Spectrapure Two-stage RO unit.

[mordor]

I don't know if my tap water is so bad or it is typical? After 3-5 weeks of usage productions of my 15GPD unit drops to 3GPD. Quality is still good but output quantity makes it almost useless. Line pressure is the same about 50. I have to replace carbon filter every two months. I start thinking that maybe I did mistake not choosing a little more expensive 3-stage unit.

 

[Randall]

R-O Filtration

Dear Mordor,

What are your tap water parameters? If your water is very hard, that would explain the unusually harsh wear and tear on your R-O unit.

Randall Kohn

 

[jvr]

RO unit

Dear Mordor,

I lived out in the country with well water for a few years, I purchased a 35 gallon per day spectrapure unit, while living there a unit would have lasted me a couple of months. Stalagmites would form on my heaters in the tank that is how mineralized the water was. Since then I have moved back to city living and my 35 gal per day unit produces close to that after 2 years.

Some solutions maybe , prefilter through another filter or two, the more crud you remove before the RO membrane the better, it is cheaper to remove the filter cartridges then it is for RO membranes. Check your membrane there are two types one for chlorinated water and one for non-chlorinated water, if you have choosen the wrong one that could account for the fast burnout of your membrane.
Also a larger unit maybe of consideration.

A chemical composition of your water may also explain the reduced life of your membrane. In really bad water even 3-5 weeks seems a short lifespan. It should be more like 4-6 months vs 2 years.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,

John

 

[mordor]

I think I was not understood. Membrane has been ok for more that 6 months but I guess carbon filter get choked after two months. In result quality (membrane) is good but quantity (prefilters) is low.

I think now it explains why I am thinking that 2-stage for my water may not be good enough. 3-stage got usually sediment pre-filter that comes before carbon filter.

 

[jvr]

confused

Mordor,

In your original post you stated that the production dropped from 15 gallons to 3 gpd, in 3-5 weeks. If your carbon is lasting 8 weeks this was confusing. You can buy individual inline single filters that can be put before your carbon one, these are available at Walmart etc.. I would buy a ceramic core one, hopefully this would help, however if your water is as bad as you say this filter will glog up pretty fast and your production will still drop. you may want to purchase 2 or 3 prefilters with different size micron capabilties, the largest first to get the big stuff out.

John