Am I using the BRS RODI unit right

[TheNative192]

Hello everyone! So I have the 5-stage 75GPH pro RODI unit with the TDS meter. For the first stages (not the DI resin) I flushed them out for 30 minutes as instructed. I then ran 1 gallon through the DI resin. My PSI sits at 60 but I can increase this.

My question is on the TDS meter there is an input and output. The Input looks to say around 29-30 while the output says 0. Does that make sense. Also is this the correct amount of water flow? Pictures and video below!

If the video does not work let me know! Thanks for your help!
View attachment 1760890362

 

[Largeangels]

Appears correct. You can take and fill a 5 gallon bucket or a 1 gallon jug and see how long it takes to get the flow rate

 

[Gtinnel]

Im not familiar the the brs models, but if the "in" for your tds meter is after the membrane but before the di then it seems high but that can't be determined without knowing the tds of your source water. The "0" in the out is what you want, but if the water going into the di is 29 ppm then you will likely go through di resin fairly quick.
Flow looks fine to me.

 

[TheNative192]

Im not familiar the the brs models, but if the "in" for your tds meter is after the membrane but before the di then it seems high but that can't be determined without knowing the tds of your source water. The "0" in the out is what you want, but if the water going into the di is 29 ppm then you will likely go through di resin fairly quick.
Flow looks fine to me.

So I guess what would be the way to fix that? Should I run more water before the DI resin and flush it for a longer period? If so for how long. What is a good TDS meter to go into it?

Also would higher PSI than 60 help I know it said to be between 50 to 80.

 

[TheNative192]

I see a lot of people saying that there is around 2-4 going into the DI resin. I tried flushing it out some more and I am still sitting around 20 TDS coming into the unit with the 5 Stage Pro RODI unit. What else should I try or could that be just what my water is. I don't have a TDS checker at the moment yet to see the tap water levels.

 

[Gtinnel]

So I guess what would be the way to fix that? Should I run more water before the DI resin and flush it for a longer period? If so for how long. What is a good TDS meter to go into it?

Also would higher PSI than 60 help I know it said to be between 50 to 80.

The way to tell if 29ppm after your membrane is "bad" is to check your rejection rate but that can't be done without knowing the tds of the source water. If working properly your membrane should remove about 95% or more of the tds in your source water.

I wouldn't flush it any longer.

I would up your pressure some if it's easy to do it then see if that lowers your "in" tds.

Also under normal operation a rodi filter will have a higher tds in the permeate water after the membrane for the first few minutes of operation because of tds creep. So when you took the picture of the meter if the filter had just started running check it again after a few minutes.

Your tds meter is fine but having a third stage to see the tds before the membrane would have been beneficial. I ran my system with only a 2 stage tds meter for a long time before getting a extra 3 stage meter. If I ever needed to check my source water tds I would just move the probe in my system to a different place in the filter, which is kinda a pain to do and not really recommended to do. If you are still new to rodi filters I'd probably suggest not moving it around.

 

[Asm481]

You really need to find out if the meter is before or after the membrane. Also true first five or so minutes is always way high. After membrane 29 is terrible and will burn up your di resin.
Are you on a well by any chance?

 

[TheNative192]

You really need to find out if the meter is before or after the membrane. Also true first five or so minutes is always way high. After membrane 29 is terrible and will burn up your di resin.
Are you on a well by any chance?

The way to tell if 29ppm after your membrane is "bad" is to check your rejection rate but that can't be done without knowing the tds of the source water. If working properly your membrane should remove about 95% or more of the tds in your source water.

I wouldn't flush it any longer.

I would up your pressure some if it's easy to do it then see if that lowers your "in" tds.

Also under normal operation a rodi filter will have a higher tds in the permeate water after the membrane for the first few minutes of operation because of tds creep. So when you took the picture of the meter if the filter had just started running check it again after a few minutes.

Your tds meter is fine but having a third stage to see the tds before the membrane would have been beneficial. I ran my system with only a 2 stage tds meter for a long time before getting a extra 3 stage meter. If I ever needed to check my source water tds I would just move the probe in my system to a different place in the filter, which is kinda a pain to do and not really recommended to do. If you are still new to rodi filters I'd probably suggest not moving it around.

No I am on normal water in a town. I do know we have a small amount of chloramines. The average water hardness was 66 mg/L, with a range of 58 to 85 mg/L. I know its not TDS exactly but I was told our input water is not that bad. Around 100 TDS. I just got the BRS 5 Stage 75GPD Pro RODI Unit. The TDS meter is the TDS before the DI resin & after the DI resin. It also has a pressure meter and I was at around 60-65. I know it said to keep it between 50-80.

I just got the unit & set it up today. I ran the initial stages (not the DI Resin) for 30-45 minutes as it said to do. It then said to do around a Gallon with the DI Resin and that's where I go the 29 TDS. It ended up settling on around 22-23 TDS.

