AquaFX unit - RO insert?

[kkutac001]

Here is a question for anyone who has an AquaFX unit with an RO stage. It (the RO membrane) comes from the factory in its own plastic bag, with a little insert of some kind taped to the side of the bag. What the heck is this? It has a little blue plastic on one end, out of which comes a tiny hollow black tube. The inner diameter of the black tube is teeny, like 1mm.
Anyone know what this is for, and where it is supposed to be located? None of the 'user guides' or 'tech manuals' (downloaded from their website) seem to mention it, as far as I can see.
Thanks! ..Karl

[SBreef]

That is your flow regulator.

[kkutac001]

OK, that means I need it. :-) Can you also say where and how it needs to be placed or inserted? Looking at it, it looks like it should be inserted into the 'cap' of the RO unit. If so, should the tiny black tube go 'up' the hole in the cap? Or the other way, so that the black tube sticks out into the cavity of the cap?
Sorry for the ignoramous questions here. I just want to get it set up correctly (of course!) ..Karl

[JimD]

Its your flow restrictor, it goes at the point where your waste line connects to your RO and is absolutely necessary for proper output ratio. Im suprized it didnt come with instructions.

[BuckeyeHydro]

Jim is correct. You have a capillary flow restrictor there.

Are you replacing your current membrane with a membrane of a different capacity?

If no, then probably no need to change your existing flow restrictor - just leave it in place.
If yes, then the following should help:

Locate your waste water tube, specifically where the tube attaches to your RO membrane housing at a fitting. Remove the tube from the fitting and look INSIDE the end of the tube, and if you currrently have a capillary flow restrictor - that's where you'll likely find it. If it is not there it is elsewhere in the WASTE tube.

Pull the old FR out, insert the new one, reattache the tube to the waste port fitting, and you are good to go.

[kkutac001]

Thanks to your replies, I now have a clear understanding. When I disconnected the yellow waste water line from the connector, I saw that there is a restrictor ALREADY in place. (The blue 'plug side' of the restrictor is just showing at the end of the yellow waste line; the 1mm black tube of the restrictor is inside the yellow line. Trailing its tail downstream, so to speak.) The flow restrictor taped to the outside of the bag with the RO membrane turns out to be an EXTRA one, supplied by AquaFX. Cool. I suppose they wanted to make sure that if the originally-installed one became plugged up, I'd have an extra one on-hand, to tide me over til I could order another spare. Very nice. This also must be why there was no mention of how to install it when I read the manuals: it was pre-installed!
I guess that this is one of the reasons why so many I've spoke to recommend AquaFX (one of our sponsors) so highly.
Thanks again for the help! ..Karl