Help with rodi

[Awais98]

Hi guys
I'm relatively new here.
I'm finally starting the new setup
and setting up the rodi system here.
So I had this 4 stage brs rodi that I upgraded to a 6 stage and then changed every filer cartridge inside even the DI membrane
Now when I run it, the preDi resin TdS meter is anywhere from 20 to 150 TdS!!
And this is eating up my DI resin so fast, just 2 brute cans and its 80% gone in the first canister.
I did flush the system pre DI resin for an hour before the first use. And I also flushed it before each of those 2 times that I filled my brute can.
I have a water Softner and this rodi is set after the Softner.

What is wrong with this? Is the water that hard here in San Antonio?
Or am I doing something wrong?
Experienced folks please give some guidance.
Thank you
Awais



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[FarmerTy]

Awais, so to get this correct, you've replaced all 3 prefilters, the membrane itself, and also the DI resin, I'm guessing two canisters of DI resin for your 6 stages?

First off, how are you measuring your TDS?. Hand held gauge or TDS monitor on your lines?

Can you take a post filter (3 sediment/carbon filters) prior to the membrane? Can you take one after the membrane, pre-DI resin?

FWIW, my pre-DI resin TDS starts at 115 and goes down to 8-11 TDS before it hits my DI resin. You are doing it correctly if you flush for a few minutes pre-DI until the TDS lowers and then push it through your DI. Doing this on my system has pushed my DI resin life from 4 months to 7-9 months.

[SABOB]

If you could post a picture of your RODI system or the model #,that might help us.My tap TDS can be 200-300.After Sediment and Carbon block and membrane it's usually 6.After DI it's 0.....I change DI when it gets above 1.


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[Awais98]

Here is the RODI pic

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160729/956c7477cbbab6bfa0d18f5c5d6e45a8.jpg
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160729/7c3be984b567bc396e8edd25c0b57ec6.jpg


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[Awais98]

Can you take a post filter (3 sediment/carbon filters) prior to the membrane? Can you take one after the membrane, pre-DI resin?.

FarmerTy can you explain the above statement?

Yes I have replaced all the cartridges:
Pre filter
Carbon blocks x2
RO membrane
2 DI resin cartridge
See pic above

I have an inline TDS meter pre first DI resin and post 2nd DI resin

Could it be the resin is old?
Though I had bought a new pack and replaced.




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[FarmerTy]

FarmerTy can you explain the above statement?

Yes I have replaced all the cartridges:
Pre filter
Carbon blocks x2
RO membrane
2 DI resin cartridge
See pic above

I have an inline TDS meter pre first DI resin and post 2nd DI resin

Could it be the resin is old?
Though I had bought a new pack and replaced.




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Yes, can you take a TDS reading in the two spots noted below:

Yes I have replaced all the cartridges:
Pre filter
Carbon blocks x2
(TDS reading)
RO membrane
(TDS reading)
2 DI resin cartridge

Basically before and after the membrane.

[Awais98]

Yes, can you take a TDS reading in the two spots noted below:

Yes I have replaced all the cartridges:
Pre filter
Carbon blocks x2
(TDS reading)
RO membrane
(TDS reading)
2 DI resin cartridge

Basically before and after the membrane.

Yes I will check pre and post membrane and report.
I'm working night currently, so in am.



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[FarmerTy]

Can't tell from picture but is this how it is currently plumbed?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160729/79b3badb21a8f2148f7c42f5116ffdc3.jpg

[Awais98]

Can't tell from picture but is this how it is currently plumbed?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160729/79b3badb21a8f2148f7c42f5116ffdc3.jpg

That is true



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[mkengr45]

Seems like there has to be something wrong with routing of water. I run mine similarly with a water softener and haven't changed out resin in 6 months....still get tds=0-3. Are you sure the waste line from membrane and clean line are not reversed?

Randy

[alton]

Here is a simple explanation from the Spectrapure website on having issues with flying thru DI
http://spectrapure.com/FILTERS-MEMBRANES-RESIN
When I had super high TDS years ago I quit using DI cartridges because I just couldn't afford to use them

[FarmerTy]

Seems like there has to be something wrong with routing of water. I run mine similarly with a water softener and haven't changed out resin in 6 months....still get tds=0-3. Are you sure the waste line from membrane and clean line are not reversed?

