This is part two in the RO / DI series. In this 30 minutes video i take you through a full break down of an RO / DI unit.
We Cover:
- Component identification
- Inline TDS meter
- RO Membrane dissection
- Filter replacement
- Unit assembly and disassembly
Very nice job with this video. I thought it was interesting that you route your drinking water through the DI filter. I installed a drinking water tank for my RO/DI unit and the instructions said to put a T after the RO stage and route one line to the storage tank and the other line through the DI filter. So, basically the drinking water is RO and the aquarium water is RO/DI.
This series of shows on RO/DI has really posed some of my comments and questions. I have the exact same brand and model of filter that you have (I noticed the tape over the name on the filter so I assume you don't want me to mention the name). I will mention that it is an ebay unit though.
Mine definitely does not work right. We are on a well at out house and our water definitely has some serious issues with the quality.
Our pressure is rather low (45-60 psi) and the water is cold, like 45-55 (live at 9,700 ft in the rocky mountains in Colorado). I assume this is part of the problem.
I can run my unit for a day and not even get a gallon of good water, so I bought a booster pump (from the same guy I bought the unit from). It is not adjustable and when on boosts the pressure to 160 (which might be to high), but when it is on it only takes about 3 hrs to make a gallon of good water. I don't mind the wait but in the proses it makes about 40-50 gallons of waste (for every 1 gallon of good water).
In addition to those problems the membrane (which I have changed 2X in a year) dose not work right in the fact that the water coming out of it has a TDS of about 70. I have the DI hooked up but don't like to because of the TDS of the filtered water is so high I don't want to burn through the beads quickly.
Luckily we are going into winter and I can melt large quantities of snow easily and that water test better that the water I filter with the unit, so I have been using that for about a month.
Also since the pressure is low and it doesn't work right I don't have the storage tank (which by the way is 4.4 gallons) hooked up because then zero water goes in there and it is just a waste.
I talked to the guy at a reputable fish store (which also sells RO filters) and he concluded that since the membranes that I buy (which are the EXACT same as the one rob has) cost about $30 that they probably had a bacteria in them and was causing them to break pre-maturely (hence the high TDS). This made sense but obviously rob is using them successfully.
He also stated that I had to have a valve on the end of the waste water hose so there would be high back pressure on the membrane and then it would make more water. He offered to sell me one but I figured I could do the same with an airline restrictor and some hot glue to make it hold the pressure. So I did that and yes it worked. He was right, it did increase the amount of water produced, as well as the TDS (but not by much).
What are you guys' opinions about all this?
What would you guys recommend that I do?
If any of you know where I can get a higher quality membrane for a relatively low price?
Rob, do you get your on ebay from the same guy that you bought your membrane from? If not where do you get it?
Any other info, comments, recommendations will be highly appreciated.
It sound's to me like you should have the tank. These units run about 80Lbs by themelves.
Remember the bladder inside the tank?
And your drain should be open not closed. you could save the waist water for the grass too.
Why do you have a valve on it? By doing that you are fighting against it.
Most cities only run 35 to 60 lbs of pressure anyway, so yours should be fine like that.
Being in a well only means you might have to change filters more.
How deep are you pulling from? your water is probably cleaner than most city water supplies.
I would say the problem is how your unit is hooked up.
You should see the water in Florida!!!
And I don't think it is cleaner than city water. When I pour it into my freshwater tanks or into a glass to drink it is actually very cloudy (and no its not dissolved gases). It also has a very metallic taste to it and makes you feel sick when you drink it.
Hey rob! I like this video. Did you record it in a studio or did you just add the black background in your house somewhere? Either way, very pro!
I had no idea so much junk was filtered out by the unit. I think i will make the switch to RO/DI to drink.
One question though, where did you get the replacement filters?
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