 

[mcarroll]

I see a lot of people saying that there is around 2-4 going into the DI resin. I tried flushing it out some more and I am still sitting around 20 TDS coming into the unit with the 5 Stage Pro RODI unit. What else should I try or could that be just what my water is. I don't have a TDS checker at the moment yet to see the tap water levels.

I'm not following your description....can you show a pic of where the TDS meter sensors go into the RODI unit?

Seems like your source water (Great Lakes) should give you somewhere around 250 ppm total TDS.

Your membrane should be able to get that down to <10 ppm with DI taking care of the rest down to 0 ppm.

As long as your product water to waste water ratio is correct (usually 1:4) then you can be reasonably sure that the product water is 0. Use two measuring cups and catch waste and product water for the same time....I like to stop when one of them is at an even measurement.....they the cup should have a 4x or ÷4 relation to the first one. (eg. 10 mL and 40 mL or 150 mL and 300 mL, etc.)

Your water pressure is fine....actually great.

 

[TheNative192]

I'm not following your description....can you show a pic of where the TDS meter sensors go into the RODI unit?

Seems like your source water (Great Lakes) should give you somewhere around 250 ppm total TDS.

Your membrane should be able to get that down to <10 ppm with DI taking care of the rest down to 0 ppm.

As long as your product water to waste water ratio is correct (usually 1:4) then you can be reasonably sure that the product water is 0. Use two measuring cups and catch waste and product water for the same time....I like to stop when one of them is at an even measurement.....they the cup should have a 4x or ÷4 relation to the first one. (eg. 10 mL and 40 mL or 150 mL and 300 mL, etc.)

Your water pressure is fine....actually great.

Its the BRS Pro which shows the TDS going into the DI Resin and the TDS going out of it. around 22 in and 0 out. The TDS meter actually came in a separate box with the DI resin canister and from other posts it seems that is just the way the BRS unit works.

 

[Tripod1404]

City water here has a 380-450 PPM TDS, and I am able to bring that to around 8 PPM after the membrane. This is a 5 year old membrane. So 29 is way too high unless you have very hard water.

You can try moving the probes of the TDS meter to before and after the membrane to check rejection rate (on my unit I purchased as second TDS meter to for this). A good membrane should be able to achieve >95% rejection (i.e. if the input water has TDS of 100, output should be <5 PPM), but most new membranes should be >98%. If you get very poor rejection, either the input pressure is low, or the membrane needs to be replaced.

 

[Usarmy227]

Its the BRS Pro which shows the TDS going into the DI Resin and the TDS going out of it. around 22 in and 0 out. The TDS meter actually came in a separate box with the DI resin canister and from other posts it seems that is just the way the BRS unit works.

So I guess what would be the way to fix that? Should I run more water before the DI resin and flush it for a longer period? If so for how long. What is a good TDS meter to go into it?

Also would higher PSI than 60 help I know it said to be between 50 to 80.

Here is what my unit is running at and my in and out TDS.


In:


Out:


My setup:


My flow:

 

[BZOFIQ]

You mentioned you have chloriamines. If so, that requires a different stage then a standard carbon.

If you don't remove chloramines, you'll destroy your membrane.

 

[kevgib67]

I use this booster to get my PSI from 60 to 80.

 

[TheNative192]

You mentioned you have chloriamines. If so, that requires a different stage then a standard carbon.

If you don't remove chloramines, you'll destroy your membrane.

My understanding is it is low chloramines but would that affect TDS right away? Since this a new unit wouldn't it take time to degrade? The 5 stage does say it takes city water as well but not too sure.

 

[DswReef]

I'm a fairly new reefer, 6 months in. But id like to point out that your carbon block (canister on the left) I think that's what it is? Looks VERY dirty for a brand new RO/DI. I know all situations are different but as reference here is a picture of mine after 6 mo. of use:

 

[RedReefer]

Do you have your flush valve closed back correctly? If not close correctly, it will create issues with the pressure being low / TDS

 

[Gtinnel]

I'm a fairly new reefer, 6 months in. But id like to point out that your carbon block (canister on the left) I think that's what it is? Looks VERY dirty for a brand new RO/DI. I know all situations are different but as reference here is a picture of mine after 6 mo. of use:

I think you meant sediment filter instead of carbon block. Also, in that picture I believe the chamber on the left is the di resin. Some systems go from right to left and others the opposite way. The position of the chamber doesn't mean much.

 

[TheNative192]

I'm a fairly new reefer, 6 months in. But id like to point out that your carbon block (canister on the left) I think that's what it is? Looks VERY dirty for a brand new RO/DI. I know all situations are different but as reference here is a picture of mine after 6 mo. of use:

That was also someone else's lol

Here's what mine look like brand new

 

[DswReef]

I'm a fairly new reefer, 6 months in. But id like to point out that your carbon block (canister on the left) I think that's what it is? Looks VERY dirty for a brand new RO/DI. I know all situations are different but as reference here is a picture of mine after 6 mo. of use:

I think you meant sediment filter instead of carbon block. Also, in that picture I believe the chamber on the left is the di resin. Some systems go from right to left and others the opposite way. The position of the chamber doesn't mean much.

Ahh thanks for the insight.