Randy
That's why I wanted him to measure TDS before and after membrane to make sure connections are correct and to make sure his membrane is performing properly.

Here is a simple explanation from the Spectrapure website on having issues with flying thru DI
http://spectrapure.com/FILTERS-MEMBRANES-RESIN
When I had super high TDS years ago I quit using DI cartridges because I just couldn't afford to use them
I didn't see any explanation in the link Alton. Relink?

I mentioned this in another RO/DI thread but check into your CO2 level of your water if your DI resin gets spent very quickly. We have that problem in Pflugerville for some of our reefers that live there. They have usually high CO2 levels in their City water and it kills their DI resin very quickly. We've had them make water pre-DI put it into a brute trash can. From there, aerate it for 24hrs, then use a small pump and pump it through the DI stage.

Here's an excerpt from Spectrapure explaining it much better than I can. Perhaps this is what Alton was trying to link.

"One of the most common reasons for low DI cartridge life is high carbon dioxide content in low pH waters. CO2 levels in low pH waters like well waters can be as high 50-100 ppm. Since carbon dioxide is a small dissolved gaseous molecule it passes right through the reverse osmosis membrane. Carbon dioxide is weakly ionized and is not detected in conductivity measurements, however it occupies the anion-exchange sites in the deionization cartridge significantly reducing their expected life-time. Therefore, CO2 removal from RO product water significantly enhances the life-time of the deionization cartridges."

[alton]

If you look at the top of the spectra page it will show with a TDS reading of 1 after Membrane you will use 1 DI, if your TDS is 4 you will use 4 DI cartridges to get to 0.

[FarmerTy]

If you look at the top of the spectra page it will show with a TDS reading of 1 after Membrane you will use 1 DI, if your TDS is 4 you will use 4 DI cartridges to get to 0.

Ahhh, that wasn't showing up on the mobile version on my phone. Thanks for the clarification Alton!

I'm reading the graphic as saying if its the 99% rejection membrane, you'll use 1 DI cartridge, 98% you'll need 2 DI cartridges, 97% you'll need 3, and 96% you'll need 4... so the value is just to get the 99% rejection rate membrane. I didn't pull from it the TDS references that you did. Am I looking at it wrong or looking at the wrong graphic?

[alton]

Nope you got it correct, if you want to save on DI, get your TDS as close to 0 as after the membrane. My old membrane was this one http://spectrapure.com/FILTERS-MEMBRANES-RESIN/RO-MEMBRANES-FLOW-RESTRICTORS/NEW-99-percent-rejection-SpectraSelect-Plus-Tested-90-GPD-RO-Membrane
But after a couple months it jumped up, so when I replaced it I went back to Buckeye with his tested ones http://www.buckeyehydro.com/maxr-ro-membrane/
because I like his Chloramine filters and service. Spectrapure service was good also, so no complaints there either.

[Awais98]

Yes, can you take a TDS reading in the two spots noted below:

Yes I have replaced all the cartridges:
Pre filter
Carbon blocks x2
(TDS reading)
RO membrane
(TDS reading)
2 DI resin cartridge

Basically before and after the membrane.

So before the RO membrane it is 300 and after the membrane with a minute of flushing, it is 10

So I guess the water flow connection is ok....


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[Awais98]

Nope you got it correct, if you want to save on DI, get your TDS as close to 0 as after the membrane. My old membrane was this one http://spectrapure.com/FILTERS-MEMBRANES-RESIN/RO-MEMBRANES-FLOW-RESTRICTORS/NEW-99-percent-rejection-SpectraSelect-Plus-Tested-90-GPD-RO-Membrane
But after a couple months it jumped up, so when I replaced it I went back to Buckeye with his tested ones http://www.buckeyehydro.com/maxr-ro-membrane/
because I like his Chloramine filters and service. Spectrapure service was good also, so no complaints there either.

I had just changed all the filters and the RO membrane from BRS.



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[alton]

That's about 96 to 97% efficiency so you are right on track for most membranes.