the membrane once again thinking that I might have messed up that membrane when installed wrong.

06/14/2010, 08:23 AM	#1
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	RO filter- something wrong? Can something go wrong, break or go bad in a reverse osmosis system? I'm wondering because mine doesn't seem to be operating like it did in the past. I don't think the water coming out of my reverse osmosis is filtering quite as effectively before it hits my DI filter, because my DI filters aren't lasting nearly as long as they did for the first five years that I had the filter system. In fact, my first question about the RO/DI sytem years ago was exactly how much of a color change the color changing DI filter goes through, because I had the system for almost a year without even seeing a hint that the DI filter was changing color. Now the filter starts changing after only a couple of weeks use. I was recently changing my RO membrane and mistakenly inserted it backwards (which goes to show that my filters normally lasted so long that I forget about the correct orientation of the filter), I immediately knew something was wrong, however, even though I have since changed both the RO cartridge and DI filter, the DI filter is really getting used up faster. Could I have damaged something by incorrectly inserting the RO membrane? My TDS reading before entering the DI filter is 6, but I'm not sure what it was before in the past when my DI filter were lasting longer.

06/14/2010, 10:01 AM	#4
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	Cobra- I think the TDS of the incoming water was around 180 tds when checked years ago. I have really good source water from a well. I'll need to recheck, perhaps I'm not remembering it correctly. I'm probably average about 30-40G of weekly changes myself. I guess my main concern is that right after having installed the RO membrane backwards (), I installed a brand new membrane and DI cartridge, and this DI cartridge immediately started showing a color change after just a few hours of use. I have never before had one start changing nearly that quickly. I think I'll see with my next DI filter change if it is still getting used as quickly. If it is, I think I will order a new RO filter. I think I can save more money in the long run by not having to change my DI cartridge as often. I'm not sure what's inside the RO canister that I might have damaged when I installed the membrane backwards, or if there is anything that can be damaged. But I'm guessing that perhaps I might have damaged a seal somewhere. Any ideas?

06/14/2010, 10:59 AM	#5
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	If you have had the filter for 5 years now, it might be time to replace the membrane. They don't need to be changed as often as the prefilters or the DI resin, but they got clogged and all used up as well. __________________ Ryan

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06/14/2010, 09:24 AM	#2
cobra9 Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 700	whats TDS of the incoming water? 6 is a little high coming out of the membrane unless your incoming is pretty bad. For example my tap water TDS is 360ish so my RO water is 8-9tds and my DI lasts about 5-6 months.

06/14/2010, 09:33 AM	#3
Namnuta Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 82	My DI resin doesn't seem to last to long. My water is 178 tds in and 0 out, and i still seem to burn through the resin fast. I do 36 G weekly water changes, and 1 G a day top up, and i bet my resin lasts about 3 months.

06/14/2010, 02:04 PM	#6
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	I did change the membrane, in fact, I think that is the reason why it might not be functioning properly because I accidently installed it backwards. Since I did the install wrong, I have replaced the membrane once again thinking that I might have messed up that membrane when installed wrong.